Jock Campbell

Jock Campbell is a deceptive and elusive fullback who has drawn comparison with rugby league great Darren Lockyer. Nonetheless, Campbell’s story is one of perseverance rather than an accelerated “Yellow brick”-paved pathway to higher honours.

Campbell played his first rugby for the Inverell Highlanders before he crossed north of the border for his secondary education at The Southport School. Campbell was a solid, if not spectacular player who made the 2013 2nd XV and had a few runs in the firsts as a replacement.

After graduation, Campbell played his rugby with the University of Queensland where he turned up to training and “got a run in the thirds”. Campbell’s breakthrough year came in 2017 when he played a key role in the first of three successive first grade Grand Final appearances (for two Hospital Challenge Cup premierships - 2017 & 2019) and debuted for Queensland Country when they won the National Rugby Championship. Campbell was awarded a Reds contract in late 2018 and ran out for his Super Rugby debut in round nine of 2019 against the Bulls in Pretoria. That same year, Campbell was crowned the Reds’ 'Rookie of the Year’.

In 2022, Campbell’s performance against in Queensland’s early season 23-5 win over the Rebels saw Reds’ coach Brad Thorn wax lyrical about his fullback. “He moves so nicely,” Thorn said. “He’s got this movement, Lockyer-style - it’s almost like a step. He’s dangerous with the ball, he’s got speed, especially across a short distance. Jock’s a banker - you feel good when he’s on the park. For Jock, he’s doing a great job for our team ... he could comfortably go up another level.” Those words proved prophetic when Campbell carried the same form into the Pacific Nations Cup for Australia ‘A’ to earn inclusion in The Rugby Championship squad to Argentina. Finally, on the season end Spring Tour, Campbell won his first Test cap, against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Highlights

2022 Campbell came off the bench to replace Tom Banks and earn his first Test cap in the 16-15 triumph over Scotland in Edinburgh. He earned three further caps, including his first in the run-on side - against France in Paris - and then against Italy and Wales.