While Wallabies coach Robbie Deans anguishes over his squad for Twickenham next weekend, he’d “kill” to have a third of the talent I’m selecting from the crack Wallabies I’ve seen in action since World War 2.
(1) Jon White (1958-65 – 24 caps) – One of the world’s top looseheads in the last 50 years, he was a tower of strength as a scrumagger for the full 80 minutes.
(2) Peter Johnson (1959-72 – 42) – For 13 years, he was the pivot that made the Wallaby pack one of the best in the world. His general play was outstanding; in the thick of the action at all times.
(3) Topo Rodrigues (1984-87 – 26) – Without peer as a tight-head prop who was equally at home in the tight and the loose, as he proved on the Grand Slam tour in 1984.
(4) John Eales (1991-2001 – 86) – Dominated the decade with his all-round brilliance across the park, his captaincy, and his goal-kicking – the complete package.
(5) Rob Heming (1961-67 – 28) – Long before lifting became legal, he could out-jump every opponent, and to prove his point, could effortlessly clap his hands above the cross-bar from a standing start.
(6) Col Windon (1946-52 – 20) – The very first of the mobile flankers, with the speed of a back, and a dynamic defender-forager.
(7) George Smith (2000-09 – 110) – One of the world’s great flankers who never ran out of puff and kept the pressure on every ball-carrier because he was only a sniff away at any stage.
(8) Mark Loane (1973-82 – 28) – A big unit who read the game superbly, was swift to the loose ball, and a bone-crunching defender.
(9) Ken Catchpole (1961-68 – 27) – The greatest half-back in my lifetime by the length of the straight with long bullet passes that thudded into his five-eights middrift with pin-point accuracy, and a superb reader of the game with multiple options at his disposal.
(10) Mark Ella (1980-84 – 25) – The mercurial Mark, the greatest 10 I’ve ever seen, who could find holes in the opposition defences that seemingly weren’t there. The message was clear to trail Ella: those who did were invariably put in the clear. The tragedy is that Catchpole and Ella were a generation apart.
(11) Brendan Moon (1978-86 – 35) – One of the most exciting finishers in the history of rugby, super quick with a deceptive swerve, a side-step, and a powerful fend to match his defence.
(12) Tim Horan (1989-2000 – 80) – The ultimate midfield general. Man of the tournament at the 1999 Rugby World Cup with one sensational performance after another.
(13) Trevor Allan (1946-49 – 14) – Became the Wallabies youngest captain at 21 when Bill McLean broke his leg early on the 1946-47 Wallaby tour. Allan was as devastating in attack as he was in defence, and one of the rare backs to always wear headgear, especially in those days.
(14) David Campese (1982-96 -101) – Famous for his goose step, and the scorer of 64 Test tries, Campo made many of them out of nothing. He was so inventive with dancing feet and an incredible turn of speed.
(15) Dick Tooth (1950-57 – 10) – Medical studies limited his Test appearances, but in every one of the 10 he played he was outstanding with a prodigious boot and rock solid defence. He pioneered arthroscopic surgery and performed the first full knee operation in Australia on none other than Socceroos legend and captain, the late Johnny Warren.
(16) Ewen McKenzie (1990-97 – 51) – An integral member of the Rugby World Cup winning side in 1991, his powerhouse performances for 80 minutes left nothing in the tank. Always an inspirational team-man.
(17) Roy Prosser (1966-72 – 25) – Rightfully rated the best mauler in rugby. Not the fastest around the paddock, he would be last to the maul, and reappear with ball in hand like a thief in the night. An invaluable Wallaby.
(18) Phil Kearns (1989-99 – 62) – A mighty fierce competitor, I always felt sorry for the props who had to lug this huge unit around at scrum time. He was surprisingly fast for his size, and every opponent knew when he tackled them, they stayed tackled.
(19) Steve Cutler (1982-91 – 40) – A string-bean lock, he played well above his weight and was a champion lineout jumper. The possessions he gained on the 1984 Grand Slam tour were instrumental in that success.
