David Campese

Campese played in the third Test against France in Sydney, which was lost 19-28. However, this Test marked a milestone for Campese. He became just the second person, after Simon Poidevin, to play 50 Test matches of rugby for Australia. He also capped this Test with the 36th try in Test match rugby.

Rugby writer Peter Jenkins in Wallaby Gold writes that, "David Campese ensured he would start the series against New Zealand in his favoured fullback role when he scored two of Australia's three tries in a whitewash of the Pumas. Deputising in the No.15 jumper for the sixth time in 24 Tests, Campese's running from deep had Argentina running scared. His first try followed a tight-head scrum win, snaffled by hooker Tom Lawton in the 22nd minute. Farr-Jones and Lynagh combined, and Campese crossed out wide... And midway through the second half, Farr-Jones fired a pass to Papworth, Campese arrived at top pace and was over next to the posts."

In the 15th minute of the second half of the game, Campese received a cut-out pass on the left-wing while temporarily unmarked. He then produced a run where he beat about seven Barbarians players, that brought play to the Barbarian 22-metre line. After offloading the ball and keeping the play of the game going, Campese got to his feet and re-positioned himself in the first receiver position. After taking a pass from Nick Farr-Jones, he threw a long pass, cutting out his centres, to right-wing Acura Niuquila. Barbarian winger Rory Underwood made a cover defending tackle-attempt, and while Niuquila managed to shrug the tackle, the tackle slightly dislodged to ball, prompting Niuquila to "knock on the ball" just as he was about one metre from scoring a try. In Running Rugby Mark Ella described this famous moment in this match:

Throughout his rugby sevens career, Campese made 12 appearances at the Hong Kong Sevens (1983-1990, 1993–94, 97-98), during which he played in three victorious Australian campaigns ('83, '85 & '88), and winning the Leslie Williams Award for Player of the Tournament in 1988. On 16 March 2015 the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) announced Australia's David Campese as the fifth member of 'The Hong Kong Magnificent Seven', the HKRFU's commemorative campaign to recognise the seven most formative players to have played in the past 40 Years of Sevens in Hong Kong in 2015. Campese was honoured alongside of Jonah Lomu, Waisale Serevi, Eric Rush, Christian Cullen, Ben Gollings and Zhang Zhiqiang.

He is famous for his "goose-step" — a hitch-kick motion which left opponents stumbling to try to tackle him.

Campese also kicked three goals from five attempts in the Wallabies 26–10 win. Campese played in the following game against Hawke's Bay at Napier and, two matches later, was chosen for his first Test.

I did score a try, but not until two minutes from the end when we were trailing 23–12. So in the context of that particular match it had little relevance, but I would say it was of lasting value to Australian rugby in the years to come. That is because of the way it was scored. Mark Ella cross-kicked a long ball to me on the left wing. I gathered and touched down wide out. It was probably one of the early demonstrations of the partnership, the understanding between Mark and myself, which was to beat fruit on many, many occasions for Australia, Randwick and finally for Amatori in Milan.

Australian outside centre Gary Ella scored a try after Campese handled the ball twice in the movement. In On a Wing and a Prayer Campese writes that, "We led at 19–3 half-time, having plundered a gale-force wind in our favour in the first half at Athletic Park, Wellington. After two early Roger Gould penalty goals, I got through and found Mark Ella close by in support. Gould took it on, I backed him up and gave Gary Ella the scoring pass."

Australia led New Zealand 19–3 at halftime. The full-time score was 19–16.

...the Wallabies held their lead and, shortly before half-time, they appeared...to have extended it. Campese made a break and passed to Andrew Slack who, in turn, passed to Steve Williams who, supported by Michael Hawker, went over the line right at the posts – not realising that an instant earlier the Scottish referee Alan Hosie had ruled back that Campese's pass was forward and called the play back. It proved to be the turning point of the match. The try would have pushed Australia to an 18-6 lead. Instead, the deflated and aggrieved Wallabies seemed to lose their way.

To this day, Australians who were close to that bit of action insist it was not a forward pass, and they believe their view is supported by the replay. Steve Williams does not think a try would have been a certainty if the play hadn't been called back – there had been still a couple of defenders to beat – but he has no doubt the pass was legitimate. 'We watched the replay of it a few times,' he said, 'and I think even the All Black press the next day called it a flat pass.'

Simon Poidevin in For Love Not Money writes that, "At halftime we were leading 15–12 and it could have been 21–12 if a try equal in skill and drama to the Campese try at Wellington hadn't been disallowed for a forward pass." Bob Dwyer in The Winning Way asserts the disallowed try could have cost Australia the Test, writing that, "Towards the end of the first half Steve Williams went over the line at the end of a movement which had begun at the far end of the field, but the referee ruled there had been a forward pass three or four players earlier. That try, if converted, would have taken us to a lead of 18 to 6 and, I think, could have been the winning of the match.

This included a try and three successful goals kicked from five attempts in his debut match against Manawatu, two tries and a conversion (10 points) in the Wallabies's 11th tour game against Bay of Plenty (lost 16–40), and 13 points against North Auckland at Whangarei in the Wallabies final game prior to the third Test of the series (won 16–12), in which Campese scored two tries, a penalty and a conversion, before being named 'man of the match'. Campese was also deprived of a try in the Wallabies' 12th match on tour against Counties when Counties' player Alan Dawson, shoved Campese in the back and away from the ball before he could touch it down. A photograph of Dawson's shove is published in Bob Dwyer's autobiography The Winning Way, in which Dwyer asserts that Dawson "cost Campo the try and the Wallabies the match".

I still class that Australian backline as one of the finest I ever had against us when I was coaching the All Blacks. Our tactics were to get at Ella. Mark Ella was vital to the Wallabies and he was a thorn in our side. I found him a most difficult player to follow – I think sometimes even Mark didn't know what he was doing. He had this natural ability to prop and weave and kick off either foot and he could run the blind exceptionally well. He was the one you had to watch all the time. We put this pincer on him. We did bottle Ella in that Test and we left Michael Hawker getting bad ball from Ella and that's where we really did the damage, in that midfield, by slowing down Mark Ella and pinning Hawker, which didn't give Andrew Slack any chance to do much out at centre. Campese was nonexistent, really, in that game, because the ball wasn't getting to him. We did our job at nullifying them and it worked."

Australia sealed their victory with three minutes remaining. An England move broke down. Gould grabbed the ball and a long, long infield pass fell at Ella's toes. Ella stooped forward, plucked the ball off the turf without breaking stride and sent Campese on a characteristic diagonal run. Campese sprinted 40 metres and seemed set to score, but Underwood did well to block him out. It did not matter. Campese merely fed the ball inside to Simon Poidevin – backing up perfectly, and not for the last time on tour – who nonchalantly strolled over the English line.

...Australia squandered an opportunity to build on their lead. Campese sliced open the Irish defence and left Simon Poidevin and Burke with a classic two-to-one position. All Poidevin had to do was deliver the ball. He did so, after giving little hint that he wanted to beat MacNeill on his own. As he instinctively floated the pass... Burke had perpetrated a major crime – he had got ahead of the ball-carrier on the end of a scoring pass. He darted over the line and was inevitably recalled for a forward pass."

As Australian number 8 Steve Tuynman took the ball from the back of the scrum, he searched for Nick Farr-Jones, utilising the blind under Alan Jones' command. Farr-Jones occupied Campese opposite winger and passed the ball to him, allowing Campese to run along the left wing. At the start of his run, Campese ran past Butler, who was unable to make the defending tackle. But Campese's run was not over yet, he swerved past the Welsh fullback, and executed a wonderful sidestep to get past the Welsh inside center. Campese's sidestep led him toward a group of defenders, so he then offloaded to Simon Poidevin, who quickly passed the ball to Michael Lynagh who scored an easy try under the post. Australia won 28–9 in one of their greatest victories at the time.

Campese scored two tries in the Test against Scotland – the first tries Campese scored at Test level on the 1984 Tour to the United Kingdom.

