Watch: The Bledisloe Cup 'Test of the Century' that gave Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock goosebumps
To fully appreciate the greatness of the Wallabies era of 20 years ago, Stirling Mortlock says look no further than their defeat in rugby’s ‘Test of the Century’.
To this day, it takes some serious searching to find a more compelling game than the All Blacks‘ 39-35 Bledisloe Cup win in Sydney in 2000.
Played in front of world record-sized rugby crowd of just under 110,000 at the newly-built Stadium Australia, it took place exactly two months out from the venue’s staging of the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony.
The exhilarating showpiece was a rare example of the spectacle matching the occasion.
Mortlock said never in his 80-Test career did he again experience the crowd roar that greeted the teams when led out by John Eales and Todd Blackadder.
“There was an immediate sense of understanding that it was something special,” Mortlock told AAP.
“I remember it clear as day. Goosebumps all over, hair standing on the back of my neck. A sense of expectation.
“But the thing was, the crowd stayed in it for the entire game, probably because of what unfolded.”
Incredibly, the All Blacks clocked up three tries in the opening five minutes and were 24-0 clear soon afterwards when Eales gathered his team tight – most of them the same players who were crowned world champions eight months earlier.
The message was clear and without panic.
For rookie Mortlock, playing just his fourth Test, it became obvious why the Wallabies had been such a dominant force through the late 1990s.
“Ealesy got us together and I just remember how much confidence he instilled in the team, and belief, even when we were that far down,” Mortlock said.
“New Zealand had played unbelievably well to score their three tries but we hadn’t put any pressure on them yet.
“Then we did that. It was just an amazing team and an amazing period of time in Australian rugby with a lot of cool heads that could get a team out of that scenario.”
From the next kick-off, it was Mortlock who began Australia’s fightback, scoring on the right wing and he doubled his tally soon afterwards.
With halves George Gregan and Stephen Larkham running the show, the hosts had drawn level at 24-24 by the break.
A breathless second half looked like ending in favour of the hosts before the late All Blacks great Jonah Lomu tip-toed down the left touchline to score four minutes after the hooter.
The fact that Lomu emerged as a matchwinner wasn’t lost on Mortlock, who had spent the lead-up to the game in a spooked state after learning he would be marking the metaphorical rugby giant on the wing.
“It was one of the most surreal weeks of my life – my first Bledisloe Cup Test and I was marking Jonah Lomu,” Mortlock said.
“That New Zealand backline was absolutely electric as well. You had (Christian) Cullen, Tana Umaga, they were a formidable outfit. A younger, leaner, more head-of-hair your s truly was quite nervous.”
Mortlock admits he didn’t mark Lomu as well as he had hoped, his performance not helped by a draining night battling a stomach virus on match eve.
Only cleared to play close to kick-off, Mortlock and was replaced during the second half, meaning he at least wasn’t to blame when Lomu scored down his wing.
The same thrill even re-watching it. J Lomu (RIP) was a loose canon, a dynamite, Just exploding anytime any where.
— Michael Mitch (@giga160) April 25, 2020
If Australia weren’t going to win, the end was fitting as it could be, a reflective Mortlock said.
“The legend that Jonah was … such a great man. To have shared some moments on the field against him, I cherish that now.
“He was devastating and to score the match-winning try just made the whole thing I suppose.”
Mortlock who went on to lead Australia in an 80-Test career believes those who labelled the 2000 Test among the greatest ever played were on the money.
He remembers he and teammates pinching themselves as they walked from the field.
“It was literally the most phenomenal Test match that went backwards and forwards, counterpunch, counterpunch after an amazing start from the Kiwis.
“It was the greatest of all time from my perspective.
“It will go down as possibly one of the best of all time – in the top five or 10 no doubt.”
Greatest test match of all time to be honest
— Mathongo Makhiwane (@MatyMak) April 25, 2020
Australia recovered quickly from defeat.
Under coach Rod Macqueen they went on to retain the Bledisloe Cup courtesy of Eales’ late penalty against the All Blacks in Wellington.
They then snared a first Tri-Nations title when Mortlock’s sideline penalty snatched victory against South Africa in the final game at Durban.
Were it not for the Sydney defeat, that team would have set an Australian record of 16 successive wins.
Mortlock appreciated being part of a winning culture all the way through to their loss at the 2003 World Cup final.
“We were the world champions and it was a time when every trophy we played for, we held. It was a golden era in Australian rugby,” he said.
“But that match in Sydney stands out. We lost but we didn’t feel like we could have given much more than what we gave out there.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Super rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
8 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
8 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
8 Go to comments