‘Backs no match’

Press, 17 August 1983, Page 44

‘Backs no match’

NZPA Sydney David Campese, Australia’s brilliant young rugby back, the All Black captain, Andy Dalton, has over-inflated ideas about New Zealand’s backline for Saturday’s one-off test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. “I couldn’t believe it when I read that Dalton claimed his three-quarter line bad the ability to match Australia’s backs,” said Campese. The 20 year old is in camp training with the Australian under-21 side to tour New Zealand, but won’t travel with the side when it leaves today. Campese, the test reserve, Michael Lynagh, and the national chairman of selectors, John Bain, will fly to New Zealand on Sunday after the Bledisloe Cup game. Campese said: “The All Blacks didn’t match Australia in the backs department last year and I can’t see the personnel named for Saturday changing that. “Of course, Dalton was right when he said they let the backline run in the fourth test against the Lions, but what else would you do, leading the series, 3-0, with a test in Sydney against the speed of the Australian backs a short time later?

“I watched then spin the ball out and it looked good, but I’m confident they won’t get the same latitude on Saturday,” he said. Campese won his spurs on the three-test New Zealand tour in 1982, playing in all tests, scoring the highest tally of tries (8), and making the local press tag him “the discovery of the tour.” His “goose-stepping” change of pace has since caught experienced defenders grasping at thin air as he eluded them with his extravagant double kick action, sailing past for the tryline.