There is a story behind that performance. Playing for the Barbarians that day was the Welsh international Robert Ackerman. Ackerman had played club rugby in Canberra not long before, and he and Campese had not got on too well personally. When Campese broke clear against the Barbarians, there was only one player between him and the tryline - Rob Ackerman. If Campese wanted to, I am sure he could have sprinted for the corner and scored the try. Instead, he ran straight at Ackerman. The Welshman obviously knew enough about Campese to realise it was useless to try and tackle him front-on. Instead, he did what I suggested earlier that any defender should do against Campese – he ran with him. It was then that Campese began to zigzag, forcing Ackerman to zigzag, too, looking over one shoulder after another to see which way Campese was heading. I was following about 20 metres behind and could not believe what was happening. I have no doubt that Campese turned it on to make a personal point with Ackerman. When the defence eventually closed in on him, Campese flicked a pass over his shoulder to Michael Hawker, who scored the try.

Philip Derriman in The Rise and Rise of Australian Rugby records that, "Australia scored two tries to one, and Campese scored one of them. He also made an error which allowed the New Zealanders in for their only try, prompting Alan Jones to joke that this was the Test 'where Campo scored two tries – one for us and one for them.'

– Alan Jones, 'The Bradman of Rugby Union', David Campese (1996), 33.

The Sunday Mail's Wayne Smith wrote that, "But in the space of the final five breathtaking minutes, the Lions pulled their tour out of the fire with two stunning tries – the first by fullback Gavin Hastings, the second by centre Jeremy Guscott.

– Bob Dwyer, 'Campese', The Winning Way (1992), 68, 70.

So although Gavin was kicking some goals, we were pegged right back. Michael Lynagh made a really good break and the Wallabies scored through Ian Williams; and it was still in the balance early in the second half when Rob Andrew dropped for goal but missed to the right. Campese took the ball near his own dead-ball line, and the whole world expected him to touch down, with only Ieuan Evans and Scott Hastings following up – 'Just being a dutiful dog,' Ieuan said afterwards.

My rugby in Italy was dragged into it and blamed – ridiculous! For one mistake? When I played alongside Slacky I thought he was a great guy, but I have to say that the scenario in which a former mate can take you to the cleaners in the papers just because he's joined the journos' ranks isn't the most appealing to me. I suspect it wouldn't appeal to a great many other players, either. I hope I never get myself into a position where I start publicly slagging off guys I just finished playing alongside. To me, there is something basically wrong with that.

By the second Test at Eden Park, Auckland, we had improved a lot. It was a Test match we could have won, rather than should have won. Had our wing from Randwick, John Flett, touched the ball down when he reached the New Zealand line, we could have made 20-17 with the kick to come – considering we had come back from the dead, we were on a roll. But John lost the ball over the line and our hopes disappeared with that lost, bouncing ball. The Blacks, typically, made good their fortune by getting down to the other end and scoring the points which made such they clinced not only the Test but also the series. Another series against New Zealand had gone west; we were plunged into the ultimate depression.

Meares and Howell documented Campese's first half performance against Argentina in Wallaby Legends by writing that, "Finally, a kick-through was fielded by Marty Roebuck. He counter-attacked, swerving out towards the left wing. He fed Campese – a step off the left foot, a step off the right and then a burst of blistering pace – he was through and over. Five minutes later and he was in again, this time chiming into the backline and scooting through a chink in the Pumas' defence.

Following the Test All Blacks coach Alex Wyllie remarked, "There's always Campo, and when you've got a player like that in your team you always know probably something is going to happen. He did it again – he just pulled that one out. An individual like that: one day he could probably blow it, but the other four days he could make it. It was just unfortunate he made it against us."

The first try he scored defies logic – as first receiver from a centre-field ruck he cuts left, across-field, leaving player after player grasping at thin air. The last defender is, ironically, John Kirwan, his predecessor as the best winger in the world. Somehow he conjures up a try in the corner – a try that the All Blacks know should never have been scored. Better is to come however, as Campese regathers a chip kick, beats one man, then draws two others, before popping a 'no-look' pass over his shoulder for Tim Horan to score – it is the try of the tournament.

Clem Thomas of The Observer wrote following the Test that, "it will always be remembered as Campese's match..." In 2013 former New Zealand rugby player Sean Fitzpatrick wrote that, "One man can never win a match on his own but he came as close to that as is possible with his display in the 1991 World Cup semi-final. We were beaten by half-time." British rugby writer Stephen Jones added, "If I had to put together the greatest rugby match I've ever seen I'd have the first half of Australia versus New Zealand in '91 in Dublin…"

Campese played in Australia's first pool match against South Africa in Cape Town. In Campo: Still Entertaining Campese reflected that, "I was not anywhere near my best and missed a crucial tackle on my opposite winger Pieter Hendriks, allowing him to score. We had been ahead 13-9 at the time, with Lynagh scoring the opening try of the tournament in the 32rd minute of the match. Five minutes later the Springboks had snatched the lead from us when Hendriks beat me on the outside, raised his fist in triumph, and scored in the left corner. We never led again."

This Test marked the first time Campese would oppose All Black winger Jonah Lomu. Former Australian fullback Matthew Burke recalls in Matthew Burke: A Football Life that: "Jonah was just devastating, the real killer among the game's ball-runners at the time. The only chance of stopping a man of his power is to take him low – and it was in that Test that David Campese chopped Lomu down with a bootlace tackle. It was a dead-set one in a million event. Other times, Lomu ran around or over his rival winger. But on this occasion Campo felled him first time, later making the point coolly that it wasn't so difficult to stop the big fella."

Campo in his prime – there wasn't a better finishing winger that I've seen. He just knew how to get over that try line. But also his support lines were a class above. The lines he ran, he put himself in such good support positions. That and his reading of the game was very rare. He also played a lot of sevens for Australia and for Randwick at the Melrose Sevens, so he had that in depth level of understanding of the game.

– Bob Dwyer, 'Campese', The Winning Way (1992), 71.

Former England backrower Mike Teague described Campese as "the best player I've ever seen." Former England centre Jeremy Guscott wrote that, "Campese is one of the most gifted players ever to pull on a pair of rugby boots. For pure talent and instinct he is up there with Gareth Edwards and Jonah Lomu – that is how much impact he had on the game." Former Wales winger, Ieuan Evans, who marked Campese during the 1989 British Lions tour to Australia, said of Campese that, "We played against each other five times on that tour and, to me, he was a rugby genius. The best player I had ever played against - a truly wonderful, wonderful player." Former Australian fullback Matt Burke called Campese, "The greatest Wallaby of them all".

In 2013 Australian sports magazine Inside Rugby named its four Australian Invincibles – a rugby union equivalent of rugby league's Immortals. David Campese was named alongside Col Windon, Ken Catchpole, and Mark Ella as the first Invincibles of Australian rugby.

Rugby writer Peter Jenkins records that, "Campese scored the first Wallaby try in the 12th minute [Note: It was the 6th minute], drifting off the blind wing into the five-eighth position to take the first pass from the ruck. He then angled across field to turn his archrival, John Kirwan, inside out before touching down. In the 35th minute he gathered a chip-kick from Lynagh, avoided one defender and drew two others before lobbing a basketball pass, without looking, over his right shoulder for centre Horan to score."

Campese, along with Wallaby captain Nick Farr-Jones, was then rested and selected on the bench for Australia's fourth match on tour, a 10-16 loss to South-West Division. Bolstered by the return of Michael Lynagh to the Australia national rugby union team, Campese regained selection for Australia's fifth provincial game against Midlands Division, in which he was instrumental in setting-up Brad Girvan for a try in the 60th minute: "The Wallabies were on the defensive until Campese cut his way upfield before unloading to winger James Grant, who passed back inside to Girvan." In the sixth match on tour against England Students, Campese scored two tries, kicked three conversions and two penalties, scoring 20 points in a 36-13 victory.