(20) Simon Poidevin (1980-91 – 59) – The red-head terrorised the best in the world for just over a decade, tireless for the full journey. His head-to-heads with All Blacks “Cowboy” Shaw and Andy Haden are legendary and bloody.
(21) Nick Farr-Jones (1984-93 – 63) – Right off the top shelf in every department, there were no flaws to his game, and his captaincy to win the 1991 RWC played a huge role in that historic win.
(22) Michael Lynagh (1984-95 – 72) – One of the world’s leading point-scorers, he was equally at home wearing 10 or 12, which made him an invaluable asset to his watch as captain of the men-in-gold.
(23) Jim Lenehan (1956-67 – 24) – What an athlete. In 1955 and 1956 he won the GPS shot putt and hurdles setting new records, the most unlikely of combinations. He left St Ignatious in 1956, and was on the Wallaby tour in 1957 where he showed all the attributes that made him one of the greats as a speedy full-back with a huge boot who tackled as though there was no tomorrow.
That’s it, what a magnificent squad with not a hint of a weakness, and including 14 Wallaby captains – Johnson, Eales, Windon, Smith, Loane, Catchpole, Ella, Horan, Allan, Tooth, Kearns, Poidevin, Lynagh, and Lenehan.
Dublin Dave
Guest
I know. It's cheap and nasty, but it's fun. :) Maybe we're better at it in Ireland because we have LEGIONS of crap players to choose from, especially going back to the days of the Selection Committee when making sure every major club and minor hamlet was represented was more important than actually picking a winning team. Jeez, when I think of the number of shite Cork Constitution and Dolphin wingers that got a few caps just to satisfy their clubs' self importance I start to feel queazy. Having said which: John Langford on the worst ever Aussie team?? That's a surprise. I suspect that his caps were limited because he was a contemporary of John Eales but not being a match for the Great Smarmy One doesn't make him a bad player. I'm sure Australia had worse locks than Langford. He's remembered fondly in Munster, where he played for a few years.
Argyle
Roar Guru
Who did the old man play for mate?
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
You sir, have found a special place in my heart!
Atawhai Drive
Guest
Charlie Eastes played on the wing for Manly and impressed a lot of people in NZ when the Wallabies toured there in 1946. My dad, a provincial rep player in NZ in the late 1940s, saw Eastes play and rated him very highly. Eastes would surely have starred on the 1947-48 Wallabies tour of the UK but he was badly injured early in the tour and missed all the Tests. He played for the Wallabies against the touring NZ Maori in Australia in 1949 but did not tour New Zealand later that year with Trevor Allan's Bledisloe Cup-winning Wallabies.
Atawhai Drive
Guest
Frank, as we speak it's available from Mathesons Sports International in Auckland. With postage you'd be looking at $A55, but surely worth it. I can recommend Jeff Matheson unreservedly. Have bought historic DVDs from him and he's utterly reliable. Cheers.
Johnno
Guest
lots of tweed jackets out there Uncle out Kings way.And uncle also many wouldn't know and guess what Daneil Halangahu i dint know but found out was an old (TKS) boy too.
Shahsan
Guest
Chris "flat track bully" Latham? I never saw tooth play but he sounds like a better player than Latham!
Buzzy
Guest
Does anyone remeber a bloke called Charlie Eastes,i believe ne and Campo were voted the two best wllaby wingers ever at an aniversary event in Sydney. My parents used to say everyone stood up if Charlie got the ball. Perhaps we are not remebering the days of running rugby....howeasily forgotten!
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
Does anybody know where a copy of Peter Johnson's book can be found? I've looked hard for that one...
