0
Its so true. Cos I say so. And Pie agrees. One day the Force will have a proud history like the Tahs. Actually, you guys are better than the Reds already.
No distractions, no surrender - spirit of '87 energises McKenzie's Tahs
Pie Growden Chief Rugby Correspondent | May 15, 2008
EVER since Ewen McKenzie was tracked down in the backblocks of Victoria 21 years ago and told to get to Sydney for his first Waratahs appearance, he has revelled in the emotion and spirit that surrounds NSW-Queensland fixtures.
What the Waratahs coach learnt from day one was to be prepared for anything in the build-up to an interstate clash, but not to let all the brouhaha distract you. He has never forgotten that lesson, which has given him a safe pathway while preparing for his last NSW-Queensland match on Saturday night.
In 1987, McKenzie, in his second year of first grade with Randwick, saw no reason to stay in Sydney the week the Waratahs were playing Queensland at Concord Oval and decided to head to the family farm in Victoria.
However, he suddenly became NSW Rugby's most wanted man when three days before the game tight-head prop Mark Hartill went down with a virus. McKenzie was finally found and chartered an aeroplane from Geelong to Melbourne so he could get to Sydney in time for state training. His club coach, Bob Dwyer, took him to TG Millner Field, where the NSW coach, Paul Dalton, calmly explained the situation. There was no need to panic.
It didn't matter that he was joined in the front row by Eddie Jones and Peter Kay, who were also about to play their first state game. It didn't matter they were about to confront the Test front row of Andy McIntyre, Tom Lawton and Cameron Lillicrap. And it didn't matter the Queenslanders outweighed them in the scrum by at least 100 kilograms. They would just have to cope. And cope they did.
They won up front. They won out wide. They won the fight, and they won 21-19 on the scoreboard. [EDIT: If you know your history, then you be knowing where you comin from] A vivid memory of that afternoon was in the NSW dressing room, where Kay, that most belligerent of props, refused to give his state jersey back to team baggage master Ric Moore, who was just as combative.
"No one is ever going to get this jumper off me," Kay proclaimed. Moore, who took delight in wrestling many Waratahs monsters to ensure he got their jersey back, soon surrendered. This wasn't worth risking his life over.
McKenzie was more receptive when confronted by Moore. But the intense passion of that day, and what it meant to NSW, still remains.
"We were outweighed by about 20kg a man up front, and we took a tight-head," McKenzie said. "I also remember [NSW back-rower] Steve Lidbury smashing half of [Queensland second-rower] Bill Campbell's teeth out. As a first state occasion, it was great, especially as Queensland had so many of the incumbent Test team, and we beat them.
"And these NSW-Queensland games continue to be special. I enjoyed them as a player and I enjoy them as much now as a coach. This Saturday night will be no different."
What delights McKenzie is so many of his players will this week follow the same course as he did 21 years ago. He argues his players have already shown this season they don't get diverted by tension or side issues. They have overcome numerous off-field problems to keep winning and they are priming themselves to head to Brisbane, where everyone there wants them to lose and miss out on the Super 14 semi-finals. As in 1987, McKenzie is adamant NSW will cope.
"We have shown this year we are able to manage the emotion and the pressure of the occasion," McKenzie said. "We've always fronted up. We have also managed external pressures as well. We've managed a lot of criticism and still been able to perform on the weekend. We won't be sidetracked."
Still there is an element of sadness for McKenzie.
"If we don't win this game our season could be over, and we have a number of departing players and staff members as well.[EDIT: *Sniff* Remember, an ending is only the beginning of something else] Queensland don't have a mortgage on that. We have players leaving. Some have been announced. Some haven't. And it has come to an end for me as well."
Reply With Quote
War is Gods may of teaching Americans Geography
Originally Posted by TOCC
