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Wallaby wing legend David Campese copped a fair bit of stick from the majority of the 163 Roarers who commented on his column yesterday.
“In reality, I think more than half of today’s players wouldn’t have cut it in my era,” was the comment that struck a goodly few nerves.
In my book, ‘Campo’ was being extremely generous.
He was an integral member of two teams that created Wallaby history – capturing the 1984 Grand Slam, and the 1991 Rugby World Cup.
If we line up those two teams, and the Wallaby side at the 2011 Rugby World Cup – where of course, the Wallabies couldn’t overcome the All Blacks at home to progress to the final, but won bronze after beating Wales in the repercharge game.
Looking at the teams, it becomes crystal clear which eras enjoyed the talent.
| 1984 | 1991 | 2011 | Lord’s XV: | |
| 1 | Topo Rodriguez | Tony Daly | Benn Robinson | Rodriguez |
| 2 | Tommy Lawton | Phil Kearns | Stephen Moore | Kearns |
| 3 | Andy McIntyre | Ewen McKenzie | Ben Alexander | McKenzie |
| 4 | Steve Cutler | Rod McCall | Rob Simmons | Cutler |
| 5 | Steve Williams | John Eales | James Horwill (c) | Eales (c) |
| 6 | Simon Poidevin | Simon Poidevin | Rocky Elsom | Poidevin |
| 7 | David Codey | Willie Ofahengaue | David Pocock | Pocock |
| 8 | Steve Tuynman | Troy Coker | Wycliff Palu | Palu |
| 9 | Nick Farr-Jones | Nick Farr-Jones (c) | Will Genia | Farr-Jones |
| 10 | Mark Ella | Michael Lynagh | Quade Cooper | Ella |
| 11 | Brendan Moon | Rob Egerton | Adam Ashley-Cooper | Moon |
| 12 | Michael Lynagh | Tim Horan | Pat McCabe | Horan |
| 13 | Andy Slack (c) | Jason Little | Anthony Fainga’a | Little |
| 14 | David Campese | David Campese | James O’Connor | Campese |
| 15 | Roger Gould | Marty Roebuck | Kurtley Beale | Gould |
Pocock is the only current Wallaby who would be an automatic selection to crack the 1984 and 1991 sides. Palu, at his uninjured best, wins selection over Tuynman by a whisker.
Of the others, Beale would have given Gould a good run for his money for the 15 jersey, so too Genia, at his very best, with Farr-Jones. The nod clearly goes to Farr-Jones who never had a bad game, Genia’s had quite a few.
That’s it – just two.
Worth repeating, Campese was being extremely generous in saying more than half the current Wallabies wouldn’t have made it in his era.
But what about the combined era side. A dream team.