David Campese - Australian Under 21s

Australian Under 21s

Campese was a standout performer at fullback for the Australian under 21s side. Then Australian coach Bob Dwyer's first exposure to Campese was at an Australian under 21s game against Fiji. Dwyer recalled in his autobiography, The Winning Way, that Campese had "cut the Fijian defence to shreds". One week later against the New Zealand under 21s, Campese scored a tremendous try to the astonishment of the Sydney crowd. In the book, David Campese, former Australian coach Alan Jones recalls,

"I was at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1982 when this unknown Canberra teenage fullback was playing in what was regarded as something of a trial, a curtain raiser to a Test against a New Zealand Under 21 side, though rarely did anyone from such a trial graduate immediately to much else. People were wandering into the ground and those who were there gave little attention to what was happening on the paddock. But on this day, and not for the first time, a remarkably gifted and fleet of foot Canberra teenager swept into the backline, received the ball at the end of a pass, chip-kicked, accelerated, gathered and scored."

Wallaby star Mark Ella, at that juncture, unaware of Campese's existence, heard much about Campese's efforts. In his book, Running Rugby, Ella recalls,

"Like a lot of other people, I first became aware that a promising young player named David Campese had arrived on the scene when he appeared in a curtain-raiser to a Test against Scotland at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1982. Campese was playing for the Australian under 21s against the New Zealand under 21s. I was a reserve that day for the Test, so I was in the dressing-room and did not watch the curtain-raiser myself, but I soon came to hear about it. Although Australia won the Test against Scotland handsomely, all the talk after the match was about the performance in the curtain-raiser by the fullback from Canberra. Everyone who watched Campese that day had been astonished by his ability."

Shortly after Campese's debut for the Australian under 21 side, as many as ten Australian players made themselves unavailable for an upcoming Australian tour to New Zealand. Despite being short on players, then Australian coach Bob Dwyer had stated that Campese's selection was in part, based on the strength of his performances in Australia. As part of the Australian squad to tour New Zealand, Campese was an unlikely Test selection. Despite Australia's then most accomplished winger, Brendan Moon, making himself unavailable for the tour to New Zealand, two other Australian wingers of proven ability, Peter Grigg and Mick Martin, were named in the tour squad. However, Campese continued his dazzling form in early provincial matches on tour, and at age 19, was chosen to play his first Test match for Australia.