Rugby legend David Campese says 'kids don't know' who Wallabies stars are anymore as he blasts game'
Wallaby legend David Campese has lamented the sorry decline of Rugby Union, saying the Wallabies have such a bad identity issue kids don’t even know who their biggest stars are anymore.
The former tryscoring machine blames the problem on Rugby Australia’s front office, saying, ‘The fish rots from the head down.’
Campese, who in his day was a devastating attacking force for Australia on the wing, said ‘it breaks my heart’ to watch the sorry decline of his beloved sport.
‘It’s an identity issue. No one knows who they are,’ he told the Daily Telegraph.
‘Kids don’t know, no one knows. Name me five Wallabies players.
Outspoken former Wallabies superstar David Campese has been left heartbroken by the game’s fall from grace in Australia
When Campese held aloft the Webb Ellis Cup after Australia’s World Cup triumph in 1991 (pictured), the team’s biggest stars were household names
Campese feels no one knows today’s players, such as new skipper Tate McDermott (pictured kicking the ball against the All Blacks during Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup clash)
‘When we played everyone knew us. They came and watched because we played entertaining rugby.’
Campese took aim at rugby’s governing body, governed by high-profile chairman Hamish McLennan.
‘I blame the administration,’ he said. ‘The fish rots from the head.
‘It hurts me to see the state the game is in. It’s disgusting that it’s been allowed to fall to this level.
‘Kids know NRL players but not Wallabies. I know because I coach them.’
It’s not the first time Campese has lashed out at the running of the game this year.
In March he slammed the controversial signing of Joseph-Aukuso-Suaalii to a massive $4.8million deal to switch codes from the NRL, when the current Roosters star first showed his talents while excelling in rugby.
Said Campese of the deal: ‘Think of what rugby union could do in pathways with the money they are spending on one player.
Roosters young gun Joseph Suaalii was lured back to rugby union with a $4.8million deal – leaving Campese scratching his head
‘This is the reason we’ve been losing kids to rugby league for years … there has been no investment in juniors.’
The mercurial Campese is as outspoken on rugby matters as he was majestic on the field and believes Rugby Australia doesn’t value his thoughts these days.
‘I’ve been cancelled out by them [Rugby Australia]. They don’t listen to me,’ he said.
The man who perfected the goose step as part of his attacking arsenal wants to see more investment in rugby union juniors, with promising young talents snapped up on deals like the 2018 offer of $100,000 from Suaalii’s agent that rugby officials initially rejected.
‘If we had the right systems in place, players like Joseph would have stayed in union in the first place,’ Campese said.
‘Now we’re spending all the cash to get him back.
‘That’s why we’re exposed to NRL clubs. There is no money for rugby union kids.
‘Why aren’t we looking after our own?
Carter Gordon on the charge for Australia against the All Blacks in Dunedin was very solid but Campese believes the current Wallabies lack entertaining flare on the paddock
Campese perfected the art of the goosestep move as he played the sort of attacking, attractive rugby he believes Aussie fans don’t see from their national team anymore
‘If you don’t have the foundations, you can’t build a house.’
Campese’s complaints about the Wallabies’ struggles to attract interest were borne out in the ratings for the team’s heartbreaking Bledisloe Cup loss to New Zealand on Saturday.
The match against the All Blacks flopped, with only 524,000 viewers, including streaming services.
The figures can’t hold a candle to this year’s second State of Origin game with more three million viewers, or the Matildas vs Canada World Cup clash, which averaged more than two million viewers.
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