The 1984 Wallaby grand slam tour
Roar Guru By Jason Cave, 30 Apr 2009 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
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The 1984 tour of Britain and Ireland by the Wallabies is one of the more significant events in the long history of Australian rugby.
The 1984 Wallabies did something their previous teams to Britain and Ireland couldn’t do and that was to win the ‘Grand Slam’, victories over England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland.
After suffering the humiliation of a 25-24 loss to the All Blacks in the third Test of the 1984 Bledisloe Cup series, coach Alan Jones made some significant changes to his team.
In came Michael Lynagh, Nick Farr-Jones and Steve Cutler. Andrew Slack was given the captaincy for the tour, but most importantly, Mark Ella was given control to call the plays in the backline.
Australia was given no chance at the start of the tour by the British media, yet surprised everyone by beating England 19-3.
Ireland was next on the Wallabies agenda, and the Australians defeated the Irish at Lansdowne Road 16-9.
The most crucial Test of the whole tour was against Wales.
Wales, by this stage, were probably the strongest of the Home Unions teams, but at Cardiff Arms Park, the Wallabies showed the Welsh that the tide had turned. Australia defeated Wales 28-9 which was significant for the ‘pushover try’ scored by forward Tom Lawton.
The Welsh were shattered by the result.
The Wallabies completed the Grand Slam in fine style by defeating Scotland 37-12, and just for good measure, went on to defeat the Barbarians 37-30.
Mark Ella completed his own personal Grand Slam by scoring a try in each of the four Tests played on that tour. Michael Lynagh scored 42 points, which was the most scored by an Australian in a Test series.
The 1984 Wallabies were of the great Australian sports teams of all time.
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April 30th 2009 @ 10:15am
Mark Young said | April 30th 2009 @ 10:15am | Report comment
My earliest Sporting Memory is watching David Campese streak away to score a try in the Grand Slam of 1984.
Great article. Rich memories of a wonderful time.
April 30th 2009 @ 10:17am
sheek said | April 30th 2009 @ 10:17am | Report comment
Jason,
They’re my all-time favourite Wallaby team. The scary thing is they could have been even stronger.
Michael O’Connor (centre) & Tony D’Arcy (prop) defected to league at end of 1982, while Mark Loane (eightman) retired prematurely also in 1982.
David Hillhouse (lock) retired at the end of 1983 to concentrate on a professional pilot career. Bill Ross (hooker) retired at the end of 1983 due to a chronic back injury. Even Mitchell Cox (back utility), who defected to league at the beginning of 1982, would have been in this mix.
In 1984 O’Connor would have turned 24; D’Arcy 26; Loane 30; Hillhouse 29; Ross 28 & Cox 26.
They would all have been selected to tour had they been available for selection. O’Connor & Loane would have been in the starting XV, with D’Arcy, Hillhouse, Cox & Ross strong candidates for the bench. Coach Alan Jones would also probaly have had Loane as his captain.
Ironically, Slack’s place in the starting XV would have been under severe threat from O’Connor, as well as the captaincy from Loane. Alternately, Jones could have played Slack at inside centre, in place of both Lynagh & Hawker, with O’Connor the goalkicker.
When Topo Rodriguez emigrated to Australia in early 1984, he wasn’t expecting to continue his test career. But with a dearth of quality props, Jones persuded him to become a Wallaby. It’s interesting to speculate, if D’Arcy had been still around, whether Rodriguez would have been called up for the Wallabies. I like to think so.
With the benefit of hindsight, the following is a list of players I would have liked to see tour. I’ve also selected the other two Ellas, who missed original selection. Players with an asterix (*) weren’t part of the original tour selection.
Fullbacks: Roger Gould, Glen Ella(*).
Wingers: David Campese, Brendan Moon, Peter Grigg, Mitchell Cox(*).
Centres: Michael O’Connor(*), Andy Slack(vc), Michael Hawker, Gary Ella(*).
Flyhalfs: Mark Ella, Michael Lynagh.
Scrumhalfs: Nick Farr-Jones, Phillip Cox.
Eightman: Mark Loane(* – c), Steve Tuynman.
Flankers: Simon Poidevin, David Codey, Chris Roche, Bill Calcraft.
