ACT Brumbies legends George Gregan and Stephen Larkham did almost everything together over more than a decade at the top, so it was fitting they were honoured at the same time on Thursday night.
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Gregan and Larkham were inducted into the Wallabies hall of fame at the John Eales Medal night in Sydney, while Brumbies women's player Tayla Stanford was name the Super W player of the year.
Recognition of Gregan and Larkham was a fait accompli given they won Super Rugby titles and the 1999 World Cup as the Wallabies halves combination.
They are widely recognised as two of the greatest players in Wallabies history and conquered all before them when they were on the field.
They helped Australia win the World Cup 20 years ago, they teamed up to lead the Brumbies to Super Rugby championships in 2001 and 2004.
Gregan played 136 games for the Brumbies and 139 Tests for Australia over 13 years of service.
Larkham played 127 games for the Brumbies and 102 Tests for the Wallabies, making his debut in 1996 and playing until both he and Gregan retired from Australian duties in 2007.
The two champions were a reminder of how great the Wallabies could be on rugby union's night of nights, which say Marika Koroibete win the John Eales Medal.
Koroibete was a shining light throughout the disastrous World Cup campaign that ended with a quarter-final defeat to the Eddie Jones-coached England.
His world-class finishing and big-hitting defence was enough to secure 200 total votes for the season, finishing 50 clear of second place-getter, fellow Fijian Samu Kerevi.
Koroibete joins illustrious company in claiming Rugby Australia's highest individual honour.
David Pocock, Michael Hooper, Israel Folau, George Smith and Nathan Sharpe have all claimed the prestigious award twice, while Chris Latham and Matt Giteau have also won the gong.
The 27-year-old only recently re-signed with both the Melbourne Rebels and Wallabies until the end of 2021, having crossed codes prior to the 2017 season after shooting to stardom while playing for Melbourne Storm in the NRL.
But the Wallabies' disastrous World Cup campaign and the exit of Michael Cheika is the lingering bad taste Australian rugby desperately wants to get rid of.
The Wallabies were knocked out of the tournament in Japan in the quarter-finals. Cheika quit the following day and Rugby Australia is preparing for a wide-ranging review into the high-performance program.
Larkham has been floated as a possible successor, but given he was axed from Cheika's staff 10 months ago makes it unlikely the Wallabies will turn to the brilliant playmaker.
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New Zealand's Dave Rennie is still believed to be the front-runner and while Eddie Jones has all but ruled himself out, he still looms as an outside chance.
Larkham is coaching in Ireland to expand his horizons after coaching the Brumbies for four seasons.
While the Wallabies stumbled, boom young gun Jordan Petaia gave people something to smile about and the Queenslander was named rookie of the year. Junior Wallabies skipper Fraser McReight was named the Australian U20 team's best player for the second year running.
Australia's men's Sevens team booked their place in the Tokyo Olympics by beating Samoa in Suva last weekend and their star livewire, Maurice Longbottom, claimed Shawn Mackay Award for men's Sevens player of the year.
Longbottom has been the greatest beneficiary of Tim Walsh taking the reins as coach, playing far more minutes than he did under former coach Andy Friend, who used the Indigenous star as a strike weapon rather than a regular starter.
Superstar Australian women's Sevens playmaker Charlotte Caslick was rewarded for another superb year with the women's Sevens gong.
Wallaroos skipper Grace Hamilton stamped her standing as a star of the women's game by being named Wallaroos player of the year, having starred in the Test series against Japan before leading from the front against New Zealand.
Long-serving Waratahs doctor Sharron Flahive received the Joe French Award for her outstanding contribution to rugby over 20 years.
Queenslander Nic Berry was named referee of the year.
RUGBY AUSTRALIA AWARDS WINNERS
John Eales Medal: Marika Koroibete.
Wallaroos player of the year: Grace Hamilton.
Super Rugby player of the year: Samu Kerevi.
Super W player of the year: Tayla Stanford.
Rookie of the year: Men - Jordan Petaia. Women - Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea.
Sevens player of the year: Men - Maurice Longbottom. Women - Charlotte Caslick.
Junior Wallabies player of the year: Fraser McReight.