David Campese

[Francis]

David Campese, how do you rate him? In fact this might best be done with a questionaire?

1. Do you think Campo was Australia's best ever rugby player?

2. Where do you think he rates among the games best players?

3. What did you like about him?

4. What didn't you like about him?

5. If you are a New Zealander... how is he rated in your country?

6. If you are not a New Zealander... how is he rated in your country?

7. Is he the best winger ever?.

[Francis]

Forgot to answer this myself...

1. Do you think Campo was Australia's best ever rugby player?
Yes. From the little I know of Australian rugby, I'd say Mark Ella, John Eales and Ken Catchpole are his main competition. Ella retired too young and Campo's longevity puts him past Ella for me. Tough to compare him to Eales. Catchpole sounds awesome but his career was also cut short by a terrible person.

2. Where do you think he rates among the games best players?
I honestly don't know. Gareth Edwards called him the player of his era. Tony Ward and Bill McLaren think he's the greatest of all-time. Barry John compared him to Pele. I've seen him in games where the amount of defenders he occupies the second he gets the ball is shocking. I'd say he's probably one of the game's 10 best ever players... of course it's difficult to compare.

3. What did you like about him?
He's exciting. Something always happens when he has the ball. I love his goose-step, the fact you don't know which way he'd step, his evasive skills are the best I've ever seen. I love how he's not afraid to try a big feat, be it a blind pass or a chip and chase, you know something will happen.

4. What didn't you like about him?
His bad tackling makes me cringe, literally. He usually made up for it though in advance though.

5. If you are a New Zealander... how is he rated in your country?
I'm not a New Zealander. No alcohol and sheep for me!

6. If you are not a New Zealander... how is he rated in your country?
Haven't talked to anybody about him really... only one fellow who happened to be from Australia.

7. Is he the best winger ever?
I think when you consider he was pivotal at most of Australia's most important wins, I think he is. Be it the Grand Slam, the World Cup, the '92 Bledisloe series, the third Test of the '93 series against the almighty Spinrgboks! he was often at the epicentre of Australia's best triumphs.

[Smudge]

1. Do you think Campo was Australia's best ever rugby player?

He's up there. As you say, Ella probably didn't play long enough to be considered, but I would put Catchpole, Willie Ofahengahue (spelling?) and John Eales among the other contenders.

2. Where do you think he rates among the games best players?

Again, he's up there - although he wouldn't be in my top 10, simply because he went on for a season or two too long. And his defence was terrible.

3. What did you like about him?

His daring, his ability to create something out of nothing.

4. What didn't you like about him?

His daring, his ability to create something out of nothing.

5. If you are a New Zealander... how is he rated in your country?

Very highly, probably because of his magical match against us in the 1991 RWC semi-final, where he scored one try and created the other with a no-look pass in their 16-6 win.

6. If you are not a New Zealander... how is he rated in your country?

N/A

7. Is he the best winger ever?.

No. Would put Lomu above him simply because of his impact on the game, and I'd have Jeff Wilson in my side any day. But I'm biased.

[BoyBrumby]

1. Do you think Campo was Australia's best ever rugby player?

No. Several others with better claims, even from the time I've been watching Union. Eales is arguably the most complete player ever, so he might get my vote.

2. Where do you think he rates among the games best players?

Has to be up there as wingers go. Amazing scoring record.

3. What did you like about him?

Ha. Good player & he gives good copy. Old-fashioned cartoon Pommie-basher, but is almost regarded over here with affection now. Say what you like about us Poms, but you can beat us rotten for years (see also Waugh, McGrath, Warne, Klinsmann, etc) and we'll still love you for it eventually.

4. What didn't you like about him?

See previous answer. Gob****e & he cheated in the 91 WC final with that deliberate knock-on.

6. If you are not a New Zealander... how is he rated in your country?

Pom, as I've alluded too. Think he's rated quite highly.

7. Is he the best winger ever?.

Nah. Lomu at his peak was better. Absolute force of nature that boy. Cases could be made for others like Kirwan & (maybe) Wilson too.

[Francis]

Surely there have to be some Australian's here as CW who could give their opinions on Campese...

Anyway, the Lomu praise is interesting to me for two reasons:

1. In my experience most New Zealanders are really harsh on him. I'm of the opinion he's underrated by New Zealanders and overrated by all other countries.

