Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

Relationship goals: What the All Blacks and Wallabies can learn from Justin Marshall and George Gregan

By Scotty Stevenson
George Gregan and Justin Marshall(Photo: FOTOPRESS/Phil Walter)

New Zealand and Australia have always enjoyed a well, special, sporting relationship. But if this week has proved anything it is that the Wallabies and the All Blacks barely have a relationship at all any more.

ADVERTISEMENT

Once upon a time this was the contest that defined rugby in this part of the world. All Blacks and Wallabies tests were to be savoured, as much for the raft of stars in each team as for the fact one could never tell which way the result would go. They were the great test matches of the year. Hell, one – in Sydney in 2000 – was called the Greatest Game of Rugby Ever Played.

What a game it was. How else could you describe it? The All Blacks rampant in the opening five minutes, the Wallabies resurgent to level the scores at the break, both sides punching and counter-punching in the second half, and Jonah scoring the winner three minutes into injury time. It was everything we love about the trans-Tasman rivalry played to a packed house by a sensational cast.

It seems so long ago now. So long ago that Stirling Mortlock and George Gregan still had hair. So long ago that Chritian Cullen has now gone grey, and Jonah has simply gone forever. The legacy of that time remains, however, in the camaraderie between the protagonists. Yes, there was a rivalry – a fierce and unforgiving one – but afterwards there were friendships, many strong and lasting.

It feels like that respect has gone now, as anachronistic as the post-match piss up. In its place: clown cartoons and constant carping; court cases and the incredibly coincidental timing of a certain report into the coital habits of halfbacks. There has always been tension in Bledisloe build ups, but this week has fallen into farce. When we should be talking about a test match, we are tittering about testicles.

The harsh reality is without a strong ally next door, New Zealand Rugby is at risk of a hemispheric marooning. South African rugby has already begun its first foray into Europe with the Cheetahs and Kings joining the Pro14 and, if successful, more will follow. Australian Rugby’s survival is just as important to New Zealand in a geo-political sense. Life support is required, and the Bledisloe Cup is the machine.

It has not proven to be very effective at keeping the heart beating. We all know that Australia hasn’t seen the Cup since Burke and Wills went walking; it has not been tainted by a tinny of Aussie suds in 14 long years. That angers and frustrates the fans, and that feeling is magnified by the fact Australian Super Rugby sides went 0-26 against New Zealand teams this year. As if that weren’t enough, the Australian Rugby Union showed it has all the common touch of a family of Tsars when it torched the Western Force earlier in the month.

ADVERTISEMENT

Against this depressing backdrop, you would think the Bledisloe Cup would be a chance to reignite the passion for the game, but once again here we are in roadside attraction land. We have public toilets on the left and public nuisance on the right and in the middle two teams that don’t dare call each other by name. Steve Hansen is wondering why his own security consultant in up on charges of bugging his team hotel, and Michael Cheika can’t even (or just doesn’t want to) name the All Blacks midfielders. Please don’t tell me he’s never heard of Sonny Bill Williams.

Forget the bluff and bluster and bullshit. This must be a test match for the players. This must be the stage upon which the great Bledisloe show of the past is revived for the next generation. The rest is bad marketing. It is time to put away the sneering and the off-field acrimony and let the game do the talking. We as fans want to see the best of both sides and we sure as hell want this contest to once again be the defining series in the southern hemisphere.

I think back to that greatest game ever played, when the All Blacks won 39-35 and no one was sure what had happened or what they had just witnessed. And I think now of the great respect between two of the men in the middle that day: Justin Marshall and George Gregan. Their individual battle – lippy, frustrating, niggly and wonderful – was worth the price of admission alone. Their friendship today, and the deep and abiding respect they have for eachother now that the boots have been safely stashed away, is priceless.

I wonder, sadly, if any of the combatants this weekend will feel the same way about one another in 17 years time. I hope they do. I hope that respect is rekindled this weekend, and that its flame burns bright for many years to come. I hope that we can return to a rivalry that was once respectful rather than spiteful.

ADVERTISEMENT

Most of all, I hope that if this can’t be the greatest game of rugby ever played, it can at least be in the conversation.

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

A
Adrian 11 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

6 Go to comments
T
Trevor 2 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING 'Crikey': Son of league legend Martin Offiah picked by England U18s 'Crikey': Son of league legend Martin Offiah picked by England U18s
Search