Locks: Steve Cutler, Steve Williams, David Hillhouse(*), Nigel Holt.
Props: Topo Rodriguez, Andy McIntyre, Tony D’Arcy(*), Cameron Lillicrap.
Hookers: Tom Lawton, Bill Ross(*).
In the original team of 1984 James Black was chosen at fullback; Ross Hanley at wing; Matt Burke at centre; Tim Lane at flyhalf; Bill Campbell at lock; Stan Pilecki at prop & Mark McBain at hooker.
Ian Williams (wing) & Greg Burrow (prop) were called over as tour replacements for Moon & Lillicrap, injured during the tour. Either way, the 1984 team was an awesome combination. But it could have been even stronger!
April 30th 2009 @ 11:52am
Timmypig said | April 30th 2009 @ 11:52am | Report comment
1984 was the first year I played rugby, having spent my childhood (to that stage) playing Association Football. The Grand Slam tour took place after that year’s school comp had finished (ie after my season was over). I can still recall watching in amazement, thinking to myself: “THAT’S HOW RUGBY IS PLAYED!!!!!!!”
‘Twas a crucial period for me. Went from being a kid who played rugby at school (and played poorly despite making the 1st XV) to someone with a rusted-on life long love of the game. I kept playing poorly though, for University and for Regiment!
Great team indeed.
April 30th 2009 @ 2:05pm
Jason Cave said | April 30th 2009 @ 2:05pm | Report comment
I said in my opening to the article that the 1984 Grand Slam Wallabies tour not only was a significant moment in the long history of Australian rugby, the gensis of our first Rugby World Cup win in 1991 can also be traced back to that ’84 tour by the Wallabies.
April 30th 2009 @ 3:35pm
Frank O'Keeffe said | April 30th 2009 @ 3:35pm | Report comment
I’d venture to say the beginning of Australia winning their first World Cup began in 1972 when they were comprehensively thumped by New Zealand. Then in 1973 they lost a Test to Tonga.
That shocked the Australian rugby establishment into action and forced them to implement new strategies. A special report was conducted showing that players just didn’t stay around long in rugby, whether it be a defection to league or work commitments. By comparison, when a player like Colin Meads would play overseas there were people who’d help him out on his farm.
That and rise of Queensland rugby under Bob Templeton as well as the 77/78 Invincible Schoolboys really set Australia up for an exciting 80s.
It’s all brilliantly captured in the book ‘The Rise and Rise of Australian Rugby’ by Phillip Derriman – one of my five favourite rugby books on Australian rugby.
April 30th 2009 @ 4:58pm
Frank O'Keeffe said | April 30th 2009 @ 4:58pm | Report comment
As I’ve said in other threads, I was recently watching the 1991 world cup semi final between Australia and New Zealand. A lot of Aussies point towards the first half as being the best Australia has ever played.
Australia were great in those first 20-30 minutes, but I have to say I was more impressed with the first 20 minutes against Wales.
The Aussies owned the breakdown in the New Zealand game, but their line-out was horrendous. And while there certainly was nothing wrong with the Aussie backs in the ’91 game, I was more impressed with what they did against Wales. To me the Welsh game was a more complete performance, while the 1991 game was better in terms of the forwards smashing everybody out of the way.
I suppose since 1991 was against New Zealand it’s more memorable. The Welsh perhaps weren’t as good as New Zealand, but you can only play what’s in front of you and who’s to say Australia couldn’t have played the same way against a better side.
I love the story before the game when the Welsh coach (who was it?) said Wales could beat Australia 9 times out of 10 if they played to their full capability. All the Aussie players were in their rooms and watching this on TV and suddenly they heard someone outside. It was Alan Jones running up and down the hallway knocking on all the doors and screaming, “Can you bloody hear it?”
He sounded quite mad.
April 30th 2009 @ 6:00pm
Harry said | April 30th 2009 @ 6:00pm | Report comment
Sheek,
Not sure whether I agree with you on your assertion that the 84 side would have been strengthened by the players you mentioned – and some of them like Loane and O’Conner were great players and favourites of mine.
The fact is 3 years previously (Dec 81 and Jan 82) we had toured the UK and recorded bitterly disappointing losses to Wales, Scotland and England, and in 1976/77 likewise in the UK. The players you mentioned as missing in 84 were on at least one of those tours, and as unpalatable as it is to concede, came up short in these UK tests, and in France. They did achieve fabulous wins at home and against NZ however.
