Cheyenne Campbell is to be inducted into the Queensland Rugby Union Hall of Fame for her devotion to excellence at club, Queensland and Wallaroos level.
Across more than a decade, she rose to captain Queensland and represent Australia at the 2010 and 2017 Rugby World Cups, principally at inside centre and hooker.
All the while, she helped shape the club scene in Brisbane as a force in a streak of four premierships for Easts (2008-11) and an historic title for Redlands (2013). She continues to give back and was still at the helm, at 38, as player-coach for the Redlands club this season.
Campbell, fullback supreme Roger Gould, 2011 Super Rugby-winning captain James Horwill and pre-World War One stalwart Patrick Murphy will formally be ushered into the QRU Hall of Fame at the Season Launch Long Lunch on Friday, February 6 at the Brisbane City Hall.
You can celebrate the Hall of Fame class of 2026 and welcome the new season in style with a ticket to the gala event.
Campbell achieved all she did at representative level for 17 Tests and 34 games for Queensland in a compact 1.64m package with traits, other than size, shining through.
"It's such an honour to be even considered for the Hall of Fame. There's disbelief mixed in there for sure because when I got the phone call (from the QRU) I thought it could be around coaching or presenting jerseys," Campbell said.
"You might get measured at 164cm but you can walk tall. The physicality and competitiveness have always been parts to rugby that I've taken on.
"I was lucky enough to go to this year's Season Launch Long Lunch to see Bronny Laidlaw inducted. It was a great celebration and it will be such a cool thing to be involved in myself.
"Representing your state and higher honours are amazing feelings for both yourself and your family."
Campbell's DNA as a player was established early as a cousin of former Wallaby Quade Cooper when both lived in the New Zealand timber town of Tokoroa during their primary school years in the 1990s.
She was the tough tackler who made the younger Cooper cry on a field with a concrete in-goal beyond the tryline.
She played mostly in the centres for her opening seasons with Queensland from 2007 and at the 2010 World Cup in England. A major switch to hooker for the latter phase of her career at the Reds (2016-17-18) earned her a second World Cup high in Ireland in 2017.
"Playing in the centres and at hooker are two worlds apart. I took advice to switch to hooker to get more game time. The challenge to better myself, be stronger and fitter, and push to another World Cup were motivation," Campbell said.
Campbell is a driving force at the Redlands club where she mentors younger players. She plugged in at flyhalf and halfback this season to give the side direction.She also finds time to coach at Shailer Park State High where the kids have played rugby sevens for the past two years with their humanities teacher showing the way.
