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Campo 'wouldn't cut it today'
By Iain Payten in Durban
August 27, 2008 12:00am
Campo | The Daily Telegraph
FORMER Wallabies captain George Gregan has launched a stinging attack on Australian rugby legend David Campese, questioning whether the try-scoring maestro would have cut it in the professional era.
In his newly-released autobiography, Gregan asserts Campese would not have been so successful playing in the modern game due to his dodgy defence and his trademark scything attack being shut down by improved tackling standards.
And the controversial halfback also accuses Campese - an ARU Hall of Fame member and still the world record holder for most Test tries (64) - of being a bully towards younger teammates and playing "master-servant" mind-games with them.
"I only played with Campo at the back end of his career but based on that experience I wonder if he would have survived for long in the professional game because he did have weaknesses in his game the opposition would hone in on," Gregan writes.
"He was fragile in defence and though he wasn't slow he wasn't lightning quick either. His awareness on the field was ahead of his time, his kicking game was excellent and his sense of anticipation was uncanny, but there are quite a few guys like that in 21st century rugby. Only faster.
"Similarly, he was fantastic at creating space but defensive strategies in modern rugby have evolved dramatically in the past 15 years. In his day, for example, he'd cut back inside and be confronted by slow-footed forwards, but nowadays the forwards make those tackles eight times out of 10. For his time he was a quality player with wonderful skills.
"But that was then . . ."
Gregan says his early experiences of touring involved Campese making rookie teammates change outside their hotel room if he was sleeping - but watch TV in the middle of the night himself - and also fetch him fruit from the hotel lobby.
"Ricky Stuart had once advised me if I was ever dealing with Campo not to get caught in the master-servant game," Gregan continues.
Asked for a response yesterday, Campese refused to get drawn into a slanging match with Gregan and didn't want to legitimise Gre- gan's criticisms.
"George is trying to sell a book and everyone is entitled to an opinion," Campese said.
"For example, my opinion is that Gregan will go down as being remembered for making one tackle and then living off it for the next 15 years."
This could get interesting
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