Vale David Emanuel, ex Wallaby

Old Trinitarian and former rugby international David Emanuel has been remembered as a “gentle giant” following his death aged 87.

The hard-working lock from the class of 1951 was an exceptional lineout jumper and the Wallabies’ leading second-rower in the late 1950s.

The Eastern Suburbs player made his Test debut in 1957 in the second of a two-match series against New Zealand in Brisbane.

He was then chosen for the fourth Wallabies’ tour to the British Isles, France and North America, where he started in all five Tests.

“David Emanuel played nine Tests for Australia in a two-year international career. He was and forever will be, Wallaby #425,” said Rugby Australia.

The Australian Jewish News described him as “one of the most influential sportsmen of our community” and Maccabi Australia called him “a sporting and community legend”.

David, who attended Trinity from the ages of 9-13, was also a CAS champion swimmer.

He was inducted into the Maccabi Hall of Fame in 2003, and was a founding member and coach of the Maccabi NSW Rugby Club.

He is survived by his sister Janese, two daughters Lisa and Fiona, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

His grandchildren said in a tribute: “The last few months of Dave’s life were not easy, but no matter how sick he was, there wasn’t a moment where he wouldn’t try to make everything okay and pretend he was perfectly fine just to save our worry.

“To us, he will always be that big friendly giant of a man both in stature and as a human.”