Atawhai Drive
Guest
Thanks, abnutta. I'll try to get a copy. I worked with Paul Verdon, many years ago. Great bloke, outstanding journo. Bob Howitt and Lindsay Knight are living legends of rugby journalism. Long may they continue. Cheers.
sheek
Roar Guru
Abnutta, The Wallabies played the ABs five times in 1962 & three times in 1964 for one win, one draw & six losses. Yes, it's not a pretty record. This confirms my argument that the Wallabies produce many fine individual players but fewer great teams. However, the Wallabies were a work in progress, & has is so often the case with Wallaby teams, weren't able to always have their best players on call. 1963 is an illuminating example. Tough prop Tony Miller was unavailable. However, in hindsight this was a good thing as it prompted skipper John Thornett to move from lock to prop. Goalkicking flanker Geoff Chapman was unavailable due vet studies. He later became a licensed racehorse trainer. On the eve of the team leaving Australia, champion fullback Jim Lenehan withdrew following a freak injury. Of the afore-mentioned Boyce twins, only Jim toured while Stu stayed home to study (presumedly). Meanwhile, another champion halfback in Des Connor was playing for the All Blacks. And here's a kicker - the Kangaroos flew to England & France in late 1963 with five, count them, five former Wallabies & one ex-NSW rugby rep. The five ex-Wallabies were winger Mike Cleary, centre Jimmmy Lisle, flyhalf Arthur Summons, lock Dick Thornett & former lock & hardman Kevin Ryan, now playing prop. The ex-NSW rugby player was fullback Ken Thornett, the middle of the three Thornett brothers. There's also utility back Rod Phelps who probably retired too early in 1962. And so it goes on. One can only speculate how much better & tougher the Wallabies of the early to mid 60s would have been with all these guys available all the time.
sheek
Roar Guru
Thanks Jim, Good to hear from you again. Yes, that's a fair point - only 3/10 tests were at home, & the away tests had local refs. Uncle, Peter Jenkins 'Wallaby Gold' tells us that Jim played in 9 of the 10 tests 1963-65. His twin brother Stu (also a winger) played the 5 tests in 1964-65. The twins played together in 4 tests - two in NZ in 64 & two against SA in 65. One curiosity, which Jim might share with us one day, is why the two brothers played together infrequently. For example, in 1962 the Wallabies played the All Blacks five times. Stu played twice at home while Jim played three times in NZ! Then in 1966/67, Jim had retired at the grand age of 25 while Stu went on the northern hemisphere tour.
abnutta
Guest
It is in a book titled "Tribute: ranking the 100 greatest All Blacks" by Paul Verdon. The panel included the author, Bob Luxford the curator of the NZ Rugby Museum, Bob Stuart 1953/54 AB Captain and NZs finest ever rugby writers/historians Sir Terry McLean, Bob Howitt and Lindsay Knight. I consider this to be the definitive "ranking" of AB greatness ever undertaken to that time. Only Ron Palenski is missing from a judging panel that would have to be the most authoritative possible to assemble.
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
David Lord, Is there one bloke among that pack you rate as the greatest?
Atawhai Drive
Guest
Whose list is that, abnutta?
Argyle
Roar Guru
Nick Phipps is also a TKS Old Boy - plenty of Tweed Coats out that way Johnno. Hell even our own David Lord when to Kings.
Johnno
Guest
Matt Burke the younger one went too joey jeznez right on mate. Julian Huxley, Mortlock jeznez are old (TKS) King's boys, as Ben Robinson and Dean Mumm .
abnutta
Guest
AD, You hit the nailin the head. Taking the 62-65 era alone. From memory Don Clarke, Des Connor, Chris Laidlaw and Fergie McCromick were the only backs to make the top 100 list in 2002. Don Clarke being the highest ranked at 36. Conversely of the forwards in that same era ... The entire forward pack made it and almost all of them excepting Bruce McLeod at hooker who came in somewhere in the 60s or 70s were ranked in the top 30 odd.
Johnno
Guest
Whittaker was a sydney high boy , Troy jaques didn't know was a wavily .Shaun Mckay(R,I,P) yes makes sense now as he was good mates with Morgan Turinui.
jeznez
Roar Guru
UA, Matt Burke not to be confused with Matthew Burke who came a long a little later and went to Joey's.