David Campese: Wallabies have ‘turned a corner’ with ‘fearless’ victory over England
Inset of David Campese and the Wallabies celebrate against England at Twickenham.
Legendary Australia winger David Campese talks to Planet Rugby’s James While about the Wallabies’ thrilling 42-37 Autumn Nations Series victory over England at Twickenham on Saturday.
“I admit it; part of my analysis on the Wallabies is purely designed to spur them on, to understand the Aussie way and to maintain the legacy of the great Australian sides of the 1980s, ’90s and beyond,” he said.
“I make no apologies for that – rugby is my life, the Wallabies were my life and part of my DNA is intertwined with Australian rugby that makes it hard for me to view some of these things that have gone on without emotion or without attachment.
‘A return to the way that Australia play rugby ‘
“But yesterday I saw the green shoots of recovery, a corner turned, but best of all, a return to the way that Australia play rugby – high speed, fearless and with brilliant attacking ambition.
“A Maro Itoje knock-on made an opportunity that fell into Australia’s hands and I can’t deny that, but the boys spotted the gaps, saw the opportunities and they reacted to them – you can’t ask for more than that.
“One of the keys was the way they exposed Marcus Smith at 15 defensively. He stayed wider of the main defensive channels than an experienced full-back would want to – allowing Australia to kick down the middle where he had stayed out on an oblique angle and certainly, the Wallabies profited from his positional inaccuracy, but the key thing here is that the players reacted to what was happening in front of them and exposed positional weakness, great ‘reactionary’ thinking and exactly what I have been urging the players to do for some time.
‘Settled’ Wallabies back-row ‘paid dividends’
“I also felt that keeping the back-row settled for a long period of time this year has paid dividends for Australia. The way Fraser McReight and his offload, Harry Wilson and his power and Bobby Valetini and his work-rate pressured England was at the absolute centre of our win. Those three players played an excellent (Steve) Borthwick selected back-row off the park once Tom Curry’s abrasion and challenge saw him carried off after an unfortunate collision with Valetini’s knee.
“Add in players like Angus Bell, who I read beat nine players in his carrying effort as well as propping the scrum up and it seems Australia have finally woken up to the way we traditionally play rugby.
“So many things went right. Tate McDermott made a huge impact combining with his team-mate Wilson went Jake Gordon went off, and then returned on to up the tempo when needed. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, James Slipper and Allan Ala’alatoa were miles more impactful than their opposite numbers and our midfield, including both tens, went well.
“I must also single out Joseph Suaalii – as Alex Spink correctly wrote, Australia have banked their house on this young starlet from league. But he’s a man who played union up to his late teens and that gives him the positional understanding to make a success of the centre role. Plus, defending 13 in union is very similar to league patterns and his partnership with Len Ikitau was absolutely wonderful to watch.
“I might have been harsh on the Wallabies this year but with good cause; they were falling into a shadow of their own making- introverted rugby, which isn’t our way. But yesterday, I’m pleased to say we turned a corner and I am mightily proud of that.”
