Garry Quinlivan walks out of ACT Brumbies headquarters and tears immediately begin to well in his eyes.
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Because waiting for the 84-year-old renowned as "the heart and soul" of the club is a brand new buggy emblazoned in Brumbies colours - of course complete with an "OLDFART" licence plate.
Wander a little closer and Quinlivan sees himself smiling back, because on the front he is pictured with club legends Joe Roff, Stephen Larkham, Owen Finegan, George Gregan and David Griffin.
Rugby Australia chief Rob Clarke joined Brumbies boss Phil Thomson to congratulate Quinlivan on winning the Nick Farr-Jones Spirit of Rugby award on Monday morning.
Few could be more deserving than the throat cancer survivor who has been with the club since day one in 1996, so often the first one in a tick after 6am on icy winter mornings and the last to leave.
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Quinlivan speaks through an artificial voice box and shies away from attention, but his impact cannot be understated. Thomson says the Brumbies would not be who they are without him.
Clarke remembers joining the Brumbies as chief executive in 2003 and crossing paths with "Quinzo" soon after.
"He was a man that looked like a cross between Papa Smurf, Santa Claus, and maybe a little bit Colonel Sanders. He had all the talents of all of those people," Clarke said.
"No team can be successful in our game without so many people behind the scenes. Everybody sees the players and the coaches, but not many people see the kit man Quinzo has been since the game went professional here in 1996.
"He has been on hand for the players every single day, he is the first man at work. It's an award that justifies that type of accolade, for a man who has given so much."
Thomson started at the Brumbies as team manager in 1996, working with Quinlivan to establish a professional rugby team when many didn't quite know what they were doing.
Today they are part of a club determined to be crowned the best Super Rugby side across the Tasman after Rugby Australia and their New Zealand counterparts finalised the 2021 fixture.
The Brumbies will launch their Super Rugby Trans-Tasman campaign a week after the Super Rugby AU final, travelling to Christchurch to take on the Canterbury Crusaders on May 15.
That is followed by another Saturday night clash with the Waikato Chiefs on May 22, before all 10 clubs converge on one location for Super Round, with a host selection process to begin shortly.
The Brumbies will then face the Wellington Hurricanes at Canberra Stadium on Saturday, June 5, before hosting the Otago Highlanders on Friday, June 11, before the top two teams advance to the final a week later.
The year begins with a Super Rugby AU clash with the Western Force in Perth on February 19, and Quinlivan will be willing the Brumbies on in search of successive domestic titles.
"Every day he is in here, he cares for everyone who has walked through the door at the Brumbies. Every player from Brumby No. 1 Patricio Noriega, to the last Brumby who was capped, Issak Fines at No. 229," Thomson said.
"I'm fortunate enough I can walk in here every day and say hello to Quinzo as I'm going up to my office. He's down there meeting the boys as they come in, the banter has already started, he's into them about this and that, keeping them all on their toes."
ACT BRUMBIES 2020 FIXTURES
SUPER RUGBY AU
Round one: Friday, February 19 - Western Force v ACT Brumbies at Perth Oval.
Round two: Saturday, February 27 - ACT Brumbies v NSW Waratahs at Canberra Stadium.
Round three: Saturday, March 6 - Melbourne Rebels v ACT Brumbies at Melbourne Stadium.
Round four: Saturday, March 13 - ACT Brumbies v Queensland Reds at Canberra Stadium.
Round five: Bye
Round six: Friday, March 26 - ACT Brumbies v Western Force at Canberra Stadium.
Round seven: Friday, April 2 - NSW Waratahs v ACT Brumbies at venue TBC.
Round eight: Saturday, April 10 - Queensland Reds v ACT Brumbies at Lang Park.
Round nine: Friday, April 16 - ACT Brumbies v Melbourne Rebels at Canberra Stadium.
Round 10: Bye
Qualifying Final: Saturday, May 1 - Second-ranked team v Third-ranked team
Final: Saturday, May 8 - First-ranked team v Winner of qualifying final
*All kick-off times to be confirmed
SUPER RUGBY TRANS-TASMAN
Round one: Saturday, May 15 - Canterbury Crusaders v ACT Brumbies at Christchurch Stadium, 5.05pm.
Round two: Saturday, May 22 - Waikato Chiefs v ACT Brumbies at Waikato Stadium, 5.05pm.
Round three: May 28-29 - ACT Brumbies v Auckland Blues
Round four: Saturday, June 5 - ACT Brumbies v Wellington Hurricanes at Canberra Stadium, 7.45pm.
Round five: Friday, June 11 - ACT Brumbies v Otago Highlanders at Canberra Stadium, 7.45pm.
Final: Saturday, June 19 - First-ranked team v Second-ranked team
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
