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James Slipper’s two favourite wins from 151-Test Wallabies career
By Finn Morton
No person has played more international rugby union matches for Australia than record-setting great James Slipper. ‘Slips’ achieved some incredible feats throughout his 151-game career, but two wins stand out more than any other – and they’re against a couple of traditional rivals.
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Slipper retired from international duty after the Wallabies’ 14-point loss to the All Blacks at Perth’s Optus Stadium last month. While the Wallabies didn’t get the chocolates that October night, the front-rower was part of the team’s most recent win over their fiercest foe.
Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Allan Alaalatoa packed down alongside Slipper in the Wallabies’ starting front-row against the All Blacks on November 7, 2020. It was an eventful fixture, with a player from both sides sent from the field, but the Wallabies held on for a 24-22 triumph.
Harry Wilson was named in the run-on side for the Bledisloe Cup clash, and the backrower would later take on captaincy duties under coach Joe Schmidt. Wilson led the Wallabies out onto the field at Johannesburg’s Emirates Airline Park this year for what was an extraordinary Test.
Kurt-Lee Arendse opened the scoring for the Springboks inside the first two minutes, before the hosts went on to score 22 unanswered points before the 20-minute mark. Dylan Pietsch hit back with the Wallabies’ sole try of the first half, going into the break down 22-5.
What happened next almost defies belief.
“There’s a couple of games. The 100th was a win against the All Blacks in 2020 at Suncorp. Obviously my milestone but a really special night beating them so that was a good one,” Slipper said on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts Extra.
“I think the Ellis Park one for me, that was this year, that will still sit with me as one of the best games, not necessarily I played, but in terms of the team, how we’re going as a Wallaby group at the time, it was really special.
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“To win over there in 60-odd years was unbelievable.
“I came off at half-time so that’s probably why we ended up winning… I laid the platform apparently,” he quipped. “To be honest, I was a little bit numb and a little bit shocked because when we start a game against the Springboks like we did… and they were pumping us too.
“I remember they scored a try in two minutes and we kicked off, they box kick it, we drop it, they spin it to the winger and I’ve run everywhere, and then they’ve spun it to the other wing and they score a try. I’ve made no tackles, no rucks, haven’t touched the ball. I’m behind the try line, I couldn’t breathe because of the altitude, and I was like, ‘oh it’s one of those nights.’
“We ended up fighting our way back into it and then the second-half speaks for itself.”
Wilson completed a second half double before going off injured, with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Max Jorgensen also scoring a try each. When the captain raced away for his second, the Wallabies took the lead for the first time.
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Fly-half James O’Connor converted Jorgensen’s effort soon after, as the Wallabies raced out to an incredible 11-point lead with 14 minutes left. The visitors had all of the match’s momentum as the Johannesburg crowd was left stunned.
Fullback Tom Wright sealed the win with the Wallabies’ sixth try of the match, as they secured their first win at Ellis Park in more than 60 years. After trailing 22-0, the Wallabies unleashed a point-scoring blitz to start their Rugby Championship campaign with a 38-22 victory.
“It was just incredible to sit on the bench and watch it,” Slipper added.
“It was just one of those games where the crowd was in shock because they don’t lose there ever.
“I just remember sitting there in the changeroom so happy.”
The Wallabies had defeated the British & Irish Lions at Sydney’s Accor Stadium earlier that month, before backing that result up with another incredible result. That win in Johannesburg saw records tumble, and it had the rugby world talking non-stop for the next week.
There were a lot of wins and losses for Slipper throughout his 151-Test international career, but those triumphs over the All Blacks and Springboks stand out – but more so the feeling post-game, in the sheds with teammates as they reaped the rewards of their efforts.
“That’s probably the one thing I’ll miss after retiring from the game, or international rugby, is that moment there in the changeroom after a good win,” he explained.
“That game itself was just so special. We cracked a few beers that night and really enjoyed ourselves.
“It was just phenomenal, a phenomenal feeling. It’s one of those things you actually don’t understand how big the occasion is.”
