AUSTRALIA'S first World Cup-winning skipper, Nick Farr-Jones, talked a lot of sense when he was named this week as the latest member of the Wallabies Hall of Fame. The former halfback praised Australia's new No.9, Luke Burgess, was astounded how the New Zealand public had turned on All Blacks coach Graham Henry, and provided a telling message to the modern player. For some time, Farr-Jones has been irritated that so many players and coaches have been stand-offish towards the media. He thinks this is ridiculous. "For too long, responses of players and even coaches have been abrupt, with short engagement between players and the media for whatever reason," Farr-Jones said. "I suspect in the professional world players are too concerned about criticism of themselves, and as soon as there is criticism, they turn inwards. There's many stakeholders in rugby, and one of them is you guys. Occasionally the media was critical of my performance ... the only way to answer that was on the field." Farr-Jones also explained how his two Wallabies coaches - Alan Jones and Bob Dwyer - had a huge influence on his career, except for one little area. "Did they teach me anything as a scrumhalf? No." And he devoted special praise to fellow Hall of Famer David Campese. "Without someone like Campo, who always walked the tightrope and never died wondering, we may not have won the 1991 World Cup." Farr-Jones is an inspired choice for the Hall of Fame.
Radical song idea, man
"Pinky" Cashman's Test program continues to be a hive of trivia. Several pages after discovering that All Blacks second-rower Brad Thorn hasn't had a beer in eight years, we are given one of the best snippets about Wallabies coach Robbie Deans. His mother, Julie, is a former New Zealand national figure-skating champion, and his favourite song is the Cat Stevens anthem Father and Son . Why don't they play that song, rather than the dreadful Walking on Sunshine every time the Wallabies score a try? There would be nothing better than a try to be followed by ... It's not time to make a change. Just relax, take it easy .
Hatchet man exiting
There were fun and games before the Wallabies-Springboks Test last Saturday. According to our high-ranking snouts, South Africa's 2007 World Cup-winning coach Jake White was eager to talk to the players but was stopped from doing so by Victor Matfield and Percy Montgomery. There was also a stinging letter of complaint following the New Zealand-South Africa Test in Dunedin, where one notorious All Blacks media-obstruction officer did all he could to make life hard for the South African broadcasting crew and made it near impossible to interview any New Zealand player. So it's hardly surprising that there are no media tears following the news that this gatekeeper will soon leave the All Blacks. This is an organisation which, after the World Cup debacle, should be on the charm offensive, but instead appears to take great delight in snubbing the media. The troops have placed a special calendar on the wall of the All Blacks' media bunker that counts down the days until the gatekeeper departs.
Loony riposte
Rugby websites attract a fair share of loons but one has come up with a good line about the survey that showed SANZAR players approved of the ELVs. Someone called Kerneels posted this on Keo.co.za: "The survey would have looked a bit different if any of the Bulls players knew how to open an email."
Stop the torture
Reader Tom Kelly suggests this good idea after growing tired of the pre-Test antics. "For inspiration, the Australian national anthem falls well short of the French, Welsh, Scottish and half of the South African anthems. It needs all the help it can get. It certainly does not need a half-baked, unshaven night club/pop performer singing off-key. What can we do? At the very least we could get one of the fine students from the Conservatorium. Even the virtuous Julie Anthony would be preferable."
Rumour of the week
Rocky Elsom is expected back from his quick playing sojourn with Leinster in Ireland in time for next year's domestic Tests in June.
Tah Man to run in this year's City to Surf.
Stephen Moore talking to Nathan Sharpe on the ARU website. Moore: "I'm a fan of sushi." Sharpe: "So a bit of raw fish and the like." Moore: "No, not fish."
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