In an article published in 2007 by The Telegraph titled My 50 Top Rugby Players, former England rugby union captain Will Carling rated David Campese the third best rugby player of all time. "He was well ahead of his time. His anticipation and vision was way ahead of what everyone else was attempting, and 99 per cent of it came off," Carling wrote. "He took running lines no one else could fathom and made passes no one could see were on. He was an extraordinary talent – the best winger."

Campese was a member of the 1992 Bledisloe Cup winning Wallabies that defeated the All Blacks 2–1. During the 1992 Australia rugby union tour of South Africa he became the first rugby player to score 50 test tries against South Africa in Cape Town. He was a member of the 1994 Bledisloe Cup winning Wallabies that defeated the All Blacks in a one-off Test.During the 1996 Australia rugby union tour of Europe, Campese became the first Australian rugby union player, and second international player, to reach the milestone of playing 100 test. He retired from international test-match rugby at the end of tour, having played 101 tests and scored a then world-record 64 test tries. This record has since been overtaken by Daisuke Ohata (on 14 May 2006) and Bryan Habana.

In My Autobiography (2004) Scottish rugby commentator Bill McLaren paid tribute to Campese's semi-final performance by writing that:

- Bob Dwyer, Full Time: A Coach's Memoir (2004), 154-5.

Campese and Cornelson's record for four tries in an international Test was broken by Chris Latham during the 2003 Rugby World Cup, when Latham scored five tries against Namibia.

Years later in Wallaby Gold: The History of Australian Test Rugby (2003) Alan Jones contested the accusations of slander saying:

In Campo: Still Entertaining (2003), Campese wrote that, "Looking back now, as a long retied Wallaby, it does not bother me in the slightest that I didn't accept an offer to play rugby league.

In 2002, rugby commentator Bill McLaren named David Campese on the wing in his greatest ever World XV, citing him as his favourite player. He further nominated Campese the greatest rugby player he ever saw. "Every time David Campese got the ball people sat up and took notice, he took a risk and I love that," said McLaren. "He was so adventurous. Sometimes it didn't work, but he was always willing to try. Andy Irvine was similar, but Campese was the one. He carried the commentary along with the play." In the tribute book David Campese (1996) McLaren wrote that, "He and Mike Gibson of Ireland are the most complete footballers I have ever seen." In My Autobiography (2004) McLaren wrote: "As a commentator, I would rather cover Campese with the ball in his hands than any other player I have seen. His ability to light up the scene made it a sheer delight to report on him." He further called Campese "my own particular favourite from all my years of watching the game" and further stated that, "For me, 'Campo' was the greatest entertainer of the lot".

In 1998 Mark Ella replaced Jeff Miller as coach of the Australian Sevens Team. After New South Wales Waratahs coach Matt Williams explained to Campese that he wanted to use him as an 'impact' player coming off the bench more often during the 1998 Super 12 season, the ARU approached Campese about acting as an ambassador for the rugby union code trying to raise to game's profile throughout Australia. The ARU also wanted Campese to take a more active role in Rugby Sevens, participating in the IRB World Series Sevens circuit leading up to the 1998 Commonwealth Games to be held in Malaysia.

Prior to the 1998 Commonwealth Games the Australian Sevens team visited Israel for the "Holy Sevens", dubbed 'the holiest sevens tournament in the world.' Mark Ella later recalled that the Australian team visited Bethlehem "to see where Campo was born."

At the 1998 Commonwealth Games Australia finished on top of their pool, defeated England in the quarter-finals, but were defeated by Fiji in the semi-finals. New Zealand defeated Fiji in the final to win gold, Fiji received silver, and Australia defeated Samoa in the third-place match to win a bronze medal.

In 1997, Campese's rugby season involved Sevens representation and a trip to the World Cup in Hong Kong. In Campo: Still Entertaining, Campese criticised the Australian Rugby Union and the then Australian Super 12 franchises for not allowing Australia's best players to participate in the Hong Kong Sevens. Campese wrote that:

Campese was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1997. In 1999 Australia Post celebrated the centenary of Australian federation emitting 250 collectible stamps depicting the champ and autographed by the same Campese. He Received an Australian Sports Medal in 2000, a Centenary Medal in 2001, and was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2002. In 2007 Campese was honoured in the third set of inductees into the Australian Rugby Union Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2013.

In David Campese (1996) Gordon Bray wrote that: 'So distraught was he in a nightclub a few hours later, that he declared he was ready to retire from rugby. It was distressing to see such a gifted athlete and entertainer so despondent and agitated. The world's rugby enthusiasts can be grateful that Mark Ella consoled his teammate that night.'

In 1996 Bob Dwyer was replaced as coach of the Australian rugby union team by Greg Smith. In Campo: Still Entertaining Campese writes that, "It gave me some early hope of forcing my way back. I don't know for sure that Bob had written me off as a Test player. But judging by those closing months of the 1995 season, it would not have been too promising for me, I suspect, had he held on to the Wallaby post."

Campese played his first professional Test match for Australia in the first Test against Wales in 1996. In Campo: Still Entertaining, Campese recalls the first Test against Wales by writing that:

Campese was a member of the 11th Wallabies to tour the United Kingdom. The 1996 Australia rugby union tour in Europe was Campese's final rugby tour before his retirement from international Test rugby. While the tour contained Tests against Italy, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, Campese only played against Italy and Wales. The Australian team was heavily criticised for its performances. However, the tour remains the only time Australia had won every match on a tour to Europe that included provincial matches.

Australia's first Test of the 1996 Tour to Europe against Italy marked David Campese's 100th international Test. He became the second person, after French centre Philippe Sella, to achieve the milestone. The Test took place two days after Campese's 34th birthday in Padova, where Campese had played rugby in Italy for three years from 1984 to 1986. The Test took place close to his father's birthplace, Vicenza. In Campo: Still Entertaining Campese recalls that, "Unfortunately, they were not treated to vintage performances, by myself or the rest of the Wallabies. The Italians got stuck into us and, in some respects, we were lucky to get away with a 40-18 scoreline."

In a midweek match against Munster, Campese played what he later described as "one of my better performances for quite some time, scoring two tries, setting up another and perhaps defending like I'd never defended before." Following this performance, Campese was selected for Australia's final Test of the 1996 Australia rugby union tour.

Campese was recalled to the Australian side for their final Test of the 1996 European tour, his 101st Test and his final Test appearance playing for the Wallabies. Australian coach Greg Smith returned Jason Little to the outside centre position and situated Campese on the right wing while Joe Roff occupied the left wing. Australia led Wales 18-6 at halftime. In the second half Welsh outside centre Gareth Thomas scored a try after intercepting a pass from George Gregan. Following this Welsh flyhalf Jonathan Davies kicked two penalties to give Wales a 19-18 lead. Australia's Matt Burke landed a penalty to give Australia a 21-19 lead, before Australia scored a penalty try in the final moments of the Test to win 28-19.

Prior to the 1995 Rugby World Cup Australia played a two-Test series against Argentina which was won 2-0.

Campese scored two tries in the Wallabies' second Test against the Pumas in 1995. Following this Test Campese would go scoreless for his next six Tests, until a Test against Canada 14 months later.

Campese played in three Tests at the 1995 Rugby World Cup. England defeated Australia in the quarter-finals. Campese would later state in Campo: Still Entertaining that, "I know David Campese had an ordinary tournament."

Following the 1995 Rugby World Cup, Campese was dropped from the Australian team for their first Bledisloe Cup Test match against New Zealand in Auckland. Following an injury to Australian fullback Matthew Burke in the first Bledisloe Cup Test of 1995 in Auckland, the Australian selectors picked Rod Kafer to take Burke's place in the Australian team. Kafer then suffered a broken leg during a training session. Campese was then recalled to a training session with the Wallabies, with the information that if Matthew Burke proved his fitness, he would not play in the second Bledisloe Cup Test. Burke recovered from his injury to play in the second Bledisloe Cup Test. However, another injury to Australian centre Daniel Herbert led to Campese's selection on the bench in the second Bledisloe Cup Test of 1995. In Campo: Still Entertaining Campese wrote that "for some reason, I was meant to play that weekend against the All Blacks."

