BRISBANE: Nick Champion de Crespigny is a well educated, well travelled bloke who just happens to have an eye-catching, aristocratic surname and a grandfather who is a world authority on ancient Chinese history.
And on the rugby pitch?
“He’s a psycho,” Fraser McReight said.
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Nick Champion de Crespigny of the Force remonstrates with Hurricanes players. Getty
McReight and Champion de Crespigny have suddenly been thrust together as Wallabies flankers for the team’s biggest match since the 2019 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
Canberra product Champion de Crespigny will be making his Test debut at 29.
He was a junior rowing star who represented Australia at youth level – and a more than solid player for Sydney University that was unable to make the breakthrough to Super Rugby.
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Nick Champion de Crespigny poses for a photo. Getty
Champion de Crespigny was happily snapped up by Castres – not Normandy, where his surname comes from – and developed into a hardened professional in France’s rugged Top 14.
His callup comes after an impressive debut season for the Western Force but there’s no need to sugarcoat it.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt lost Plan A at No.6 in the outstanding Rob Valetini (calf) and Plan B in Langi Gleeson (cork).
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The loss of Valetini is a massively painful blow and Wide World of Sports asked McReight how the team had reacted to the news.
“I think we just have full confidence in Nick and what he brings,” the classy No.7 responded.
“He’s a psycho, he loves contact and he’s ready to go. Obviously disappointed for Bobby, but again, super excited to play with Nick and obviously Carlo (Tizzano). It’ll be a cracker.”
Henry Pollock of the British & Irish Lions talks to Nick Champion de Crespigny. Getty
What exactly will Champion de Crespigny bring apart from an honours degree in economics?
“Physicality. He loves to whack and he loves that physical nature of the game, which is great,” McReight said.
“As a backrow companion, when you see someone lining up the attack with his defence… I haven’t yet played with him, so I see this at training, heard all the stories from the Force boys, so super excited to see it in person.”
McReight was also asked whether Champion de Crespigny was a “psycho” away from the field.
“Definitely on the pitch. Off the field, he’s a great man. Once he crosses that white line, he’s a different beast,” he clarified.
Wallabies halfback Jake Gordon sat next to McReight at Thursday’s team announcement in the Brisbane CBD, where red-clad Lions tourists are starting to take over.
Gordon goes way back with Champion de Crespigny at Sydney Uni.
“When I first met Nick, it was almost 10 years ago now,” Gordon said.
“He’s always had a really big engine for a big guy. He gets through a lot of work and a lot of the gritty work too. But also, like Fraser says, he has the ability to impose himself physically on the game.
“He spent some time away, obviously played at Sydney Uni for quite a few years and then was in and out with some of the Waratahs stuff.
“Went over and played Top 14 for Castres, actually almost won the Top 14 (reaching the final in 2022), so he’s a seasoned campaigner now and he’s played in some really big games. Like Fraser said, he’s a great guy off the field, but he’s very committed once he gets on the field.”
Lions coach Andy Farrell is working overtime to ward off complacency after young tyro Henry Pollock publicly voiced his ambition to sweep Australia 3-0.
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The Lions were already heavy favourites but their odds were further tightened after Valetini and Will Skelton were ruled out.
“You talk about Skelton and Valetini being out… they’ve been building for this for the last three or four weeks, so they’ll be ready to go, there’s no doubt about that,” Farrell said.
“We know the quality when it comes to their attacking threats, their athletic ability, the way they want to play the game from turnover ball and counter-attack.”
WALLABIES (15-1): Tom Wright, Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter, Tom Lynagh, Jake Gordon, Harry Wilson (c), Fraser McReight, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Jeremy Williams, Nick Frost, Allan Alaalatoa, Matt Faessler, James Slipper
Reserves: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway
LIONS (15-1): Hugo Keenan, Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, James Lowe, Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson-Park, Jack Conan, Tom Curry, Tadhg Beirne, Joe McCarthy, Maro Itoje (c), Tadgh Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Ellis Genge
Reserves: Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Bundee Aki
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