Spirit willing but body is not - Campo
THE man who goose-stepped his way into Hong Kong hearts 11 years ago waved a final goodbye to the Sevens with a wish that it continues to bring the rugby world together.
But for Australian David Campese, returning to the stage where he has been able to express himself without limitations is not as alluring as playing the game itself.
In a post-final interview, Campese praised the concept of the Hong Kong Sevens and hoped that it would one day receive the recognition it deserved by the people who have shrugged it off as a ''fun event''.
''I remember three years ago when I wasn't playing, I was just walking around the stadium. It was so frustrating not being able to play,'' said Campese, who was greeted by the usual boos and just a hint of applause from the crowd whenever his name was mentioned on the public address.
''I think it would be difficult to come to the tournament and not play. I couldn't just sit and watch. The best thing is not to come back at all.
''But this is definitely my last year. You can't retire too many times. You start to realise that as you get older it is more and more difficult to get over injuries. Also at the Canberra Sevens last week, I realised it was time to stop when there was a player in my team who was 14 years younger than me.'' Campese also took a sideswipe at England, the only major rugby-playing nation who have yet to send a national team to the Sevens in the tournament's 19-year history.
''I think there are people who need to realise how significant this tournament is to players,'' he added.
''They say that it is a fun event. Of course, it is a fun event but people are serious when they want to win. I don't know why England don't send a team. This year they were only represented by the President's Seven.'' At 31, Campese could not reproduce the magic of 1983 when he skipped majestically on a pitch that resembled a rice paddy to lead Australia to victory.
He picked up two more victories, in 1985 and 1988, when he was named the tournament's Best and Fairest Player.
But a fairytale ending to his Hong Kong story was not to be. And with Australia having failed to reach the final since 1989, it was the best he could have hoped for.
''It's disappointing to lose in the final, but it could have been different,'' he said. ''We were down but we came back. That's one thing about the Wallabies, we never give up.
''We could have easily looked at it as a lost cause but we came back fighting.'' Of the booing, Campese shrugged it off. But one thing that veterans of the Hong Kong Sevens cannot deny is the joy he has brought to the people who enjoy the game.
He has been a staunch supporter of the Sevens and the presence of players like Campese in Hong Kong is what makes the tournament the best of its kind.
Said a local journalist one year to an overseas pressman who mocked the tournament's prestige: ''Campese says it's the best tournament in the world . . . that's good enough for me.''