David Campese
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| David Campese | |||
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| Portrait of David Campese by Paul Newton | |||
| Full name | David Ian Campese | ||
| Date of birth | 1962-10-21 | ||
| Place of birth | Queanbeyan, Australia | ||
| Nickname | Campo | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Position | Wing Fullback |
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| National team(s) | Caps | (points) | |
| 1982-1996 | Australia | 101 | (320) 64t |
| correct as of 11 September 2006. | |||
David Ian Campese (born October 21, 1962 in Queanbeyan), also known as Campo, is a former Australian rugby union player.
Campese is often considered the greatest wing in rugby union history. He also occasionally played full back. Campese is a unique great in sports - an often flawed player brave enough to attempt the most brilliant plays, while walking a thin line between success and failure. Campese was a constant risk taker and often a weak defender. However, former Australian rugby coach Bob Dwyer famously said of Campese, “I’d rather have Campo on attack than defense.” Another former Australian rugby coach, Allan Jones, also said of Campese, “He’s probably done one or two bad things and 15 good things.” His propensity to make mistakes often made him the central feature of controversial moments, but his brilliance during some of Australian rugby’s most vital moments have often led him to be called Australia’s greatest rugby player and one of the greatest rugby players in the history of the game. Campese was often forthright and cocky, bragging about being a millionaire years before rugby union went professional. But as Nick Farr-Jones once said, “He was just one of those instinctive players that just have pure genius.”
He was capped by the Wallabies 101 times, and held the world record for the most tries in test matches (64) until Daisuke Ohata scored 65 playing for Japan on 14 May 2006. He was voted player of the tournament at the 1991 Rugby World Cup after scoring nine tries in tests that season and six in the tournament. He is famous for his "goose-step" - a hitch kick motion which left opponents stumbling to try and tackle him.
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[edit] The new Wallaby vs. Stu Wilson
Originally a rugby league footballer, Campese switched codes in his late teens. His big break came in the 1982 tour of New Zealand when he was called up by the Wallabies not only due to a mass walkout by Queensland players on the eve of the tour, but also due to an outstanding performance in an under-19 test against New Zealand just prior to a key selection meeting. Campese’s selection was a remarkable feat considering he had only played two full seasons of rugby. Such was Campese’s sudden rise to stardom that Australian coach Bob Dwyer did not know who he was when he first saw Campese play against the Fijian under-21s. Dwyer remarked that Campese ‘cut the Fijian defence to shreds’ and a few weeks later, Campese was selected for the Wallabies to take on New Zealand.
Campese would go on to make a tremendous impression on New Zealand soil by outfoxing the legendary Stu Wilson, regarded by some as the best winger in the world at the time, by utilizing the goose-step. In his autobiography, On A Wing And A Prayer, Campese was quick to play down the significance of his success against Wilson. “I beat Stu Wilson, the All Black wing, a few times, on a couple of occasions by employing the goose-step. So much has been made of that fact over the years that it has been blown out of all proportion.” He would later add, “I had no discipline, was very young and wanted to do everything myself.” Campese had, in fact, tried to pick up the ball with one hand in the first test and knocked on. Later he tried to change the ball in his hands when running towards defender, Allan Hewson, and dropped the ball. These were a testament to Campese’s unpredictability. However, Campese did score his first international try in a significant fashion. Campese gathered a chip-kick from Mark Ella late in the game, signifying the beginning of a partnership that would bring great success to Australia for years to come.
