Wallabies want joint All Blacks Anzac team

Ben Horne, NZ Newswire June 21, 2012, 8:31 pm

Wallabies players have thrown their support behind a proposed Anzac tour of the northern hemisphere in 2015, to commemorate the centenary of Australian and New Zealand troops landing at Gallipoli.

ARU boss John O'Neill revealed on Wednesday his visions for a combined Wallabies-All Blacks team which he hopes could play the British and Irish Lions at Twickenham in three years time.

There was a buzz at Wallabies camp on Thursday following O'Neill's comments, with the likes of winger Digby Ioane relishing the thought of lining up alongside Sonny Bill Williams, and halfback Will Genia excited by a prospect which could see him partner Dan Carter in the halves.

An Anzac team played against the Lions in 1989, but the concept failed due to a lack of support from players during the amateur era.

But several Wallabies expressed their desire to one day play in such a match and said Australian and New Zealand players would jump at the chance.

"Guys would look forward to that and aim to get into that team," said Wallabies No.8 Wycliff Palu.

"A lot of people would like to watch it and guys would like to be a part of that squad, so it'd be good for rugby if it gets off the ground."

Drew Mitchell, who is on track to return for the Wallabies during the Rugby Championship, said representing the Anzac tradition 100 years after Gallipoli would be an honour.

"It would mean a hell of a lot to all involved," said Mitchell, who likes the idea of it being more than a one-off occurrence.

"It's for people higher up the food chain than me to sort out whether it's a year-in year-out thing or if it's something like the Lions where it's every four years and it's a different country each time ... but because there's so much history between the two sides on the rugby field and off, it makes a fair bit of sense."

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49 Comments

  1. il Duce01:16pm Friday 22nd June 2012 ESTReport Abuse

    Aussies just want a joint......dunno why the other bits are in the headline!!

    Reply
  2. monty09:09am Friday 22nd June 2012 ESTReport Abuse

    What a great idea...... We built these two nations on our anzac heritage... Well done... Lest we forget...

    Reply
  3. Paul08:34am Friday 22nd June 2012 ESTReport Abuse

    ARL bought this out as a possibility last month , League draws much smaller crowds than rugby does and so they could get away with playing a game in this local'e. Whereas for rugby the grounds are too small in capacity hold the expats and travellers as wellas locals who would goand watch. Still a good idea and willbe viewed live on all continenets.

    Reply
  4. 08:33am Friday 22nd June 2012 ESTReport Abuse

    tom, you really are a goose, how many people died from all allied countries? yes NZ was invloved, alongside Australia. History shows England was totally crippled by the wars, all of the empire was virtually given away after that due to money and resources, If England didnt jump in with EU whom would have helped? a few lamb chops and kiwifruit wouldnt have saved the country. England never recovered, Au and NZ are just to far away to be economic partners, so immigration , all the AU and NZ can travel free will to UK? works boths ways then, UK passports have to que in NZ no? no doubt you would complain if a million brits turned up to spoil your half acre plot.

    2 Replies
  5. GEOFFREY08:32am Friday 22nd June 2012 ESTReport Abuse

    Will it happen and what national anthem will they play.....thats another arguement.

    Reply

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