The second Bledisloe Cup Test of 1995 marked the first and only time in Campese's rugby career where he started a Test on the bench. Australian winger Damien Smith suffered an injury in the first half of the second Bledisloe Cup Test of 1995, allowing Campese to play his 92nd Test for Australia, coming off the bench as a substitute in the second half.

The match was played at Ballymore in Brisbane. I was on the wing and NSW teammate Alastair Murdoch was on the other for what would be his second and final Test in Wallaby colours. We won 56-25 with Alastair scoring a try and a young Joe Roff also grabbing one, from the outside centre position. Pat Howard was the five-eighth and three players made their debuts in the pack - flanker Owen Finegan, hooker Marco Caputo and prop Richard Harry. There were 10 changes to the side that had been beaten in the last Test of 1995 by the All Blacks. When I looked at that statistic, I took even more pride from my selection. Eleven months earlier I had been virtually washed up, and reliant on injury just to get a start on the reserves bench. Almost a year on, I was back in a revamped run-on side. There was a definite changing of the guard at the time. In the backline for that first Test, Tim Horan and I were the only real faces of experience. It was my 93rd Test and Horan's 39th. Next on the caps list was Matt Burke at fullback with 12.

Campese was a member of the Wallabies for a two-Test series against Italy during the 1994 Italy rugby union tour of Australia.

Campese continued to play for the Wallabies during the 1994 Samoa rugby union tour of Australia. Western Samoa had defeated Five Nations champions Wales earlier in 1994, and won their four provincial games leading into the game, including victories against the Queensland Reds (24-22) and the New South Wales Waratahs (21-18).

Campese regards his performance in Australia's 1994 Test against Western Samoa one of his four best performances for the Wallabies (along with the 1984 and 1988 Barbarian matches and the 1991 Rugby World Cup semi-final against New Zealand). Australia defeated Western Samoa 73-3, in which Campese scored a try. Campese scored the first try of the Test when, while about to be tackled into touch, he executed a chip kick, followed it through, and scooped the ball off the ground for one of his greatest tries. Peter Jenkins in Wallaby Gold would later report that, "Campese on the wing was dynamic..."

In 1994 Campese captained Australia for the Hong Kong Sevens, with Glen Ella acting as Australian coach. The team contained Tim Horan, Jason Little, David Wilson, Ilie Tabua, George Gregan and Ryan Constable. Australia easily won their round-robin stages on the first day, narrowly defeated Samoa in the quarter final, comprehensively defeated Fiji in the semi-final, before losing the final to New Zealand 22-10.

In For Love Not Money Simon Poidevin refuted claims Alan Jones had criticised Campese's performance in front of the Australian team. 'Tales of Jonsey screaming at Campese in the dressing-room immediately after the game for the poor way he played that afternoon was absolute nonsense,' Poidevin wrote. 'Nothing at all was said by anyone for nearly three-quarters of an hour, and the only noise I can recall was that of tough men openly sobbing from disappointment.' However, Poidevin's testimony is contradicted by an account reported by Nick Farr-Jones's biographer Peter FitzSimons in Nick Farr-Jones: The Authorised Biography (1993), which states that: "...the coach turned to the other players and said in a far more conciliatory tone, 'Anyway, don't worry, men. You played without a full-back today.'"

Campese commenced his 1993 Test season with the Wallabies, scoring two tries in their 52-14 victory over Tonga.

In 1993 Campese toured with the Wallabies for their 1993 Australia rugby union tour, which included a Test against Canada and two Tests against France.

Campese scored three tries in Australia's first Test of their 1993 Australia rugby union tour against Canada.

Scotland toured Australia in 1992 for a two-Test series.

On 15 August 1992 South Africa played a rugby Test against New Zealand (lost 24-27), which was their first Test at international level since the International Rugby Board (IRB) banned South Africa from playing international Test-level rugby due to apartheid boycotts. One week later on 22 August 1992 South Africa played the World Champion Wallabies.

In October/November 1992, Campese was a member of the 10th Wallabies for the 1992 Australia rugby union tour of Europe. Campese was frequently rested throughout the tour due to ongoing injury concerns. Campese missed most of Australia's provincial games. However, he played in both Tests on tour, against Ireland and Wales, and the traditional tour-closing game against the Barbarians. Campese was also the Wallabies top try-scorer on tour with four tries (despite only playing six games on tour).

Campese played in his final Test of 1992 in a 23-6 victory over Wales. Campese scored a try after gathering a kick-through by Australian outside-centre Jason Little and sprinting down the sideline for a try. In David Campese, British journalist Stephen Jones documented: "Campese scoring against Wales at Cardiff in 1992, sprinting down the right wing in front of the North Stand to finally kill off a brave Welsh performance with a try…" The Official Website for EBBW Vale RFC documents that, "Campese ended the game in dramatic fashion, scoring a try after a 60 yard run, his 52nd in a record Test total of 64."

In his first autobiography The Winning Way (1992) former Australian coach Bob Dwyer hailed Campese one of the five most accomplished Australian rugby players he had ever seen. Dwyer wrote that, "I would rate Campese first for pure individual brilliance." Dwyer called Campese a "heaven-made Rugby player" and further rated him "the best broken-field runner I have seen." In his second autobiography Full Time: A Coach's Memoir (2004) Dwyer wrote that, "For this biased judge, Campo will always be the prince of wingers." Dwyer later lauded Campese by saying, “There has never been a player in world rugby who has had a higher workrate as Campo".

Prior to Australia's first international Test of 1991 against Wales, Campese played for the New South Wales Waratahs in a 71-8 victory over the touring Welsh team, in which he scored five tries.

Campese then played in Australia's first Test of the 1991 season against Wales, which was won by Australia 63-6. Campese scored one try in the Test. He would later write that it was "...a Test that resembled a training run for the Wallabies."

Campese played for the Wallabies in a single Test against England during the 1991 England rugby union tour of Australia and Fiji. England toured Australia as reigning Five Nations champions, having also won the grand slam of rugby union that year.

Australia defeated New Zealand in the first Bledisloe Cup Test of 1991, 21 points to 12. It was Campese's 57th Test for the Wallabies.

Australia lost the second Test of the 1991 Bledisloe Cup series to New Zealand 6-3 in a tryless match. Andrew Slack in Noddy: The Authorised Biography of Michael Lynagh wrote that, "Slippery conditions, wind and a pedantic referee made this game of rugby look like slow-moving chess." Wallabies' flyhalf Michael Lynagh kicked one goal from seven attempts, while All Black flyhalf Grant Fox kicked two goals from five attempts. Andrew Slack recorded that, "...Australia was awarded a penalty with fifty-seven seconds of the match left... Lynagh was two metres outside the quarter line and eight metres in from touch. Success would level the scores at 6-all. With the win in Sydney behind them, a draw would be good enough to snare the cup." Slack further reported that: "On the other side of the field the indefatigable David Campese took time to chat with a radio commentator on the sideline. 'It's been a hell of a struggle,' he said. 'But if this goes over it will be all worthwhile.' As the ball left his boot, Lynagh was confident it was heading between the posts. But the breeze was being blown by the New Zealand god. It veered to the right and with it went the Bledisloe Cup."

David Campese once said, "I want to be remembered like Barry John in Wales. I want people to look back and say Campo did this, this and this." After the 1991 Rugby World Cup former Welsh rugby great Barry John said, "Like Pelé, he is associated with the very best and historic moments in sport; he has a special genius which shows an individual can still paint his own portrait and leave an indelible mark for all to treasure. The ingredients are all the same: stature, presence, personality, style and an immense belief in the God-given talents."

