Wallabies welcome to the ice fortress

 
Brett McKay Columnist

By Brett McKay, 15 Jun 2009 Brett McKay is a Roar Expert

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The Wallabies extended their unbeaten run at Canberra Stadium beyond 10 years on Saturday night, in temperatures that can only be described as “character-building”.

The 31-8 victory over Italy was the Wallabies’ third win from as many outings in Canberra since 1998, when they demolished Tonga 74-0 in a Rugby World Cup qualifier. June 2000 was the last time the national team graced the frozen turf, accounting for Argentina 32-25.

Since then, rugby fans in the Capital have been crying out for a return of the Wallabies, but it seemed there for many years that we’d just have to be content with Super Rugby titles and supplying Australian Captains.

Of course, International rugby did make a brief return to the Territory for a few weeks during the 2003 Rugby World Cup, and while we held faint hopes of hosting the Final, we were entrusted with Group D preliminary round crunch matches, including Wales v Tonga and Italy v Canada.

Sadly, the only Wallabies sighted at Canberra Stadium since were those grazing the surrounding grassland. It was almost as if the Australian Rugby Union was telling the ACT that there was more to supporting the Wallabies than actually doing it in person.

Thankfully, that all changed with the release of this year’s Test schedule. Italy, not exactly the biggest crowd-drawing nation in world rugby, would be back in town, and it was clear that this was a case of the ARU testing out the local rugby fans, with an unsaid but definitely implied “you lot better bloody turn up…”

And this was where my greatest concern would lie. You see, those crafty buggers at the ARU decided that the Brumbies clearly didn’t know how to maximise revenue from ticket sales at Canberra Stadium, and that a reclassification of seats was in order.

Suddenly, seats at each end previously known as General Admission became Gold, and category B seats on the sides had been buffed up to become Platinum.

Never mind, I thought, as I secured Platinum digs up in the Gregan-Larkham Stand for us and friends coming down from Sydney, the almighty ARU Marketing department would kick in and promote the heck out of The Return of The Wallabies in the weeks leading up the match.

Cue the crickets.

I’d only just commented on The Roar last week that “‘ARU Marketing’ has become as big a contradiction as the old favourite ‘Army intelligence’”, and that once again proved to be the case, with a fan day Sunday week ago, and a handful of radio ads being the extent of it. Oh, and I think there might have been an in-store appearance somewhere, but I can’t really be sure about that because I only heard the ad once.

No bus signage, no sky-writing, not even a TV ad. And I say ‘ad’ because even just one would have been something.

Never mind, I told myself, winter doesn’t really hit until July, so the cold won’t be an excuse either.

Well, I spoke too soon. Canberra’s coldest June day since the dawn of time (or maybe it was only 43 years; there’s still conjecture) arrived on Friday, just as the Wallabies went through their “captain’s run” wearing pretty much every piece of clothing in the catalogue. We didn’t see the sun again until Saturday morning.

So come the day of the game, I was pleasantly surprised to see Wallabies jumpers and caps around the City. And Wallabies for that matter, with a group of the team huddled around the outdoor tables of the cafe we walked out of. I was very thankful at that point that our conversation about Adam Ashley-Cooper being more benefit on the bench was concluded before we walked out and looked straight at him.

On our way out to the stadium though, my concerns about a small crowd grew, with an unusually quick trip met by a near-empty car park. And two wallabies grazing the surrounding grassland.

As we got into the ground though, there did seem to be people everywhere, particularly lined up with me at the merchandise tent purchasing anything that combined Gold and warmth.

The crowd built rapidly, and food and drink outlets that were initially, worryingly, closed were suddenly open and with long lines. The various coffee outlets were instantly popular, and I started the think that maybe, despite practically no effort, a healthy crowd might just eventuate.

And so it did. 22,468 to be exact, which was a brilliant result considering the “balmy” weather and live TV coverage into Canberra and the region. It was easily the biggest crowd at the stadium in several years, and for all sports too, not just rugby.

Of course, the Wallabies accounted for Italy without too much trouble. Matt Giteau showed that he still hasn’t forgotten his way around the ground, and his reception by the Canberra crowd showed that his temporary dash-for-cash to Perth for a few seasons will be forgiven quickly now that he’ll be back in Brumbies colours from next year. Stirling Mortlock was at his bustling best yet again, and the way he barged through traffic for his try gave me second thoughts about my suggested move for him to fullback.

A celebratory rum in the sponsor’s tent at the end of the game was the perfect way to top the night off, and to brace ourselves for the brisk walk back to the car. We obviously weren’t alone with this thought either, and it was great to see so many people hanging around after the game, returning the Bundy Bar back to former glory.

Canberra was back on the International Rugby map, and hopefully the fantastic crowd will ensure a more regular spot on the calendar. The Wallabies unbeaten run here shouldn’t be discounted either, and if Dunedin’s Carisbrook is the All Blacks’ “House of Pain”, then maybe the Wallabies have now found their own “Ice Fortress”.

Follow Brett McKay on Twitter: @BMcSport

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