Wallabies World Cup: Players told of selection by members of 1999 World Cup winning team
DREW Mitchell thought it was an odd coincidence when he looked at his phone and saw former Wallaby teammate Chris Latham ringing on Thursday night.
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DREW Mitchell thought it was an odd coincidence when he looked at his phone and saw former Wallaby teammate Chris Latham ringing on Thursday night.
He’d been wondering what his boyhood idol had been up to only that day.
“I thought hang on that’s a little bit too weird. I said “g’day” and he said “how are you mate?”,” Mitchell recounted.
“You know how it is at this time Latho, World Cup squad selection night, just waiting on a call.”
“He goes: “Well mate ... I am that call. Congratulations.”
Latham was ringing to tell Mitchell he’d been selected for the Wallabies 31-man squad to play in the 2015 World Cup; part of a novel method of delivering the special news devised by coach Michael Cheika.
PODCAST: Jamie Pandaram and Iain Payten provide the lowdown on Michael Cheika’s World Cup squad and his plans for the big event.
Members of the Wallabies 1999 Rugby World Cup-winning side - Australia’s last triumphant team - were approached by Cheika this week to do the honours and inform a handful of the 2015 side each that they’d made the plane.
It added an extra layer of meaning on an already special occasion for the players, and captain Stephen Moore - who was rung by 1999 skipper John Eales - said the players had arrived at the Qantas hangar in Sydney on Friday for the announcement buzzing and sharing their stories.
“I think it was a fantastic touch. John called me probably around 7.30pm last night; I had his number in my phone so I knew it was him at least,” Moore said.
“It is a big honour to hear from someone like that, he’s lifted the World Cup twice and that’s a pretty special achievement. I think it meant a lot to him as well, to be able to connect with the current group.”
With unexpected calls from unknown numbers or even old friends, not all went to plan.
Tatafu Polota-Nau thought Phil Kearns was ringing to invite him to dinner, and Dean Mumm got a message from Richard Harry saying to call back “but it’s not urgent”.
Many, like Israel Folau to Matt Burke’s repeated calls, sent the World Cup news through to the keeper. Kurtley Beale had to call Folau to instruct him to answer the phone.
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Matt Giteau broke a general rule and answered a number he didn’t recognise.
“I was going to brush it but then I thought “well, tonight of all nights I should answer”,” he said.
It was two-time World Cup winner Tim Horan
“I got a pretty big one in Tim — a special guy obviously who achieved a lot, especially in the 1999 World Cup when they won,” Giteau said.
Cheika said the aim of inviting the 1999 World Cup side to be involved was to continue to build and honour the history of the Wallaby jersey, and to inspire his World Cup troops to potentially follow in the ‘99ers footsteps.
“I just thought it is too easy for me to ring them and say “you’ve made it”,” Cheika said.
“I feel like that whole “Wallaby world” and what that means, what the connections are and that sort of aura that goes with playing for Australia. I just think we need to show what it really is. I don’t think we’ve shown that enough and we have some great stories in our past.
“It is something our players should be more connected with. I know from a lot of the work we have done off the field, this generation of player, many of them would have been young kids when the 1999 World Cup was on and were tugging on their parents sleeve to get up and watch the games in the middle of the morning.
“I just think that’s something our guys can get something from.
“They are obviously the last Australian team to win the World Cup, so they are our last reference point. We should know what it feels like for those guys.
“I was really surprised from the feedback of the guys who made the calls, they were so happy to be asked to do it. It was impressive for me to see how much they wanted to be a part of it. It was a great result.”
Cheika took the tougher duties of phoning players who’d missed the cut, but said he was hugely impressed with the disappointed — but still supportive — responses of players like James Horwill and Nic White.
Originally published as Wallabies World Cup: Players told of selection by members of 1999 World Cup winning team
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