David Campese was named Player of the Tournament for the 1991 Rugby World Cup. He was the tournament's equal leading try scorer along with Jean-Baptiste Lafond with six. French rugby newspaper Midi-Olimpique named Campese number one in its World Rugby Top 10. Moreover, Campese was voted the 1991 Australian Society of Rugby Writers Player of the Year, winning the award by a record margin by scoring 64 points, 39 points more than John Eales in second place with 25. Jack Pollard wrote that, "it was the genius of David Campese that made Australia world champions." Sports writer Peter Jenkins documented that "...winger David Campese produced sustained brilliance at the World Cup to be hailed, indisputably, as the greatest player in the world... Former World Cup winning Australian flanker Simon Poidevin described Campese as "our undoubted star", praised him for playing "the best he'd ever played", and stated that "He undoubtedly was the leading light in the whole tournament". He further called him "the best attacking player in the world" and "definitely the star performer in the World Cup". Former Wallaby and author Peter FitzSimons has said that "in attack... he was without peer..." Former Australian coach Alan Jones wrote that, "His performance at the 1991 World Cup was phenomenal – without him and the incredible Michael Lynagh, Australia would have sunk without a trace. Now Campese knows that wherever the history of rugby union is written, the name Campese will be in bold print." Former Australian flyhalf Mark Ella wrote that the 1991 Rugby World Cup was "the tournament that clearly established him as the best in the world." Australia's 1991 World Cup-winning captain Nick Farr-Jones has stated that without Campese Australia might not have won the World Cup.

Australia started the 1991 Rugby World Cup with a pool match against Argentina, in which Campese scored two tries and created a third.

Rugby writers Peter Meares and Maxwell Howell gave an account of Australia's first 1991 World Cup pool match in Wallaby Legends, "The Pumas made a game of it for the first twenty minutes, rarely allowing the Wallabies any possession. Whatever scraps came Australia's way were booted downfield by Michael Lynagh... Campese hadn't touched the ball. The body language said it all. He stood, hands on hips, legs crossed, leaning against a goalpost." Campese later recalled that "...I took a breather at one stage by leaning against a goalpost. I remember being asked how I could do such a thing during an important game. It was no big deal. Argentina had already had a few scrums on our line, and they were intent on getting a pushover try."

Campese's performance in the 1991 Rugby World Cup semi-final has been described by former Australian coach Bob Dwyer as Campese's signature Test in his career. In an ABC documentary entitled The Rise and Rise of Australian Rugby Dwyer stated that, "I must say that throughout the 1991 World Cup, and this semi-final match in particular, Campo was a standout performer. We all know what a great player he was over such a long period of time, but I'm sure that his first-half performance that day has never been beaten."

Australia defeated New Zealand 16-6 in the 1991 Rugby World Cup semi-final, in which Campese was a decisive factor. Rugby writer Philip Derriman records that, "David Campese made two stunning interventions in the play which produced the only tries of the match and thus were responsible for Australia's 16-6 win."

In Running Rugby Mark Ella wrote of Campese's pass to Tim Horan that, "Campese's over-the-shoulder pass to Tim Horan in the World Cup semifinal against New Zealand in 1991 must be ranked as close to the ultimate of its type. I cannot think of another player in the world who could have managed it." A description of Campese's try is further illustrated in the same book, which states that:

Campese's famous over-the-shoulder pass to Tim Horan in the 1991 World Cup semi-final. Having beaten the New Zealand fullback, Campese succeeds in committing his opposite number, John Timu, by running straight at him, then steps in-field and draws the other two defenders. Having thus brilliantly succeeded in committing the only three All Blacks in a position to defend, Campese flicks a pass over his shoulder to Tim Horan, who now has the space to run around Timu.

Following England's 1991 Rugby World Cup semi-final victory over Scotland in a tryless Test, Campese led a media campaign designating England as a boring rugby team. Campese said that if he played for England, he would insist on playing the flyhalf position because it would be the only way he could touch the ball. Campese is quoted as saying, 'I wouldn't play for England even if you paid me' and 'Playing that sort of boring stuff is a good way to destroy the image of the game. They're all so scared of losing over here they won't try anything.' He further added that 'England would never beat us in the World Cup because they are a bunch of Toffs, and we are convicts.'

Australia won the 1991 World Cup Final by beating England 12-6. Campese did not have much "ball possession" in the final, as evidenced by the fact that Australian flyhalf Michael Lynagh only touched the ball 17 times in the Test, as opposed to English flyhalf Rob Andrew, who touched the ball 41 times. However, four moments involving David Campese are often recorded in reports of the final.

Australia scored their only try of the 1991 World Cup Final in the 26th minute. Campese's "chasing" played an indirect part in the lead-up to Australia's first try. Simon Poidevin recalls in For Love Not Money that, "He [Tim Horan] took a bomb near his own line, spun out of the defence and sprinted 60m before kicking ahead..." Bob Dwyer records that, "Tim Horan had chipped ahead in a marvellous counter-attack from his own 22, and Campese had chased the ball and forced a lineout in the corner." Australia scored moments later off a rolling maul. Dwyer noted that, "The key to the whole exercise was Horan's grubber kick. If it had gone into touch, England would have had the put-in."

Following the 1991 Rugby World Cup former Ireland flyhalf Tony Ward said that, "Although the finale is disappointing in terms of entertainment, there's no doubt in anyone's mind that Australia has been the best team and Campese is the outstanding player." Following the Test Australian captain Nick Farr-Jones said of Campese that, 'If it wasn't for Campo we would not have been here today.'

In Beware the Dog: Rugby's Hard Man Reveals All, former England hooker Brian Moore delivered the following postscript to the 1991 Rugby World Cup:

In My Game Your Game David Campese is reported saying that, "When I think back over my Test career, it seems most of my best performances have been outside Australia, such as the World Cup of 1991 in Britain, the Wallaby Tour of the UK in 1988, and the Grand Slam trip of 1984. There have been some good moments at home, such as the third Test against South Africa at the Sydney Football Stadium in 1993..."

Following Australia's victory over New Zealand in the 1991 Rugby World Cup semi-final, former Ireland flyhalf Tony Ward said of Campese that, "He is the Maradona, the Pelé of international rugby all rolled into one." He further added that, "You can't put a value on his importance to our game. He's a breath of fresh air and I think perhaps the greatest player of all time."

Slack defended himself as the author of Michael Lynagh's biography saying that, "Although accepting the blame, Campese reacted poorly to the criticism that followed... Sure, other players may not have performed at their best at some stages of the game, but one incident lost them the contest and that was Campese's error." Slack further criticised Campese for hypocrisy. Responding to criticisms that Campese made regarding Michael Lynagh for his performance in the first Test against France from 1990, Slack wrote that: 'It was somewhat ironic that in the same book, Campese indicated how disappointed he was that former team-mates could be critical of him in the press. 'I hope I never get myself into a position where I start publicly slagging off guys I have just finished playing alongside,' he wrote. The subtle difference must have been that Campese hadn't just finished playing with the men he was criticising.'

In 1990 Campese was dropped from an Australian Test side for the first time since his debut for the Wallabies in New Zealand on the 1982 tour. Campese was omitted because he did not return early enough from Italy and therefore Australian selectors could not assess his form in a club match.

In Campo: Still Entertaining Campese selected Blanco at fullback in his greatest international XV of all-time team, writing that, "In 1990 we played France in a three-Test series at home before a tour of New Zealand, and Serge scored one of the greatest international tries during the second game in Brisbane. He carried the ball about 80m for the score and never once looked like he was getting out of second gear. Because of that languid running style, Blanco was deceptively quick, as we found out that afternoon..."

Prior to Australia's 1990 three-Test tour to New Zealand, Australia played a one-off Test against the US, in which Campese played. The Test contains the only instance in Campese's career where he successfully completed a drop-goal. Campese also scored a try.