But Campese’s viewpoints on his performances were not shared by Wilson, who would later go on to say that it was an honour to have played against Campese: “Well, David Campese hit New Zealand, his first tour over here. We’d heard about this brash, upstart little prick from Sydney – you know, he was running around, goose-stepping, and saying he’d do this and do that. We saw him during the provincial games. He was good – without a doubt the most exciting talent we’d seen for years – and I’m saying, ‘He’s on my wing, I have to mark him.’ So I said to the big gorillas, ‘Look boys, I catch him, we get him in the ruck, you do it to him: we’ll give him the good, old fashioned New Zealand welcome, all right? I want size-fifteen boots right over the top of him.’ They said, ‘Can you catch him?’ I said, ‘I’ll try.’ Well, for three Tests I tried but couldn’t catch him. We had the boys sharpening their sprigs. They said, ‘Stuey, this time we’ll get him.’ I even brought Bernie Fraser over from the other wing and gave him 10 minutes. I said, ‘Bernie, you come have a crack at him. I can’t catch him – he’s too quick.’ He had the goose-step, he had the chip and chase, he had the typical cockiness of all Australian backs. But we just couldn’t get near him – he was that good. He knew that we were after him, and he knew that if he’d got into the Doctor Death House, as we used to call the rucks, than Doctor Death would deliver. So he would always scoot around. When he got into the heavy weather, he’d make sure that he’d scramble out of the rucks before our boys could get to him. A good player, damn him. He made life hell for me for three tests.”
Campese was a significant part of a new Australian side trying to pioneer an exciting running game designed by backplay specialist Bob Dwyer. And in the second test Campese was quick to assert himself into the game scoring one try before setting up Glen Ella for a second. Australia would go on to win the game 19-16 to the amazement of many, who did not see this perceived second-string side producing such dazzling running rugby. The series had now come alive at 1-1 and a crowd of 52,000 was crammed into Eden Park to see the final game. With Australia leading after half-time, Campese was quick to create some controversy by making a break that led to a disallowed try. Scottish referee Alan Howsie had ruled Campese’s pass was thrown forward, a decision that was even contested by the All Black press, who called it a ‘flat pass’. The try would have put Australia 18-6 ahead, but the momentum swung New Zealand’s way who ended up winning 33-18.
The Australian team, however, made a positive impression during the tour and Campese was among those celebrated for their entertaining style of play. Terry McLean, writing in the New Zealand Herald wrote after the tour that Campese ‘could side-step his way out of a sealed paper bag.’ Regarding Campese’s early impressions on New Zealand soil, former All Black breakaway Graham Mourie would complement Campese by saying: “Campo came onto the scene as a very young player, and unknown player in that series, and I think gave Stu Wilson nightmares. I think Stuey got a bit of a towelling by Campo during that series. You know, he had one or two innovations: the old stutter step was something which nobody had really seen before. These days, with video analysis, it’s quite hard for players to have anything that’s out of the ordinary or anything new, because when something is done once or twice, it’s analyzed to death after that. But I think Campo with his style and his speed and his flair was certainly a bit of an individual. He took us by surprise. Stu got a bit of stick for that because he was probably our star winger in that period. He’d been with the All Blacks from ’76, ’77, right through and was an outstanding winger. Stuey never got near Campo. I mean, Campo was exceptional. He might’ve been a bit frightened, too, maybe, but we never caught him.”
[edit] Hit and miss in 1983
1983 was to prove a year of mixed results for Campese. His good form continued against the USA, where he scored four tries in a predictable 49-3 win to Australia. Australia would then host Argentina for a two test series when they were outclassed by an immense Argentinean scrum in the first test, resulting in a 3-18 loss. Campese, however, was immense in creating a magnificent try for himself in the second game. Playing at fullback, Campese beat two defenders who had him hemmed in on the sideline. He beat the second with a well executed goose-step. Bob Dwyer would later remark that of all Campese’s tries, that was the one to remember. In his book, The Winning Way, Dwyer wrote of Campese’s effective goose-step, ‘An Angentine defender had Campese well covered, but when he moved in to tackle him, Campese did his famous goose-step. The change of pace deceived the Argentinian so comprehensively that he dived into touch, clutching thin air. The referee, the Welshman Clive Norling, was so impressed by this that he went up to Campese as soon as he had scored and told him it was the best try he had ever seen.’
