Rugby union goodwill tour spearheaded by the great Wallabies who ruled the world

CLASSIC Wallabies spearheaded by ex-players and heroes of rugby union Justin Harrison, Stephen Larkham and Glen Ella plunged into the #GoldBlooded tour at Crocosaurus Cove.

Justin Harrison in his Wallaby days against the New Zealand All Blacks at Dunedin in 2001.

CLASSIC Wallabies spearheaded by ex-players and heroes of rugby union Justin Harrison, Stephen Larkham and Glen Ella plunged into the #GoldBlooded tour at Crocosaurus Cove.

Darwin was the first stop on the two month tour as the Classic Wallabies make their way across Australia in the lead up to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Harrison and Larkham were feeling a bit anxious prior to being dunked into an enclosure with William, a gargantuan resident Croc Cove saltie.

Larkham said the nerves were worse in the “Cage of Death” than running onto a pitch with the Wallabies.

“I think combined with the claustrophobia, that was a lot harder than getting on the field,” he told the NT News.

The trio of ex-Wallabies ventured around the Darwin region visiting schools and colleges with the 1999 World Cup in tow, spreading the good word of rugby union at a grassroots level.

Harrison, who spent his formative years in the Territory, said it was nostalgic to be back in the Top End.

He feels like amateur rugby is alive and well in remote areas such as the Top End.

“Growing up here was fantastic … It’s the DNA of Australia up here, it’s frontier country still.

“The history of rugby union is apparent everywhere we go.

“We were out at Jabiru Area School yesterday.

“There were kids running around telling us their rugby stories and a couple of kids who will be playing rugby this weekend for the first time,” he said.

“It’s in good health up here, there are more and more participants.

“Sometimes there’s too many kids playing for a team, and you never hear about those sorts of stories.

“Community rugby is very healthy.”