Twins can mean double trouble
Twins can mean double trouble
MY brother relished his time as Wallabies 'captain' at a French news conference.
IN 1983 I captained the Wallabies tour to Italy and France and it was a difficut time, in France at least.
Difficult because touring there was as hard on the field as it was off and that is without even mentioning the language barrier.
Unlike most countries where you play local sides, in France the tourists always played against French selection sides made up of the top 40 or 50 players in the country who were rotated to fully test their opposition prior to Test matches.
During the tour, the Wallabies were playing another French selection side in the French Alps in Grenoble on the Tuesday before the first Test scheduled for Clermont Ferrand the following Saturday.
I captained the Wallabies in that match which was another hard and tough battle with little help from the local referee.
Despite his efforts, the Wallabies prevailed and we came off the field thoroughly exhausted and happy that we had won leading up to an important first Test.
I was sipping a beer in the change room when our manager Chilla Wilson asked me, as Wallaby captain, to speak to the French media who were anxious to get my feelings and quotes leading up to the Test.
It was then that I noticed that my twin brother Glen was in his Australian blazer not having taken part in the match as a player or replacement.
I asked him if he wanted to be Australia captain and face the French media which he accepted without the slightest hesitation.
At the time I had noticed that he had rosy cheeks but I thought that had come about due to the freezing temperature of playing in the French Alps only to find out later that he had done a typical Aussie custom by drinking a hip flask of OP rum during the match to keep warm.
So rather than take the typical modest, underdog status as most Australian sportsman and sportswomen would do - particularly playing away from home - Glen went on the attack.
The French had no idea that it was my twin brother Glen instead of me, and apart from saying that he was disappointed about "his" own form, he went on to say that the Wallabies would defeat the then Four Nations Champions by 30 points in Clermont Ferrand.
You can imagine the furore in the French media the next day.
Glen was half right in his lofty prediction when we tied the first against France 15-all and that was the last time that my twin brother stood in as Australia captain while I was around.
I am not too sure if twins had represented Australia until the two of us played against Scotland in Brisbane in 1982 in what was a day both of us would rather forget with Scotland winning.
And I know that it is early days yet, but we may see the second set of twins represent Australia after Robbie Deans announced the Faingaa brothers Saia and Anthony in his Tri-Nations squad this week.
Saia has already played four Tests but with Stephen Moore fit and healthy he may start from the bench.
And with the continuing conjecture over Matt Giteau's role, there's every chance we may see Anthony on the field for the Wallabies during the Tri-Nations.
In Anthony's favour is his proven combination with Reds teammates Will Genia and Quade Cooper who together thrived during the Super 14.
The Faingaa twins are not like Glen and I who in our day were skinny three-quarters but instead have very different body shapes with Saia playing hooker and Anthony a fleet-footed centre.
It is an amazing feeling representing your country let alone having a brother and a twin on the field with you as well.
Glen and I only played two Test matches together but it brings back great memories and if the Faingaa twins get the opportunity in 2010, it will be a proud moment for themselves and their family.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225890018385