Campese played his 52nd Test for Australia in Australia's first Test against New Zealand in 1990, becoming the most capped Australian rugby player in history, surpassing Simon Poidevin's record of 51 Tests. Poidevin had made himself unavailable to play for Australia on Australia's 1990 tour to New Zealand. In On a Wing and a Prayer Campese recalls that:

Australia defeated New Zealand in the third Bledisloe Cup Test of 1990, ending New Zealand's undefeated streak of 50 games including 23 Tests. In On a Wing and a Prayer Campese writes that:

During 1990 Campese participated in the Melrose Sevens in Scotland playing for Randwick, after the Melrose Rugby Club accorded Campese's Randwick Rugby Club the singular honour of an invitation to its one hundredth Melrose Sevens. Twenty clubs took part, and Randwick were one of four guest teams including Racing Club of Paris, Harlequins and London Scottish from outside of Scotland. Randwick's squad of ten players were: Gavin Boneham, David Campese, Michael Cheika, Anthony Dwyer, Mark Ella, John Flett, John Maxwell (Captain / Coach), Acura Niuqila, Darren Phillips and Lloyd Walker. John Howard was the manager and Stuart Wheeler, the assistant manager.

To see David Campese in seven-a-side play was another delight. The abbreviated version seemed to be made for him. Of course it was invented near my home area of the Scottish border country at Melrose and there was massive interest in the appearance of David Campese in a Randwick squad who were special guests in 1990 at the 'Blue Riband' of the spring sevens series, the Melrose tournament. Came the day and the rain simply teemed down on a pitch that was treacherous to say the least. The local players rubbed their hands in gleeful anticipation. Here was the weather and ground conditions to which they were accustomed and in which they could revel. Such hazardous conditions would cut the famous Wallaby down to size. The Borderers would show the great man how it should be done. Some hope! He was the star of the show, the tournament's top try-scorer and points-scorer with 44 of Randwick's 92 points. Not only that but he was like a duck in water, completely at home, fizzing about in the 'glaur', the Border name for cloying mud, as to the manner born. He had been preparing himself for water sports having previously asked that his Melrose billet should have a swimming pool! He saved Randwick from semi-final defeat with a typical touch of Campese magic. Randwick were 15-12 in arrears to Melrose with time almost up when he received the ball at halfway and took off like an inebriated skater. Some metres short of the goal line he produced a dive that would have dome credit to an Olympic swimmer and slithered his way to a momentous try that took Randwick to the final in which they beat the renowned sevens artistes from Kelso who included the famous 'White Shark', John Jeffrey. David admitted afterwards that he was grateful for the rain and mud: 'I wouldn't have scored that try on a dry day because I would not have been able to aquaplane into the corner.'

The British Lions toured Australia for a three-Test series in 1989, which Australia lost 1-2. The series is perhaps best known for "Campo's Corner" - a mistake Campese made in the third and deciding Test in the series. Peter Jenkins in Wallaby Gold describes it thus:

Brian Moore further documented in his autobiography that: "I had been on the Lions tour in 1989 when Campese, though a brilliant attacking force, had demonstrated his dislike of fielding high kicks; particularly the possibility of also being caught by a pack of forwards only too happy to be given a chance to answer his fulsome criticism of them in their own way."

Finlay Calder, captain of the 1989 British & Irish Lions, in Behind the Lions, also argued that Campese's mistake didn't cost the Australia national rugby union team the series, asserting that:

Andrew Slack...was one critic who joined the bloodlust after the British Lions series in 1989. He said the 'spaghetti Rugby' in Italy was partly to blame for my performance. I found it very tough, having played with the guy for so many years and considered him a friend, to accept he was now writing this sort of stuff about me... I must admit I'm at the stage now where I've lost a lot of respect for Slacky after some of the things he has written. I don't understand how you can be a friend one minute and rip into your mate the next.

In response to the rush of criticisms aimed at Campese, Nick Farr-Jones, the then Australian captain, wrote a letter to The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper defending Campese on 19 July 1989 writing:

The harsh reaction to Campese's error did not subside. His brother Mario was attacked while leaving a Canberra nightclub shortly after the 1989 British Lions series. To protect Campese's frame of mind, his family concealed his brother's attacking for months to prevent him from becoming more emotionally upset.

I saw the World Cup as a great way to say thanks very much, I've had a lot of great memories, and out I go. So there was a bit of a revenge motive for me to get back at those people who only want to remember the bad things David Campese does. My mood was not helped when we got to a dinner at the start of the World Cup, and there, in the official publication for the tournament, was an advertisement for a music store. The full-page ad, for a range of Rugby videos, featured a photograph of me with a headline reading 'Watch him fumble whenever you want'. It went on to say 'Campo's cock-up against the Lions in 1989 is a moment all Brits will enjoy reliving'.

Campese played in the one-off Bledisloe Cup Test in 1989 between Australia and New Zealand. The Test, which Australia lost 12-24, contains a Campese try. Australia's eightman Steve Tuynman took the ball from the back of a scrum and passed the ball to Nick Farr-Jones. Farr-Jones passed the ball to Campese, who stepped around John Kirwan causing him to slip over. Campese then passed to Farr-Jones who had looped him. As Farr-Jones and Campese were running down the sideline, and with Farr-Jones about to be tackled into touch, Campese pointed forwards signalling Farr-Jones to kick the ball forwards. Farr-Jones executed a grubber kick. Campese and All Blacks inside centre John Schuster were engaged in a sprint towards the ball. As Schuster tried to dive on the ball, Campese was able to kick the ball forwards and fall upon it.

In late 1989, during the 1989 Australia rugby union tour, Australia played a two-Test series against France. The two-Test series marked what would be the start of five consecutive Tests that Australia would play against France from 1989 to 1990.

The 1989 Australia rugby union tour was the first major overseas tour that new Wallabies' centre Tim Horan would undertake with Campese. In Perfect Union, Horan's biographer detailed his first impressions touring with Campese:

Former Australian rugby union captain Nick Farr-Jones later described Australia's 1989 Test in Strasbourg as his favourite moment as an international rugby union player. Five Australian players made their Test debut: Jason Little, Brendon Nasser, Peter FitzSimons, Rod McCall, and Darren Junee (who played as a substitute). Australian hooker Phil Kearns, prop Tony Daly, and centre Tim Horan played their second Tests for Australia in that Test. The Test also marked the first time Austranian centre combination Tim Horan and Jason Little played in tandem with one another for Australia.

In 1989 Australia made it to the final of the Hong Kong Sevens, but were defeated in the final by New Zealand, 10-22.

Following the Wallabies' final match of the U.K. leg of their tour, Campese travelled to Italy where St Helens made more overtures towards him, which were declined. St Helens continued to contact Campese about playing rugby league when he returned to Australia, however he continued to reject their offers. On 15 July 1989, the night of the third Test between the Wallabies and the British Lions, St Helens made another offer to Campese. When he declined their proposal, St Helens offered him another £10,000 ($21,000), but for the last time he rejected their request to play of their club. "I suppose I was shocked that the interest from St Helens was still there after my performance that day," Campese wrote in On a Wing and a Prayer. "But perhaps they figured I would be an easy target after a game like that!"

In 1989 David Campese was selected in the Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook "Team of the Decade" at left-wing. The team was chosen by a panel consisting of former rugby players Gareth Edwards, Jean-Pierre Rives, Ian Robertson, and David Kirk. The Team of the Decade contained: Full-back: Serge Blanco (France); Right-wing: John Kirwan (New Zealand); Outside-centre: Danie Gerber (South Africa); Inside-centre: Philippe Sella (France); Left-wing: David Campese (Australia); Flyhalf: Hugo Porta (Argentina); Scrum-half: Dave Loveridge (New Zealand); Number eight: Morne du Plessis (South Africa); Flanker: Graham Mourie (c) (New Zealand); Flanker Michael Jones (New Zealand); Lock: Andy Haden (New Zealand); Lock: Steve Cutler (Australia); Tight-head prop: Graham Price (Wales); Hooker: Colin Deans (Scotland); Loose-head prop: Robert Paparemborde (France). The panel agreed that one selection was straightforward, that of David Campese on the left wing.

