What was the go with the upthe-jumper try drama when you were with NSW Country?

Q ADaryl Haberecht devised this move at training one night before the Sydney game in 1975. We formed a horseshoe with our backs to the opposition. Captain John Hipwell (right) tapped the ball and joined the horseshoe. The ball was passed to me and I placed it up my jumper. The other players put their hands up their jumper and on a signal we all ran at the opposition. Total confusion. The move was immediately outlawed but did it work or was it dispatched to the rubbish bin? We were down 20-16 with two minutes to go and got a penalty near Daryl. He called out ‘Tap 1, Tap 1’ (the signal) and I said to Hippy ‘Tap 5, Tap 5’. But we did it and it was per-

Q Afectly executed. We scored in the corner, converted the try and won 22-20. You rate Stuart Macdougall as one of the most endearing and amusing players. What is your favourite memory of him? One day at Buckingham Palace and he was in the group talking to Prince Charles. There was a bit of noise because Stuart was trying to swap his Wallaby tie with the Prince’s. He had hold of the tie and was trying to pull it off him, like a choker hold but the Prince said he couldn’t give it to him. Stuart gave him his tie, a card and said, ‘the next time you’re in Sydney give me a ring and I’ll show you a really good time over at the Cross’.

Q AQ A Q AYou once declared if your partner Lesley ever got a lower golf handicap you’d walk naked to Brisbane. She did but you didn’t? That’s only because I could not find a dog named Naked. What is wrong with Australian rugby? Do you believe it is in a rut at the moment? I’m Australian Schools Rugby Foundation chairman so I have to be careful. I know Brisbane and Sydney club rugby is strong. As for our Super sides we have one too many. So who do you drop to reduce Australia from five clubs to four? Rebels of the Force? Those two have legal issues and ramifications so I don’t know how you decide. A problem is we’ve been decimated by top players who are either on the verge of Wallabies selection or just finished. They go to Europe or Japan and other countries where there’s far more money. Do you think the authorities should be able to pick those playing overseas in Tests? Not really because that could lead to a situation where players forgo the Super stuff and go overseas for bigger money.

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