Name the game

[rustycruiser]

Was watching a classic match today. Can anyone name it from the line up without cheating (using google/ARU site etc)

 

[Gagger]

Not a bad team that one

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

THAT game in 2000 against the ABs? I've seen the highlights so many times on YouTube. The thing that stuck out for me was Little at 12 crash balling just before Larkham ghosted through the gap and fired the ball for Mortlock to score.

 

[rustycruiser]

Yep. Stadium Australia in 2000. I hadn't seen it for years. For the neutral, a bloody great watch. Probably hurts you boys a bit to relive it.

 

[Gagger]

So did Jeremy Paul come off the bench in that one?

 

[rustycruiser]

Teams:

Australia: Chris Latham; Stirling Mortlock, Daniel Herbert, Jason Little, Joe Roff; Stephen Larkham, George Gregan; Richard Harry, Michael Foley, Fletcher Dyson, David Giffin, John Eales (capt), Mark Connors, David Wilson, Jim Williams.

Replacements: Rod Kafer, Andrew Walker, Sam Cordingley, Toutai Kefu, Troy Jaques, Glenn Panoho, Jeremy Paul.

New Zealand: Christian Cullen; Tana Umaga, Alama Ieremia, Pita Alatini, Jonah Lomu; Andrew Mehrtens, Justin Marshall; Carl Hoeft, Anton Oliver, Kees Meeuws, Todd Blackadder (capt), Norm Maxwell, Taine Randell, Scott Robertson, Ron Cribb.

Replacements: Leon MacDonald, Tony Brown, Byron Kelleher, Josh Kronfeld, Troy Flavell, Craig Dowd, Mark Hammett.

Referee: Andre Watson (South Africa).

 

[Ash]

Williams was playing a blinder, and Wilson was dominating the rucks (NZ having selected "Razor" Robertson at 7 - an epic blunder). Connors was going OK. So what did MacQueen do? Bring on big Kef for Wilson. Massive mistake - Kef should've either replaced Williams (who was tiring, but deserved to stay on the field) or Connors (to the detriment of the lineout), but not Wilson. Without Wilson, the backrow was too slow and no-one else in the pack could compete on the ground. If I remember correctly, Australia lost its dominance at the ruck as Kronfeld and Flavell made an impact off the bench, and Wilson was taken off. It cost us the game, in the end. (Just like the midfield for NZ nearly cost them the game.)

But bloody awesome game, it was. I remember Lomu breaking my heart at the end of it, but I still sat there thinking, "that was just about the best rugby game I've ever seen". The loss didn't hurt so much because of that.

BTW - that is a quality bench for NZ.

 

[Bullrush]

I remember being up by about 24 points within 20min and thinking it would be a walk in the park.

Who bloody well starts Randell over Kronfeld at 7?!?! Although I think it was Taine who delivered the final pass to Lomu at the end.

Didn't they call that game 'The Game of The Century' or 'The Greatest Test Ever' or something like that??

 

[Hugh Jarse]

The Senior Junior Jarse and my good self were there in person, as part of the World Record Crowd for a International Rugby Match (still is I think).

Our seats were so far back (only 1 row behind us in the stadium at the southern end) that we were almost in North Canberra.

Great game even though Jonah Lomu broke 80000 Aussie hearts (and won a spot in about 30000 Darkness hearts) at the death.

World Record Crowd, Game of the Century, Plenty of once in a generation world class talent on show, what a night!

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I remember when we were so far behind early in the game that it was going to be an embarrassment for us, a record flogging. Then Bernie scored that try and suddenly it was on. Still one of the top 5 tests I've ever seen, probably the greatest.

 

[#1 Tah]

I remember being up by about 24 points within 20min and thinking it would be a walk in the park.

Who bloody well starts Randell over Kronfeld at 7?!?! Although I think it was Taine who delivered the final pass to Lomu at the end.

Didn't they call that game 'The Game of The Century' or 'The Greatest Test Ever' or something like that??

"Test Match made in heaven" was the headline the next day, which is the birth of "rugby heaven" and the "game they play in heaven"

pity I was 4 at the time.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Correction #1 Tah - Rugby as "The Game They Play in Heaven" has been named as such for ever, not just since 2000.

I have a feeling that this originated from Wales. I could be wrong.

My good old Dad, Hugher, used to refer to the Son of Our Lord as being originally playing on the wing for Jerusalem Old Boys.

Clearly JC must have been one of the originals in the run on squad for Heaven's First Grade team.

 

[Scarfman]

Me and my mate got to the pub 10 minutes late.

Couldn't believe the score.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

While it is difficult and fraught with danger to compare games from different era, I reckon this game was better than the 1974 Darkness vs Barbarians game. The latter is frequently quoted as the best game ever.

 

[rustycruiser]

I thought the 1973 Baa Baas vs the All Blacks match was known more as the "greatest try" ever rather than the "greatest game" ever. And even that is somewhat debatable. While the Gareth Edwards one from the 73 match is amazing, it has some still competition from the "Try from the End of the World" scored by the French against the All Blacks in 1994.


[video=youtube;jTwTi-UeQ7s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTwTi-UeQ7s[/video]

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

That try always makes me smile Rusty. I remember watching it live on the telly and being astonished at the sheer audacity of it. Fifteen man rugby at its absolute finest.

 

[Lee Grant]

The Senior Junior Jarse and my good self were there in person, as part of the World Record Crowd for a International Rugby Match (still is I think).

Our seats were so far back (only 1 row behind us in the stadium at the southern end) that we were almost in North Canberra.

I think that we must have been sitting close to each other. The two things I remember vividly are:

1. I forked out some dosh to pay for me, the two sons, and nephew, and the game was ruined in 10 minutes and the money wasted (or so I thought.)

2. Going back to the parking lot I was that thrilled with the game that I didn't mind so much that we lost. I almost forgave Andrew Walker for coming in as the the unwanted extra man to tackle (Randell ?? ??) who dished the ball for Jonah. It made more sense to try for an intercept and at least knock the ball on - or alternatively to fall at Jonah's feet so that he fell over.

It made the revenge game in NZ all the more sweeter though.

 

[Joe Mac]

It was the sign of a truly great team. To be able to lose such a a close game and the fans head home happy, knowing that they did all they could.

The Wallaby team today is nothing like that. Every time they lose it is because they cant hold up a scrum, they cant throw the ball in straight or they cant convert simple penalties.

Play like that and do the simple things right, win or lose and the fans will come

 

[Lee Grant]

I agree with most of that.

That Eales/Macqueen team had loads more experience and was one of the finest teams of the professional era as was Jonno's Pom team which was on the rise at that time. As such it had all those intangible attributes that are important to performing well when things look bleak: patience, persistence, self-belief, team belief, yarda, yarda.

We can't dine out on the current team's inexperience for too long but we can have a few snacks for a while.

Jim Williams must watch that match with some nostalgia. It was his best game as a Wallaby.

 

[Reddy!]

Steven Larkham is really a fantastic name to see on the team sheet. You know your a chance lining up beside that guy. Oh, and Eales too