Australian wing who played a record 62 consecutive Tests, was a 1999 Rugby World Cup winner, and produced a decisive double-try performance against the 2001 British & Irish Lions.
Born Joseph Ward Roff in Heathcote, Victoria, on 20 September 1975, Joe Roff played soccer until age 14 before switching to rugby after his family moved to Canberra. His godfather was Wallaby Hall of Famer Greg Cornelsen, and Roff progressed through Australian Schools and the Emerging Wallabies before winning his first Test cap at 19 during the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Roff became the ironman of Australian rugby, playing a record 62 consecutive Tests between late 1996 and 2001, forming a lethal try-scoring partnership with fellow wing Ben Tune. He was part of Australia's victorious 1999 Rugby World Cup squad, and produced arguably his finest performance in the second Test of the 2001 British & Irish Lions series, intercepting a Jonny Wilkinson pass to score before adding a second try five minutes later in a crushing 35-14 win that swung the series. Roff also won Tri Nations titles with Australia in 2000 and 2001, and was a key figure for the Brumbies in Super Rugby, helping them to titles in 2001 and 2004 and twice being named Super Rugby Player of the Year (1999, 2003). He finished his international career with 86 Test caps and 244 points, retiring in 2004. After retiring, Roff played club rugby in France and Japan before earning a place at Oxford University to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He later became CEO of the University of Canberra, and is known as a fiercely private figure away from the game.
A record 62 consecutive Test appearances and a decisive double-try performance against the 2001 Lions
How They Played
Deceptively quick with a sharp outside swerve and strong fend
Lasting Impact
One of the standout wings of Australia's golden era of rugby