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instead of the good things. That’s life. Is it true that before every game I don’t know if anybody watched the you used to read a poem that your YOU’RE A LEGEND... week after that, I played for the mother gave you? R Youngs, via email Anzacs against the Lions and I did Yes. In ’88 I wasn’t playing well exactly the same thing and it worked. against the All Blacks – ran around me many times. My Have you ever, in the course of mum sent me a poem she found conversation, used the phrase – by Nancy Simms I think, called “Easy Campese”? L Brown, via email Winners Take Chances, and yes, DAVID No, I’ve never used it, but I’ve got I used to read it every game. T-shirts in my shop called “Too Easy”. (Alpha: Can you remember it now?) I didn’t put Easy Campese because “Winners take chances. Like I thought it was a bit on myself. everyone else they fear failing, but they refuse to let fear control them. Do you really hate ? (We When the going gets tough, the CAMPESE assume he means the team, not tough get going.” I’ve written it in a The Wallabies great answers Alpha readers the country.) D Morling, via email couple of my books in the front page. questions on knock-ons, corners and Gregan The problem is, they’ve got everything and they still have a problem I want sacked. Why winning. We won the World Cup in do the selectors keep picking him? HE NAME How much time did you spend ’91 with two teams. We won in ’99 A Coorey, , Vic is one of the very few to have perfecting the goosestep? with three teams. England have got George Gregan doesn’t want to get transcended the closed circle C Bramley, via email all the players, all the resources, all sacked because the money’s good. Tof lore to None. I didn’t practise at all. I fi rst did the money, and I think it’s a typical He’s hanging on because of the become one of the household names it when I was playing league for the “We should win” [attitude]. Then you money and he’s got nothing else in of sport. The maverick winger played Blues. I got the ball have Clive baby (Woodward), who was his life. He used to be a good player more than 100 games for the underneath the goalposts and saw an absolute idiot. The thing about when he came in – a fantastic player. Wallabies and scored an astounding these two kids coming towards me World Cups – if you haven’t got the But he made a comment a couple of 64 tries. He has never been known for – I did something, I didn’t know what players it doesn’t matter how good a years ago like, “You don’t need his shy, retiring nature... it was. I ended up scoring up the other coach you are. He had great players passion to play rugby.” That comes end, looked back and the two kids had who performed at the time. The story from the captain of the Wallabies, Of all your games for the Wallabies, collided heads. I thought, “That looks is that during the fi nal of the (2003) which is really strange. which one was the most memorable? pretty good,” so I kept on using it. World Cup, with extra time, Clive (Alpha: Why do they keep picking him?) D Gilleat, via email Woodward came down to the team The problem is Rod McQueen picked The game against in ’87 That knock-on against England in the and Martin Johnson said, “Clive, I’ve Gregan and Larkham for 10 years at , when I broke the ’91 World Cup fi nal – was that rugby’s got it. Don’t worry about it, I’ve got it.” and wouldn’t give anyone else a record for tries. But we didn’t win the equivalent of Maradona’s “hand of The team didn’t want to listen to him. chance. And now we’re in a situation Test and it was more important to God”? B Elliott, via email And if they win they give them where we haven’t had good half-backs win. Then you go to ’91, the World You should ask (B Elliott) what would knighthoods. Bloody hell, we won – no one’s been given the opportunity. Cup. Being part of a great try in ’82 he have done in my position. I had a World Cup and we got a decanter. We used to have a fantastic back line in , when we ran the ball and now we struggle. against the All Blacks and it went through 11 sets of hands and I scored Who’s the best player you ever under the posts. “We won the World Cup played with – and against? Do you think you were better than both? What was it like making your debut D Butland, via email against the All Blacks in Christchurch and got a decanter.” was probably the best aged just 19? G Towne, Broome, WA player I played with – he was very I was lucky because, coming from natural. His style of rugby you’ll a background, I didn’t and What did you think of the Wallabies probably never see again. Best know much about [union] at all. outside and there was only myself. under Eddie Jones? Can Knuckles I played against was I started playing in ’79 and made I realised I was in a bit of trouble. make a difference? and a guy called Jean-Baptiste Lafond the Wallabies in ’82, so it was quite I wasn’t trying to knock it down, S Payne, , Qld – an absolutely fantastic player. I don’t a quick rise. It was a lot of fun; I was just trying to stop the pass from The biggest problem with Eddie think I was better than Mark Ella. unfortunately we didn’t win. We made (Peter) Winterbottom, whose passing Jones was there were too many I learnt a lot off him. a lot of mistakes. But we beat them in skills probably weren’t as good as a . You control a team like the second Test – so second Test back’s. Maybe I should have just gone that and you’re going to get a What do you say to people who say against the All Blacks and beating for the intercept and scored at the disaster. Now Connolly’s come in, you’re too outspoken? them wasn’t a bad record. other end – that would’ve really pissed Queensland came last in the Super J Tidman, via email (Alpha: in the World Cup ’91 against them off. 14 and yet they’ve got Queensland I love the game – why shouldn’t the All Blacks you ignored the haka...) players in. Because the coach is from I comment? If you’ve got a point of The haka is great for the game, but Campo’s corner and the 1989 British one particular area he’ll pick those view, why not say it? I’ve been in the it’s an individual thing how you Lions tour – does it still haunt you? players. How good is that going to game – I gave 20 years of my life to approach it. I played against them S Martin, via email be long-term for Australian rugby? , so why shouldn’t I? 29 times, so it’s not like I didn’t know It doesn’t really haunt me. It’s Connolly’s there for two years – he what the haka was all about. I just interesting, when I go to speaker doesn’t really care, he just wants to Want to ask Sam Newman what he’s thought at the time, “Well, I’m just functions – someone in the audience win. Eddie Jones was a disaster playing at? Got something you need to going to kick a ball about – rather is going to bring it up. I made a because of Gregan. Gregan had to ask Shane Heal? Who WOULD you like to than watching the guys do the haka mistake – I made many mistakes. play well this year because he wasn’t see on the rack? Send your question to:

PHOTOGRAPH: GETTY IMAGES. PHOTOGRAPH: and trying to intimidate us.” But people remember the bad things guaranteed a position. [email protected]

44 SEPTEMBER 2006

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