Campese, however, would show less than brilliance against New Zealand in their one-off match in 1983 despite setting Simon Poidevin up for a try. Entrusted with the goal-kicking duties, as well as the fullback role, Campese failed to manage a single success in four attempts at the sticks. This was in contrast to New Zealand’s Allan Hewson, a renowned sharp shooter in front of the sticks, who managed five from six attempts at the goals. Bob Dwyer later said: “If we had been able to take even the conversion points it would have given us heart.” Australian s Skipper Mark Ella seriously contemplated replacing Campese and attempting the kicking duties himself, but he later reflected: “Who’s to say I’d have done any better?” Campese summed up his disappointment by exclaiming in his autobiography: “I felt like kicking myself but I probably would have missed.”
Campese was to later redeem himself against Italy, where a day after celebrating his 21st birthday, he managed to land three conversions and a penalty. Bob Dwyer earlier suggested that Campese have another try at kicking after sensing he was in good form. On the test eve Dwyer stated: “If David starts well, he’ll kick well all day. But conversely, if he starts badly, then that’s the end of him.” Campese continued with the kicking responsibilities in a series against France, but played a diminished role in the games as Australia elected a less expansive style of play. The safety-first style of rugby was not one suited to maximise the capabilities of the tricky winger.
[edit] The Grand Slam
With Alan Jones as coach, the Wallabies toured the British Isles in 1984. They successfully completed the "Grand Slam" with the side which included Campese as well as Mark Ella, Nick Farr-Jones and Michael Lynagh. Campese scored his only tries of the tour in a crushing win over Scotland in the final Test at Murrayfield. He also scored a brilliant try from his own half in the Barbarians match, humiliating Welsh centre Robert Ackerman with his speed and trickery. This was noteworthy as in the post match dinner after the game against Wales, Ackerman had been reported as saying that he did no regard the Australian backs as especially good.
[edit] A Bledisloe win
Campese was part of the 1986 Australian team to conquer the New Zealand All Blacks on New Zealand soil for the first time since 1949. Campese played at fullback for most of the tour as a replacement for the injured Roger Gould. There is a consensus belief that Campese played very well on the tour, despite many unsavory moments.
Campese asserted himself into the first test by kicking forward a loose pass from Nick Farr-Jones from which he went on to score a try. Later in the game he made a wide pass to Australian winger Matthew Burke, resulting in another Australian try giving them a 13-6 lead. However, Campese also had an unsavory moment when, playing at full back, he caught a high ball and was about to kick it when he stalled, began to have second thoughts and decided to run the ball. In his indecision he was tackled as he attempted to throw a long pass to Matthew Burke, which landed near his feet. Joe Stanley was quick to scoop up the ball which led to an All Black try. Fortunately for Campese, Australia won the game 13-12, as a loss to the Baby Blacks would have led to great criticisms in costing a game many thought Australia would easily win.
In the second test Campese played what he felt was a poor game at fullback by dropping a few high bombs on a wet and dreary day. This led to some controversy as Campese would later claim that then Australian coach, Alan Jones, had made some insulting remarks toward him by saying: “Don’t worry, fellows, you played without a fullback today.” Campese, who had a temperament sensitive to offence, was upset at hearing what had happened. In his autobiography On A Wing and a Prayer, Campese asserts he later tried to apologize to Jones for his unintentional mistake, which resulted in a verbal barrage of insults from Jones which lasted many minutes.
Jones himself refuted the accusations of slander: “That’s just rubbish. I’m sure I’ve said to someone with a smile on my face we played without a fullback today. And I’m sure it was Campo, after he’s probably done or two bad things and 15 good things. It would be like telling Miss World she was the ugliest person in the room when she knows full she’s the best looking bird who’s ever set foot in the building. But it wasn’t that day. That wasn’t the day for that sort of stuff. But it doesn’t matter. It’s part of the folklore of the whole deal and it’s one man’s word against another’s."
Campese was selected on the wing for the final test where he remained quiet for most of the game. However, he did score a try late in the game which sealed a historic win for the Wallabies.