Campese returned to Test level rugby following his ankle injury in 1988 for the two-Test series against England.

Australia were easily beaten in the 1988 Bledisloe Cup. Campese marked All Black winger John Kirwan for all three Tests in the series. Kirwan scored four tries in the series. Campese later confessed that Kirwan's excellent performances against him affected his confidence, such that his mother sent him a poem titled Winners Take Chances. For the rest of his career, Campese would read that poem before every Test he played in.

In the first Test of the 1988 Bledisloe Cup New Zealand scored three tries in the opening 12 minutes of the match. In the opening minutes of the game, Australian fullback Andrew Leeds failed to catch a high kick, the ball fell to All Black prop Steve McDowell, who ran past Campese to score a try. John Kirwan scored his first try of the Test in the eighth minute by running past Campese, after All Black flyhalf Grant Fox called a double cut-out pass. Kirwan scored a second time in the 12th minute after an overlap had been created for him.

Australia lost the third and final 1988 Bledisloe Cup Test convincingly, 9-30. Late in the Test, Campese was moved to fullback to replace the injured Andrew Leeds. It was then that John Kirwan scored his fourth Test try of the series after a break from All Black openside flanker Michael Jones. Rugby journalist Spiro Zavos gives an account of Kirwan's try in Two Mighty Tribes:

Campese recovered from his disappointing 1988 Bledisloe Cup Series to enjoy one of his finest ever tours on the 1988 Australia rugby union tour of England, Scotland and Italy, as a member of the Ninth Wallabies to tour the United Kingdom. In My Game Your Game Campese wrote that, 'When I think back over my Test career, it seems most of my best performances have been outside Australia, such as the World Cup of 1991 in Britain, the Wallaby tour of the UK in 1988, and the Grand Slam trip in 1984.' Campese scored 15 tries on tour and achieved a personal total of 72 points.

I think in 1988 he was phenomenal. Maybe his best tour was '91 because... considering the standard of the opposition and the importance of the occasion. But in '88 he was freakish. For the first half of the tour when we weren't playing all that 'super well', he carried us. Now I've never known a situation where a winger carried a team, but he did. He carried us!

Campese played in a shock-loss to England at Twickenham in 1988. Shortly after half-time Campese scored Australia's second try of the game when he intercepted a Jonathan Webb pass to sprint 70 metres for a try. Jenkins writes that, "Australia scored three tries to England's four – including a 70-metre intercept effort from Campese..."

In Noddy: The Authorised Biography of Michael Lynagh, Andrew Slack wrote that, "The match against the Barbarians in Cardiff featured one of Campese's greatest-ever performances and the Welsh crowd afforded him the rare honour of a standing ovation as he left the field. The Australian players were similarly impressed and held back after the full-time whistle to allow Campese the chance to walk off first... In Campo: Still Entertaining Campese writes that Cardiff Arms Park is "Certainly the venue I have fondest memories of after a standing ovation the crowd there gave me in 1988. It was during a Barbarians match, and my attacking game was about as finely-tuned as it had ever been. I had made a couple of really good runs and, after setting up one try and scoring another, the crowd got to their feet and clapped me back to halfway. I'll never forget it."

David Campese displays his peerless skills on the wing against the Barbarians on the Australians' tour of the British Isles in 1988. Probably because the referee has got in the way, the halfback, Nick Farr-Jones, cuts out Michael Lynagh and passes to the inside-centre, Lloyd Walker who, in turn, throws a cut-out pass to Andrew Leeds. The ball reaches Campese so quickly that he is temporarily unmarked, although the Barbarians centres are running across to cover him. Campese beats both centres on the inside but soons runs into a congestion of Barbarian defenders and finds himself surrounded by now fewer than seven of them. Campese dummies and somehow manages to slice through a gap between them, then proceeds to step past another defender barring his way. Finally, Campese slips over while trying to step around another defender but still manages to keep the ball alive. His brilliant run has taken play from 15 metres inside his own half almost to the Barbarians' 22-metre line.

There was another ovation, just as deafening, at Cardiff Arms Park in 1988 at the climax of the traditional end-of-tour Barbarians match. David Campese capped an exhilarating Australian performance with a gem of a try when he glided outside Gavin Hastings, swept inside Matt Duncan then, with a feint off his right foot and one off his left foot, he left Jonathan Davies trailing in his wake before dotting down behind the posts. It was a masterpiece of deceptive running and it brought from the Cardiff Arms Park audience the most moving acknowledgment of sheer wizardry that I can ever remember. The ovation lasted for ages and I can remember my own reaction: 'Sheer Genius from the moment he received the ball. The great swashbuckler has rung down the curtain with the touch of a magician.'

Campese concluded the 1988 Australia rugby union tour of England, Scotland and Italy with three tries against Italy in Rome.

In 1988 Campese embarked on perhaps his most successful campaign at the Hong Kong Sevens, winning his third and final Hong Kong Sevens tournament with the Australian side, and being awarded the Leslie Williams Award for Player of the Tournament. Former Australian captain Andrew Slack, author of Noddy: The Authorised Biography of Michael Lynagh, wrote that:

Under the captaincy of Lynagh and with David Campese in vintage form, Australia beat New Zealand 13-12 in the final of the 1988 Hong Kong Sevens. When Lynagh received the silver symbol of sevens supremacy from Hong Long bank taipan Williams Purves, the Royal Hong Kong Police bank struck up 'Waltzing Matilda', but they might have stopped the drums and trumpets after a few bars. No one heard them anyway as all but the most rabid anti-Australians in the twenty-thousand-strong throng took up the singing. It was stirring stuff. In the Australian on 28 March Dwyer used the occasion to proclaim the start of a new era in Australian rugby.

The Australian Sevens team then toured Paris and won their first Sevens tournament in 10 years by defeating New Zealand in the final. This was Australia's first Sevens tournament victory since it won the Hong Kong Sevens in 1988, during which Campese won the Leslie Williams Award for Player of the Tournament.

During the Wallabies' 1988 Australia rugby union tour of England, Scotland and Italy, Campese was contacted by St Helens prior to Australia's 12th match on tour against Combined Services about playing for their club. St Helens had reportedly asked Michael O'Connor to recommend a player to join the club, and he nominated Campese. St Helens are reported to have offered Campese a deal between £300,000 and £350,000 (then estimated to be between $660,000AUD and $770,000AUD) over a three year period, dependent upon a few variables such as number of appearances. Campese rejected the deal within a few minutes.

In On a Wing and a Prayer Campese wrote that, "the first-ever World Cup, in 1987, was ultimately a disaster both for Australia and for me personally." Campese played throughout the entire 1987 World Cup impeded by injury. He writes that:

Campese missed a pre-World Cup Test match against South Korea in Brisbane on 17 May 1987 due to injury. However, he made a successful return to the Wallabies for their first World Cup pool match against England.

Campese has called the 1987 World Cup semi-final, played between Australia and France, the most memorable Test he ever played for Australia. In On a Wing and a Prayer he described it as "a great game of rugby, one of the very best in which I have ever played. Sensational things, like brilliant scores, started to happen in that game and we just carried on from there."

Campese continued his injury-impeded 1987 season by playing in the one-off Bledisloe Cup Test of 1987, a month after the 1987 Rugby World Cup. Campese played on the right wing, and did not oppose his archrival John Kirwan in this Test.

The final score of 19-19 was the only time the All Blacks did not win a game of rugby from 1987 until late 1990.

In 1987 Campese captained the Australian side for the first time at the Hong Kong Sevens with Alan Jones as coach. Australia faced Fiji in the semi-final, in which they fell behind 0-14 after five minutes, before going on to lose the game 8-14.

Campese scored two tries against Italy in Australia's first Test of the 1986 season, with what rugby writer Terry Smith in Path to Victory described as "probably his most complete display in Australia's colours." By scoring his 14th Test try, Campese equalled Australian winger Brendan Moon's record for most Test tries scored by an Australian player. By scoring his 15th Test try, Campese broke this record. He also became the third Australian to score 100 career Test match points.