Jones’ achievements was to find new forwards like Cutler, Tyneman, Topo, Tommy Lawton and Codey and raise their standard together to conquer this mountain. The 84 side dominated up front like no other Australian side before or since (with the possible exception of 91, which had also been rebuilt following a failure 2 years previously). Would Loane and Hillhouse been able toa dapt to the Jones regime? Probably not in my view but we’ll never know and the players who did have the glory.
Can’t also let the Topo was “suprised to be picked for Aus ” line pass through. He was very clearly recruited by senior ARU figures to buttress our front row stocks, following the Pumas demolition of the Australian scrum at Ballymore in 1983. Trust me, I am on the inside on this one.
Frank O’Keefe, i was lucky enough to be at both games in the 91 RWC (Aus V Wales and Aus v NZ semi) and its my view that tthe first half was Australia’s finest rugby union performance.
April 30th 2009 @ 7:03pm
Greg Truman said | April 30th 2009 @ 7:03pm | Report comment
The 77 and 78 Oz schoolboy teams were breathtaking despite the silly school politics of the time (as were the league teams of that era and a little later). I’d suggest the 84 national side owes nothing to the national coach, but a huge debt to the natural talent at his/her disposal.
April 30th 2009 @ 7:24pm
Frank O'Keeffe said | April 30th 2009 @ 7:24pm | Report comment
Harry,
Sorry mate I was talking about the game against Wales in 1984. In hindsight my post was somewhat obtuse. But yeah I consider the first half against Wales in 1984 to be superior to the Aussies first half against New Zealand in 1991. Even if Wales were probably the weaker side.
Gosh the Aussie side was great back then. Way better than what we’ve seen from 2003 onwards.
April 30th 2009 @ 7:28pm
sheek said | April 30th 2009 @ 7:28pm | Report comment
Harry,
You’re right about 1981/82. However, to blame the loss say entirely on the lack of height & bulk in the tight five, glosses over other problems occurring at the time. All the problems of 1981/82 might have been glossed over if only Paul McLean kicked his goals.
Australia ‘out-tryed’ each of their 4 home nations opponents on scraps of decent possession, but came up with only one win.McLean had an appallingly unusual collapse of confidence with his kicking.
The other problem was a crisis of styles, which wasn’t necessarily along Qld-NSW fissures. Skipper Tony Shaw & coach Bob Templeton had both seen how effective the young NSW dominated backline was against the ABs in 1980.
On the conservative side were Mark Loane, who had been in South Africa in 1980, & Paul McLean, who had missed the entire 1980 series through injury. Shaw & templeton were torn by loyalty & friendship with Loane & McLean on the one hand, & the extraordinary talents of the Ellas, O’Connor & Hawker on the other.
In attempting a compromise in their playing style, they ended up with something that was basically “neither here nor there”. Consequently, the team struggled with inconsistent selections, poor strategy & tactics.
I was at Ballymore in 1983 when the Puma scrum dismantled the Wallabies. I can only tell the following story because it is first-hand. I have met & know Topo Rodriguez. I asked him about emigrating to Australia.
Topo was a tourist to Australia in 1983, & loved what he saw of our country. He had a young family, & Argentina had been ravaged by the Falklands war, & years of totalitarian rule by military junta. Consequently, Topo decided to bring his family to Australia to start a new life.
Nearly 32, he accepted that his international career was probably over. He emphasized to me, playing for the Wallabies hadn’t been an original motivating factor. When I expressed surprise that he chose Warringah as his district club, he replied that of the half a dozen Sydney clubs he had written to (expressing an interest to play rugby), Warringah was the only club to respond with an offer to play!
Once Alan Jones knew Topo was coming to Australia, he & the ARU actively set out to recruit him, so you’re right from that moment. Topo tells me he was off with the Wallabies to Fiji barely a month after arriving in Australia in early 1984. And that is the basis of my earlier comments.
Re your final para, I recall Bob Dwyer saying that if you married the first half of the 1991 WC semi-finalagainst the ABs, & the second half of the reunification test against the Boks in 1992, you would have the perfect Wallabies game.