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Bret Harris | June 03, 2009
Article from: The Australian
FORMER All Blacks halfback Justin Marshall believes an Anzac team should be formed to tour the world every four years like the British and Irish Lions.
Marshall, who will play for the Barbarians against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday night, said a combined team of Australians and New Zealanders would be just as attractive as the Lions.
There had once been questions about whether the Lions would survive in the professional era, but they continue to be one of the biggest drawcards in world rugby.
Marshall said an Anzac team could be a southern hemisphere equivalent of the Lions.
"I would have thought it would be something people would really like to see," Marshall said.
"Australians and New Zealanders together in an Anzac format would be something that people would come and watch.
"I'd go and watch it. It's something that would really attract my interest even if I wasn't involved."
Marshall said he would also like to see the Barbarians, another great tradition that has survived the advent of professionalism, tour the southern hemisphere on a regular basis. "The Barbarians are hopefully giving southern hemisphere rugby something different," Marshall said. "Something they are not used to seeing. It's great for rugby.
"Could the Barbarians go to New Zealand and play the All Blacks?
"When I left (New Zealand) in 2005 the Lions were something different. They hadn't seen them in 12 years. The country was abuzz.
"To see players of this calibre is great for Australian rugby and would be good for New Zealand rugby as well. It would be a good trip for us as well."
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans supported the idea of an Anzac touring team.
"It's something the players would enjoy I'm sure," Deans said.
"It's a thrill for a player to have an opportunity to gather with their peers from other nations and that opportunity in the professional era isn't as frequent.
"The opportunity to mix and mingle with people you played against is fantastic.
"You only have to see the way the players respond to the Lions opportunity. It's something they treasure.
"I have no doubt it would be similar if an Anzac concept was to be launched."
Deans said he would like to see a touring team that combined players from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
"It would probably need to be more than two," Deans said. "The whole three. Southern hemisphere, but Anzac would be good."
Meanwhile, former New Zealand Test blindside flanker Jerry Collins has backed his Barbarians teammate Sonny Bill Williams to play well against the Wallabies and believes he has the potential to become an All Black.
Collins, who played with Williams at French club Toulon last season, said: "He'll go good mate. No worries. He'll be fine. He's up to it. He wouldn't get invited to play if he wasn't up to it.
"I'm not a critic, but I played with the guy. He should be fine.
"He's only been playing seven months. Hopefully, he'll play for longer than that.
"You guys just have to lay off him and not give him too much of a hard time.
"A lot of guys don't play their first Test match for three or four years. You are asking a guy who has played for seven months to come in and play like a veteran.
"The better we play as a team, the better the individuals will go."
Asked whether Williams could play for the All Blacks, Collins said: "Yeah, pretty much."
But Collins said Williams, who trained at outside centre with the Barbarians at North Sydney yesterday, was still learning the game.
"He's an athlete and he's a great specimen of an athlete," Collins said. "Anyone who is an athlete can pick up things pretty fast.
"He's got the kind of gifts you can't teach, timing. But in terms of rugby union he is still learning the game and he is just going to get better with time."
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html
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Originally Posted by Arnie
