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Since the Wallabies imploded yet again Sunday morning Australian time, there have been upwards of a dozen analyses of the defeat posted on The Roar.
So I thought it might be time for a change of thought, to avoid another week of groundhog day.
Recently fellow Roarer Frank O’Keeffe offered his ’10 Greatest Wallabies of the 2000s’.
I’m now asking Roarers to select their favourite rugby team. It doesn’t have to be made up of the best players, but should contain the players who thrill you and for whom you would gladly pay money to watch them play.
We all have different perceptions of what makes rugby an attractive game. Consequently, we also have different perceptions of what makes a great rugby player.
The beauty here is that there is no wrong selection – it is entirely your own team, therefore it is correct.
I will start by nominating a squad of 22 Wallabies who have thrilled me over 45 years of watching rugby.
15 – Russell Fairfax (NSW). Long blonde hair on a stick frame, there wasn’t much he couldn’t do on a rugby pitch. Always looked for an attacking opportunity. Forerunner to Chris Latham. Sadly defected to league.
14 – David Campese (ACT/NSW). Needs no introduction nor explanation. A pure thrill machine.
13 – Michael O’Connor (ACT/Queensland). Of all the defections to league, his hurt me the most. A beautifully balanced athlete possessing sublime skills. My first-choice goal-kicker.
12 – Michael Hawker (NSW). Although Tim Horan was better, the midfield combo of Ella-Hawker-O’Connor was something to behold. Sadly, the trio only played together in a handful of Tests. What a sporting tragedy that was.
11 – Brendan Moon (Queensland). I’m a believer in ying-yang sporting combos. Moon was the straight man to Campo’s maverick. He was a technically correct winger, who did everything perfectly.
10 – Mark Ella (NSW). Another who requires no introduction nor explanation. Always looking for an opportunity to attack and thrill. My backline leader.
9 – John Hipwell (NSW Country). At the peak of his career, only Gareth Edwards was considered better. Good ball, bad ball, indifferent ball, it didn’t matter, he found a way to use it effectively.
8 – Mark Loane (Queensland). Described as a runaway rhino in the scrub or even a runaway train without a destination. You get the picture. Hard and tough.
7 – Ray Price (NSW). Another whose defection was keenly felt. Could have passed as Fairfax’s twin. Totally fearless and indefatigable.
6 – Greg Cornelsen (NSW Country/Queensland). Tireless worker. Superb physique allowed him to play any back-row position well.
5 – John Eales (Queensland). Any guy nicknamed ‘Nobody’ (as in “nobody’s perfect”) must be okay. Clearly our best-ever Wallaby. My team leader.
4 – David Hillhouse (Queensland). Freakish lineout jumper from the days of no lifting. Mobile and aggressive around the park.
3 – Tony D’Arcy (Queensland). Built like a fridge with a head. Strong, tough, technically excellent.
2 – Bill Ross (Queensland). Understood the scrum, a clever lineout exponent and played like an extra flanker. Smaller than either Tom Lawton or Phil Kearns, but resilient.
1 – Topo Rodriguez (NSW). Like D’Arcy, strong, tough, technically excellent, possessing endurance strength. Both props could play both sides and as a party trick, swap sides during a match!
22 – Jason Little (Queensland). Little was a superb physical specimen who is remembered as an outside centre, but could cover all the three-quarter positions.
21 – Paul McLean (Queensland). As much as I would like to throw in Latham, I also want the “holy trinity” (Loane-Shaw-McLean) in my squad. McLean covers fullback and flyhalf.
20 – Phil Cox (NSW). Although it’s tough to omit Nick Farr-Jones, Ella said his favourite halfback to play with was Coxey, so he gets a jersey here.
19 – Tony Shaw (Queensland). They called him ‘Crazy Eyes’ and he played like a madman. At his peak he was the best mauler in Australian rugby. He covers both the back row and second row.
18 – Tim Gavin (NSW). Big, raw-boned, country born boy who excelled at eightman and could also cover lock. You can’t have enough country boys in your team.
17 – Stan Pilecki (Queensland). Minister for social occasions. Heck, there might have been better props than Stan the man, but he never shirked the tough stuff. Off the field, yes, but on the field, no.
16 – Peter Horton (NSW Country/Queensland). Pilecki’s sidekick. English-born hooker who had the wonderful habit of annoying the life out of opponents, which you need in your team.
I love this team. The pack wouldn’t take a backward step and the backline would be trying to conjure tries at every opportunity. If ever they lost, you would know it wasn’t from a lack of trying.
But these guys would thrill you day-in and day-out.
Of course, I could select many more players, but this will do for the moment.
Your team might be the Wallabies, or All Blacks, or Springboks, or anything else. In any case, let us know your favourite team.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.