'Old' stars looking for Bermuda try angle
They admitted they weren't as fit and skilful as they once were but Marco Caputo, John Ross, Ipolito Fenukitau and Frank Condi said their competitive instinct would kick-in when they run on for the Classic Wallabies in Bermuda next weekend.
While the Wallabies prepare to battle humid conditions and a rampaging All Blacks' team in Hong Kong tomorrow the ACT quartet who will be joined by former Brumby and Wallaby hooker Jeremy Paul fly to New York on Wednesday before making their way to the tournament.
Caputo, Paul and Ross all toured and played with the Wallabies and Brumbies while Fenukitau was a foundation ACT Super 14 player and Condi played for the Kookaburras and Brumbies Runners.
They will play matches against the Classic All Blacks, the Classic Lions and Classic French teams over seven days.
As they joined together for lunch yesterday they poked fun at each others' fitness and started to picture themselves back in their playing boots.
Caputo and Condi coach in the John I Dent Cup competition while Fenukitau played for the Tuggeranong Vikings last season and is likely to continue in 2009.
"Playing is the price you pay for going on the trip," Caputo joked.
"It is good fun and it's good for me to catch up with some of the guys that I played with in Europe.
"It's an awesome destination and the opportunity was too hard to pass up."
Caputo will make his coaching debut next season for the Gungahlin Eagles after retiring from professional rugby in 2003.
The Bermuda tournament is his second as a Classic Wallaby and he said the players may be older but age did not affect their physicality.
"It's physical alright, very physical," he said. "It's not super fast or anything but there's always the superstars in the team and they don't forget how to hit."
Ross, who was a foundation Brumby and toured New Zealand with the Wallabies in 1989, will be the playing coach.
Teams have unlimited interchange options and the rules have been modified slightly to allow ex-players to continue competing.
"They're quality footballers so although they've dropped off in fitness it's still a good standard of footy," Ross said.
Fenukitau, the only current player, said he would use his match fitness as an advantage on his first Classic tour.
CLASSIC WALLABIES : Michael Black, Marco Caputo, Mark Challender, Frank Condi, Francis Cullimore, Anthony Ekert, Ipolito Fenukitau, Danny Flanery, Mark Giacheri, Nicholas Gregorski, Adam Harley, Paul Horton, Luke Inman, Troy Jaques, David Kelaher, Tim Kelaher, David Knox, Heamani Lavaka, Michael Misson, Jeremy Paul, Matthew Pini, John Ross, James Swan, Gareth Smith, Steven Talbot, Brad Bishop.
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