[edit] World Cup woes
On the back of this achievement, the Wallabies were the favourites for the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987. An injury impeded Campese's campaign and Australia's hopes were dashed with a semi-final loss to a Serge Blanco-inspired France, though Campese did score and take the world record for tries in the process.
[edit] Winners take chances
Australia entered a slump after the World Cup and suffered heavy defeats in the Bledisloe Cup and in 1988 Campo's opposite number John Kirwan gave him a runaround on many occasions, a mauling that severely affected his confidence. Campo later made a habit of reading before every match "Winners Take Chances", a poem passed to him by his mother to motivate him after seeing one of her son's performances:
Winners take chances
Winners take chances. Like everyone else they fear falling, but they refuse to let fear control them. Winners don’t give up. When life gets tough they hang in until the going gets better. Winners are flexible. They realise there is more than one way and are willing to try others. Winners know they are not perfect. They respect their weaknesses while making the most of their strengths. Winners fall, but they don’t stay down. They stubbornly refuse to let a fall keep them from climbing. Winners don’t blame fate for their failures, nor luck for their successes. Winners accept responsibility for their lives. Winners are positive thinkers who see good in all things. From the ordinary, the make the extraordinary. Winners believe in the path they have chosen even when it’s hard even when others can’t see where they are going. Winners are patient. They know a goal is only as worthy as the effort that’s required to achieve it. Winners are people like you. They make this world a better place.
Nancye Sims
Campese capped off the year scoring five tries leading a weak Wallabies side touring British Isles and Europe in which he played brilliantly against the Barbarians, scoring a try in which he took on and beat almost the entire Baa-Baas backline.
[edit] Campo's corner
Campo's misfortunes continued as one of the low points of his career came in the deciding third Test of the 1989 British Lions tour of Australia in Sydney. Campese threw a suicidal goal line pass to Greg Martin which the full back had no chance of catching. Lions winger Ieuan Evans gleefully capitalised on the error and downed the ball in what became known as "Campo's Corner." That moment went down in rugby history and Campese became heavily criticised for that incident.
[edit] His finest moment
Campese recovered from that disaster and went on to perhaps the highest point of his career, being part of the 1991 World Cup winning Australian side. Campese was now one of the most dangerous players in World Rugby, devoid of the undisciplined tendencies that crept up from time to time earlier on in his career and still the tricky unpredictable winger that opposition wingers had nightmares of. Campese was so immense in Australia’s success that Nick Farr-Jones would go on to say that Australia might not have won the World Cup if not for him. Campese scored tries against Argentina (2), Wales (1), Ireland (2) in an exciting quarter final and in the semi-final victory against the defending champions New Zealand. The match against New Zealand was, at the time, considered as important as any game in Australia’s rugby history. As the All Blacks lined-up to perform the haka, one man intently stood behind the goals, practicing his kicking in preparation for one of rugby’s all time great performances.
Campese scored the first Wallaby try in the 12th minute, drifting off the blind wing into into the five-eighth position to take the first pass from the ruck. He then angled across field to turn his arch rival, John Kirwin, inside out before touching down. Many who saw the try were confounded as to why the All Black defenders allowed Campese to run such an angle. Bob Dwyer himself felt that the All Blacks were afraid to move out of their line of defense to stop Campese. Whatever the reason, Campese was quick to make an immediate impact on the match.
In the 35th minute he gathered a chip-kick from Australian five-eighth Michael Lynagh which he foresaw, allowing him to speed up before the kick was made. All Black winger John Timu gave chase to Campese, while Campese avoided All Black full-back Kieran Crowley with a side-step. Campese’s efforts to get past Crowley had allowed Timu to make some ground in his desperate pursuit to tackle Campese. Knowing he couldn’t score with two defenders so close to him, Campese would make a career-defining pass which epitomised his mecurial nature. With two defenders about to tackle him, Campese made a blind throw over his shoulder to Australian center Tim Horan who went on to score the try. Despite never seeing Horan, Campese later boasted: “I knew Tim was there, I was just trying to suck the winger in and next thing I knew I was looking up the ground to see Tim put the ball down”
In a more descriptive narration of the try, Campese would also add: “I realised I had Timu on the outside, so I had to try and get him into the place where I wanted him. So I stepped one way, stepped the other, and I could see Timmy Horan coming. I could see Timmy there and he was calling. No, it wasn’t a Hail Mary pass. I was on that angle, and it was the only pass I could do. I couldn’t turn around, because otherwise Timu would’ve seen what I was doing. So I was really trying to get him in a position and Timmy just came behind. If I tried it again it probably wouldn’t have worked. It was like one of those times where everything sort of clicked.”
