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Campese: Players lack skill

Cape Town - Former Wallaby wing David Campese believes most current rugby players wouldn't have made the grade in his era as they lack skill.

According the Planet Rugby website, Campese feels the skill level of the modern player is far inferior to that of his generation.

The 49-year-old Campese played 101 Tests between 1982 and 1996, scoring 64 tries.

"In reality, I think more than half of today's players wouldn't have cut it in my era. 

"Sure, the players today are faster and stronger, but they're no way near as skilful.

"Think about the great teams I played with. We played like a team. And we played because we enjoyed it.

"These days, players don't know how to play as part of a team. All they think about is themselves.

"So to all you critics who think that the modern players have it over players from my era, let me tell you this: Players from my generation would have run rings around them."

Campese says in his era players were taught to play the situation, rather than follow strict orders from coaches.

"We didn't need to watch a video to know what to do because players made the decisions back then.

"Coaches gave us the plan and we carried it out. If we didn't, we would get dropped.

"Back then, half-time breaks were often spent on the field itself, without the coach around.

"These days, the water runners are all over the park, running out directions for the team to follow.

"I know of a Super Rugby coach who used to sit on top of the grandstand and display coloured lights for players to know what to do," said Campese, referring to when Rassie Erasmus coached the Cheetahs and sat on top of the grandstand at the Free State Stadium.
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