Sir Don fails to inspire US

By CHRIS RATTUE

Bowral is wasted on most of the American rugby side.

The town famous for being the first home of Sir Don Bradman is the last home for this United States team, who meet the French in their final pool game at Wollongong tonight.

For the majority of the players, it is just another dot on the Australian landscape, a three-and-a-half hour bus journey from the last dot which was Newcastle.

Only some, such as first five-eighths Mike Hercus who was raised in Australia, understand the significance of Bowral.

Bradman was the "boy from Bowral", and it is the place where his ashes were taken two years ago.

Bowral is an hour's drive from booked-out Wollongong, leaving the Americans a touch bemused by their IRB-supplied itinerary rather than fascinated by the Bradman name. Newcastle is 60km from Gosford, where they beat Japan on Monday, and now they have been plonked in Bowral without even setting foot in Sydney.

Their presence in this former dairy farming stronghold, which for many years was a cool hideaway for the Sydney elite in the summer, has hardly raised a ripple.

The town is used to sporting guests, including hosting a state cricket match for the first time last weekend at the Bradman Oval.

The Americans' arrival rated a tiny mention in the local paper, which splashed a veterans golf tournament over the back sports page instead.

To walk the vacant streets near the Bradman Oval and Museum is eerie. The emptiness takes you back in time, and makes you wonder at the inspirations a young Bradman found.

The museum, as good as it is, quickly gets you back in the present. As well as preserving the Bradman legacy, you can buy preserves. Yes, there are Bradman jams and sauces to purchase, that's if your finances have not been knocked for six on Bradman golf balls, pencil cases (emblazoned with his 99.94 test average), key rings, pens, rulers, drink bottles, mugs, apparel and the Bradman one-day teddy bear.

The Americans might also be amused by the list of "the 10 sporting greats" of the 20th century on whom the museum runs film segments. A little Ozzie bias helped come up with Bradman, Carl Lewis, Dawn Fraser, Muhammad Ali, Rod Laver, Jack Nicklaus, Pele, Nadia Comaneci, Michael Jordan and, my gods, John Eales. And no Babe Ruth, Mark Spitz or even Tiger Woods.

Captain David Hodges, a friendly but solemn individual who plays for Llanelli, was even unaware of Bradman. "If I see a cricket match in the UK I tend to flick the channel," says Hodges. "I remember seeing a doco about the greatest cricketer but I didn't remember his name was Don."

If Bradman's name doesn't ring bells with the visitors, they have hardly knocked loudly on the door of this little town of 6000. Few American sports teams would attract less fanfare.

This is a world championship where nations who struggle to run a chequebook in terms of trade and commerce can zip zap all over the planet's gold-card holder.

In tonight's case, the rugby will seem like friendly fire compared with what is happening in the halls of power. America and France have become bitter political enemies, although this antipathy apparently will not seep on to the field.

America's fast-talking coach Tom Billups says: "This group of hard-charging Americans are athletes. The World Cup deserves to be free of any politics."

While France will rest top players, the Americans will field their best to "honour" their jersey.

France should still win with ease and Hodges acknowledges it has become tougher to keep pace in the professional era.

"You can see over the years that the growing pains of professionalism have paid off," says the 35-year-old forward. "We've left no stone unturned but fallen a bit short at this World Cup. But I think we'll get there next time."

Billups adds: "Minnows is a dirty word in our camp. But [most of] the players are still doing it the old-fashioned way, going to club training Tuesday and Thursday night, telling the wife or partner they'll be home in a month. That story isn't covered by the word minnow."

America and France have a turbulent rugby history to match the current state of their political relationship. An American team of college players beat the European champions France in the 1924 Olympic final in Paris (rugby's last Olympic appearance - the only other entrant was Romania). A glorious French Olympic opening was ruined, and the Americans needed rescuing from the crowd.

These Americans, who have lost to struggling Fijian and Scottish teams, will need rescuing of a different sort tonight against a French side that have cracked the 50-point barrier in each of their three wins.

Bradman may mean little to the Americans, but the term losing by a cricket score might.

Full World Cup coverage