Former captains urge the Wallabies: Don’t die wondering

AS the Wallabies stand on the edge of history, Australia’s two World Cup-winning captains have backed Stephen Moore and his troops by urging: “Don’t die wondering.”

Nick Farr-Jones and John Eales both lifted the William Webb Ellis Cup for Australia, in 1991 and 1999 respectively, and know what it takes to claim rugby’s greatest prize.

Asked for the single piece of advice he’d give the Wallabies on the eve their World Cup final against New Zealand, Farr-Jones declared: “Enjoy rugby’s biggest stage, you’ve earned the right. Don’t die wondering. I am certain you won’t.”

Eales, who played in both the 1991 and 1999 sides, said the key for success for the 2015 Wallabies in the biggest game of their lives was to take energy from the huge occasion but not shift away from what got them to the decider.

“You are in the final for a reason, because of the way you have played for the last six weeks. Stick with it. Trust yourself. Trust each other,” Eales said.

“The most important thing is get a balance between what’s normal and what’s new. Get through your usual routines, but at the same time soak up and use the occasion. You want to immerse yourself in occasion. It is a great day and a great occasion. But don’t get carried away and go away from what you normally do.”

The winner of the World Cup final will make history as the only country to have held aloft the William Webb Ellis Cup three times.

The All Blacks can become the first side to win back-toback World Cups, and are heavy favourites to do so.

The Wallabies were presented their match jerseys by George Gregan yesterday and he instructed them to be prepared to go into the darkest place of their footballing lives if they want to be champions.

“The winning team will have an unshaking belief in the way they want to play, and an understanding it is going to take beyond 80 minutes – possibly 100 minutes – to be crowned world champions. If you are not prepared to do it, then don’t put the jersey on and don’t go on the field,” Gregan wrote in his column.

Two-time World Cup winner Tim Horan also said the Wallabies must back themselves, and continually seek to push themselves when they feel they have nothing left.

“If something goes wrong, that’s OK. We will just go again,” Horan also wrote.

“It is about saying “what else can I do?” Do something extra. Get up off the ground and make a second-effort. Help the guy next to you.”