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There wasn’t even a Player of the Tournament award at the World Cup until David Campese ruled the 1991 edition so completely.
While rugby literature will now always pinpoint All Blacks flanker Michael Jones as the worthy Player of the Tournament in 1987, there was nothing official at the time.
The Roar is counting down the Wallabies’ Greatest World Cup XV of all time from No. 15-1 with thanks to thousands of votes from our readers.
The tournament was still finding its place in the world when it unfolded for the first time. The Player of the Tournament only became a thing when Campese and Jonah Lomu (1995) made it so.
The “Wizard of Oz” was perfectly coined for “Campo” and his deeds at the 1991 showpiece.
He was its biggest star from the first side-stepping, catch-me-if-you-can moment when he scored his first try against Argentina in the Wallabies’ opening pool game in Llanelli.
David Campese. Russell Cheyne/Allsport
There was no easier selection for The Roar’s Greatest Wallabies RWC XV than “Campo” on the wing. Simply, Campese set the benchmark for the code’s biggest players stepping up on its greatest stage.
There were times in Campese’s career when his starch in defence was questionable and he made errors he’d like to repair under the high ball. But in 1991, everything clicked.
His masterclass in the semi-final victory over the All Blacks in Dublin will be recounted as long as the World Cup is played.
For some, it started before the kick-off. “Campo” wheeled away from the main body of Wallabies and didn’t face the haka. He preferred his own space well behind the warrior challenge.
You have to remember, the All Blacks had never lost a World Cup match to that point across two editions.
Firstly, Campese left the great John Kirwan stranded with a try on a glorious diagonal run to the corner with a body feint and dummy.
Better was to come. His angle when swooping on the bouncing ball from a perfectly weighted Michael Lynagh kick set up one of the best tries in World Cup history.
Campese turned All Blacks winger John Timu inside out with a couple of quick sidesteps before deceiving him a final time. He looked left and then dished a no-look pass over his right shoulder to the ever-present Tim Horan for a memorable try. The Wallabies were off to the final.
Campese scored six tries for the 1991 tournament to go with the four of 1987. He actually played at a third World Cup in South Africa in 1995 when the Wallabies made an early exit.
Campese had plenty of takeaways from what winning the 1991 tournament meant to him and the Wallabies. Here is one.
“More people knew you and it just means more people are out to smash you in the next Test you play,” Campese said.
“Each Test you run out you are world champions and every game you go out you have to prove it. I feel very fortunate to have played in a great era for Australian rugby.”
Fans feel fortunate to still be able to relive some of the magic of 1991.
It was Campese’s flip of the ball back to Lynagh that was the last pass in the try that engineered the great escape…the 19-18 quarter-final win over Ireland.
“You have to get through your close calls to be successful at World Cups,” Campese reflected.
“We had ours in the 1991 quarter-final against Ireland. When Ireland scored late my mum back home in Queanbeyan turned off the TV because she thought we’d lost and our World Cup was over. We won on the bell.”
David Campese is your choice of No.11 for The Roar’s Greatest Wallabies Rugby World Cup XV, powered by ASICS, the Official Performance Apparel and Footwear supplier for the Wallabies. Campese won with 56.3% of the vote, followed by Joe Roff and Marika Koroibete. Check back tomorrow to find out who was selected at No.10.
The Roar’s Greatest Wallabies Rugby World Cup XV