The try remains a testament to Campese’s mercurial nature of electing unorthodox, complicated and unpredictable methods to rugby scenarios, and while his pass was hailed for its brilliance, perhaps it showed the same daring, imagination and unpredictability of his failed pass during the 1989 Lions tour. As All Black coach Alex Wylie later remarked: “There’s always Campo, and when you’ve got a player like that in your team you always know probably something is going to happen. He did it again – he just pulled that one out. An individual like that: one day he could probably blow it, but the other four days he could make it. It was just unfortunate he made it against us.”
In awe of Campese’s efforts as a wing to have such a tremendous a decisive impact on a match, former Irish five-eighth Tony Ward would go on to exclaim: “He is the Maradonna, the Pele of international Rugby all rolled into one. You cannot put a value on his importance to our game. He is a breath of fresh air and I think perhaps the greatest player of all time.” British rugby writer Stephen Jones would later add: “If I had to put together the greatest rugby match I’ve ever seen I’d have the first half of Australia versus New Zealand in ’91 in Dublin…” At this point Campese was as much a house-hold name as anybody in Australia. However, he had one more match to go.
In the run-up to the final against England, Campese led a host of people criticising England’s style of ten-man Rugby stating: "I wouldn't play for England even if you payed me.” After watching England beat Scotland in a tryless semi-final, he added: "Playing that sort of boring stuff is a good way to destroy the image of the game. They all so scared of losing over here they won't try anything.” Campese would go on saying if he played for England, he would insist on the five eighth position, since this would at least ensure him a touch of the ball. As rugby writer Stephen Jones remarked: "It was good quotable stuff", and Campese's comments were well publicised. Many felt, as a result of these wind-ups, England changed their style of game and ran the ball more, negating the perceived advantage England had in their forwards.
Australia would go on to win the final 12-6, and Campese cheekily added afterwards: "You know, if England actually played ten-man rugby, they probably would’ve beaten us."
English revenge for the '91 World Cup was to come in the next World Cup when they beat the Wallabies in a nail biting quarter final. After the match, Campo somehow found himself on the same bus as all the English and endured quite some ribbing.
He was in fine form for the highly competitive 1992 Bledisloe series and was voted world player of the year as well. Later in his career, his blistering pace declined but he still remained able to unlock the tightest of defences with clever passing and well-angled runs. Competition from younger players eventually made his place less secure but he still contributed when selected. His final match was against the Barbarians at Twickenham in 1996 in which he scored after sliding through a tight defence in a manner which evoked memories of his early career.
Throughout his career he was to be known for his forthright views and the running commentary of chairman Campese was never for the faint of heart. The English were a particular target for his vitriole as a lambasted them for their boring and unadventurous play, however he was not afraid to also speak out against Australians, for instance when some elected to play for their states rather than represent Australia in the Hong Kong sevens.
In retirement, Campese remains a fierce critic of England, maintaining his criticism even after England were crowned world champions in 2003. However, he was a good enough sport to accept the merciless heckling from the English media in the aftermath of England's victory with good grace, and walked humiliatingly the length of Oxford Street to make good on a somewhat rash promise he'd made before the tournament. His nickname was "Too Easy (Campese)". The phrase 'Easy Campese' has passed into the vernacular in Australia, meaning something like no worries.
[edit] References
On a wing and a prayer - written by David Campese The rise & rise of Australian rugby - written by Phillip Derriman Wallaby Gold - written by by Peter Jenkins
