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Greg Growden | April 27, 2009
JIM LENEHAN strode proudly through the Australian Rugby Union function room in St Leonards last week, wearing his Wallabies blazer from the 1960s. It still fitted him perfectly.
He had travelled from Harden for this special occasion. John Thornett, the father figure of Australian rugby, was there from Cowra, and John Hipwell and Tim Horan had come down from Brisbane. It was one of those occasions when the past reminded the present about perspectives. They were among a group that had just been announced as this year's ARU Classic Wallabies Statesmen, an honour that involves representing the union at functions to spread the message.
They are an important group, especially in these troubled times. With provincial unions under serious financial strain, leading players quibbling about contracts, and mischievous agents playing a bluffing game to improve their cut, these Wallabies luminaries stress the point that the prime reason anyone should play the game is because they actually love it. Admittedly, the statesmen played in a far different era. But judging from their sentiments, there didn't seem to be any regret that Lenehan, Thornett, Arthur Buchan and co received virtually nothing for bashing their bodies in the Australian colours for so many years.
Strange but true in these selfish times … sometimes there are greater benefits than monetary rewards. In front of ARU board directors, other Wallabies greats - such as the prince of halfbacks, Ken Catchpole, and the media - Lenehan was asked what had he cherished most about "playing the game at the highest level".
"The enjoyment, the good friends we made, the fact that it was absolutely amateur, and we didn't overplay. We used to only get 10 bob a day sometimes," Lenehan replied.
"Some of those years we never played a Test. Another year there may be four or five. Nowadays they average 16 or 17 a year. Those days were absolutely fantastic. You don't have to see one another every day, but when you do it's just like yesterday. It's lovely."
Lenehan's rugby times were an adventure. Born and raised in Narrandera, and schooled at St Ignatius College, Riverview, the Australian selectors picked him at 19, his first year out of school, for the 1957-58 Wallabies tour to the British Isles. Over the next decade, he played 24 Tests all over the world, including in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Paris, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, Wellington, Dunedin, Auckland and Dublin. During that time, the fullback/centre went back to the family farm, representing Wagga Waratahs and NSW from the bush base.
Horan also wore his Wallabies jersey to the function. His career coincided with the rise of professionalism but Horan is delighted his early years with the Wallabies came when it was still amateur.
"Having to train late at night in the amateur days really grounded us well," he said. "I have great memories of those amateur days, such as putting in the expense forms before we went away on an eight-week [Wallabies] tour. You'd be at the ARU working out how many babysitting hours you could be reimbursed for, or what was needed for agistment for cattle, and so on. We'd be trying anything to get that $1000 so that we could travel away for eight weeks."
Now it's a lot easier, with players offered exorbitant amounts to appear in the green and gold. But are the current players happier than Wallabies of other eras? Probably not.
Touring with the Wallabies is certainly not as much fun, and this comes from someone who has been with them in the amateur and professional days. It is now ultra-serious. Players are under endless scrutiny, and they hardly fraternise with their opponents. They have become prisoners in their own hotel rooms.
Beep tests, the endless pursuit of victory and wanting to make as much money as you can while the sun shines have changed all that. Something has been lost.
http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...e#contentSwap1
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