2. While I like Lomu and tend not to judge rugby players based on their weaknesses, Lomu wasn't that complete was he? He didn't have a side-step or a goose-step or a dummy. I mean you knew exactly what he'd do when he got the ball, which wasn't always a good thing. Like I said, I tend not to consider rugby players weaknesses... but Lomu wasn't that complete. And if you're going to say Campo went a year or two too long, well... Lomu had two peaks in his career from what ohtani's jacket would tell you.

Again, he's up there - although he wouldn't be in my top 10

Who's in that top ten New Zealander?

[Smudge]

Most of he Australians on here aren't developed enough mentally to be able to deal with rugby union.





My top ten (in no particular order and off the top of my head):

1. Colin Meads
2. Frik Du Preez
3. John Eales
4. Michael Jones
5. Mike Gibson
6. Serge Blanco (ignoring what's happening right now with the HEC)
7. Martin Johnson
8. Gareth Edwards
9. Danie Craven
10. Jonah Lomu


Accept your points re: Lomu, but that's the thing about him - the rest of his game was so incomplete, yet it didn't matter when he was on song. It's a bit of an insult to him to say people knew exactly what he was going to do with the ball. It wasn't just his size that was important - it was the acceleration and balance, particularly his ability to body-swerve at extreme pace, which made him the special player. Otherwise you'd see lock forwards being played at wing all the time.

Campese's career was also partially due to a lack of quality outside backs after the mid-1980s - instead of guys like Brendan Moon, Roger Gould and the first Matt Burke (who went to league), he had wing partners like Ian Williams, John Flett and Rob Egerton, who weren't really much chop.

[ohtani's jacket]

1. Do you think Campo was Australia's best ever rugby player?

If you're talking about the most gifted footballer then names like Catchpole, Campese and Ella come to mind. If you mean a type of Collin Meads/Frik du Preez greatness, then Eales, Mark Loane or Simon Poidovin meant more to the jersey.

2. Where do you think he rates among the games best players?

He rates highly in terms of individual brilliance, but like any genius back he was at his best when Australia had a solid three quarter line.

3. What did you like about him?

I liked how he used to do his shoe laces up during the haka and kick the ball to himself. Campo was always off doing his own thing.

4. What didn't you like about him?

Ran his mouth too much.

5. If you are a New Zealander... how is he rated in your country?

He was highly rated when I was a kid, even on a losing side, and those old enough to remember the '91 Semi-Final will never forget it, but these days he's just another ex-Wallaby that gets rolled out for copy. The Aussie media are DIRE like that. You could've played four Tests for the Wallabies in the 70s and suddenly you're in print. It doesn't even matter if you swtiched to league. Anybody who ever wore the Wallaby jersey is automatically great.

7. Is he the best winger ever?.

He didn't really play like any winger before or since, so in that sense he was one of a kind, but many classical wingers have been just as effective.

[Dasgupta]

2. While I like Lomu and tend not to judge rugby players based on their weaknesses, Lomu wasn't that complete was he? He didn't have a side-step or a goose-step or a dummy. I mean you knew exactly what he'd do when he got the ball, which wasn't always a good thing. Like I said, I tend not to consider rugby players weaknesses... but Lomu wasn't that complete. And if you're going to say Campo went a year or two too long, well... Lomu had two peaks in his career from what ohtani's jacket would tell you.

It's hard to have a side-step when you're the size of the small house and he didn't need one anyway. He used the Maori (or in his case Tongan) side-step

[Francis]

It's hard to have a side-step when you're the size of the small house and he didn't need one anyway. He used the Maori (or in his case Tongan) side-step

Not interested in the questionaire New Zealander?

[Blaze]

1. Do you think Campo was Australia's best ever rugby player?

No. One of the most exciting though.

2. Where do you think he rates among the games best players?

Top 10-20 probably.

3. What did you like about him?

Arrogance. His silky running skills.

4. What didn't you like about him?

Didn't know when to retire. Wasn't tested in the harder code.

5. If you are a New Zealander... how is he rated in your country?

Don't really hear much about him tbh. Most people would hold him in high regard though I reckon.

7. Is he the best winger ever?.

This is tough. I don't think I could name one winger who stands out from the rest when picking an all time XV. He would certainly be in the mix, but I would probably favour Jonah slightly.

[Dasgupta]

Not interested in the questionaire New Zealander?

OK

1) Yes.

2) Top 10

3) Unpredictable and entertaining

4) Cost us the '91 WC

5) One of the greats for sure

6) No. Jonah Lomu ranks ahead of him imo

[ohtani's jacket]

Lomu wasn't better than Campese. That's crazy.

[Smudge]

Not interested in the questionaire New Zealander?

Is it so hard to use our names?