Australia's won their second Test of 1986 against Five Nations champions France, 27-14. Campese was moved to fullback for the injured Roger Gould in a one-off game against France, scoring a try in the 26th minute."

Campese continued to play at fullback in Australia's 1986 two-Test home series against Argentina, substituting for the injured Australian fullback Roger Gould.

Campese was a member of the 1986 Australia Wallabies that defeated the New Zealand All Blacks in New Zealand. The 1986 Australia Wallabies became the second Australian rugby team to beat the New Zealand All Blacks in New Zealand in a rugby union Test series. They are one of six rugby union teams to win a rugby Test series in New Zealand, along with the 1937 South African Springboks, the 1949 Australian Wallabies, the 1971 British Lions, the 1994 French touring side, and the 2009 French touring team (who tied their series with the All Blacks 1-1 on Tests, but claimed the series as a whole on a greater aggregate of points, thus claiming the series trophy).

Campese played fullback in the first two Tests of the 1986 Test series versus New Zealand, before being moved to wing in the final Test.

Three moments involving David Campese are frequently recorded in reports of the first Test against New Zealand in 1986. Rugby journalist Terry Smith records in Path to Victory that:

Australia lost the second Bledisloe Cup Test of 1986 to New Zealand 12-13. Following the Test, claims were made that Australian coach Alan Jones made derogatory remarks about Campese's performance, after the fullback dropped a few 'high-kicks' in very wet conditions.

In 1986 Australia made it to the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Sevens, but were defeated by the French Barbarians 20-14, who went on to lose the final to New Zealand 32-12.

In May 1986 Campese played for the Australian sevens team at the Sport Aid Sevens tournament at Cardiff. Australia easily defeated Ireland before going on to lose to England after Glen Ella threw a pass that went over Campese's head and was intercepted by England for a try.

Australia commenced their 1985 Test season with a two-Test series against Canada, in which Campese did not play due to injury." Campese also did not play in the single Bledisloe Cup Test in 1985, lost 9-10 to New Zealand. In Path to Victory former Australian rugby player Mark Ella wrote that, "Without David Campese, our backs seemed to have forgotten how to score tries."

Campese returned to the Australian Test side later in 1985 for a two-Test series against Fiji. Australia won the first Test 52-28 and the second Test 31-9. In Path to Victory: Wallaby Power in the 1980s Mark Ella writes that, "Fiji's stand-out player is winger Senivalati Laulau, who can be devastating when he gets the ball. He looks ancient and probably is, but he's very fast and always gives David Campese a hard time. This says a lot for Laulau's ability."

In 1985 Campese won his second Hong Kong Sevens tournament – Australia's third tournament victory overall – in a 24-10 victory over Public School Wanderers.

In late 1985 Campese was embroiled in controversy when he, Glen Ella and Roger Gould decided to participate in a sevens tournament in South Africa. At the time, international sports people were asked to support opposition to South Africa's apartheid regime by boycotting tour there. Campese's move drew criticism from Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

Prior to the 1984 Bledisloe Cup Test Series, Australia played a Test against Fiji in Suva on 9 June 1984, in which Campese scored one try. Peter Jenkins writes that, "Forward power, one try through fullback David Campese, three penalty goals to Lynagh, and five-eighth Mark Ella chipping in with a drop goal, ensured a comfortable win. Sports journalist Bret Harris documents that Campese's try came from Mark Ella "looping around Lynagh to link with Slack, who sent Campese flying for the corner.".

David Campese was selected, along with Mark Ella, to share the goal-kicking responsibility for the first Test against New Zealand in 1984. Rugby writer Peter Jenkins records in Wallaby Gold: The History of Australian Test Rugby that, "Even wayward goal-kicking by winger Campese, who missed three attempts while Ella landed two from five, did not, on this occasion, prove crucial."

During the second Bledisloe Cup Test of 1984, Australia led New Zealand 12–0. However, All Black fullback Robbie Deans then kicked five penalty goals in a row to give New Zealand a 15–12 lead. Campese was involved in the fifth penalty of the match. Terry Smith in Path to Victory documented that, "The fifth [penalty] was the result of a horrific decision by England's Roger Quittenton... a referee who penalised David Campese for a head-high tackle as he attempted to wrap up Deans ball-and-all around the chest. Quittenton later admitted to Campese that he'd made a mistake, and added the incredible postscript that it hadn't affected the result." Campese was assigned goal-kicking duties in this Test, and kicked a penalty to bring the score to 15-all with eight minutes left in the Test. However, the All Blacks scored a try in the final stages of the match to win 19–15. Jack Pollard in Australian Rugby: The Game and its Players wrote that, "...a poor pass from Andrew Slack let New Zealand in for the winning try.

Bryce Rope, coach of the New Zealand side that toured Australia in 1984, is quoted by Terry Smith in Path to Victory saying that, "If David Campese had been given more opportunity out wide, there's no saying the damage he could have done.'

In 1984 Campese was a member of the Eighth Wallabies for the 1984 Australia rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland that won rugby's "grand slam", the first Australian side to defeat all four home sides, England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, on a tour.

Three moments involving Campese are frequently cited in reports on Australia's Test against Ireland in 1984.

Mark Ella receives the ball from a lineout against Ireland in 1984 and prepares to pass to Michael Lynagh. Lynagh shapes to pass it to the outside-centre Andrew Slack... but instead slips it to David Campese in a switch play... Note that Lynagh has run at the slanting angle across the field which a switch play requires... Campese accelerates through a gap which the Irish number 8 has allowed to open by not moving across quickly enough. This Australian move had an unhappy ending. Campese passed to Simon Poidevin, who, with only the Irish fullback to beat, threw a forward pass to Matt Burke running in support, aborting a certain try.

The Australian try which resulted from this move at Lansdowne Road in 1984 can be traced to the failure of Ireland's open-side flanker to move up on Mark Ella at five-eighth. Noticing this... Ella keeps running with the ball as far as the advantage line before passing to the inside-centre, Michael Lynagh. The Irish compound the previous error by leaving a gap for Lynagh to run through... which he proceeds to do... while an Irish defender, perhaps out of frustration, takes out the outside-centre Andrew Slack, who is merely running in support. When finally checked... Lynagh neatly unloads to Matt Burke, running in from the blind-side wing. Burke is tackled about 10 metres from the tryline yet manages to pass to David Campese... Finding his way blocked by two Irish defenders, Campese sees at once that he cannot beat them himself. Instead, he sets out to draw both of them and so allow Mark Ella, moving up behind him, a clear run for the line. He does this brilliantly by stepping in... and then out... When finally he passes to Ella, ever ready to follow in support... Ella is able to cross the line unopposed.

Alan Jones made sure we practised the basics, but he did not tell us how toplay. What he did do was make us believe we were the best in the world. As a tactician, one of Jones' strong points was his ability to spot opposition weaknesses. Before we played Wales in 1984, he suggested we play the blinds. He had noticed the Welsh No. 8 Eddie Butler, had not played for three weeks and he had a hunch he would not be fit. So the first chance I got I went down the blind side and from that we scored under the posts.

In the tribute book David Campese, Scottish rugby commentator Bill McLaren recalls Campese's try against Scotland, "So it was in Edinburgh, where in 1984 he had brought the Murrayfield crowd to its feet with a vintage performance culminating in a typically gorgeous try, that I caused him some embarrassment by thanking him for the vast pleasure he had given me in commentary at matches in which he had been involved." McLaren further wrote that: "The climax to Australia's Grand Slam success in the United Kingdom in 1984 took place at Murrayfield and I can still see him joining a counter-attack from his own '22', igniting Steve Tuynman, gathering in Tuynman's inside pass then taking off at such a rate of knots that John Beattie, a British Lion in New Zealand in 1983, just never looked like preventing him from scoring. The great man was accorded a massive ovation from the Murrayfield crowd."

After the Wallabies 1984 win against Wales at Cardiff Arms Park, Campese claimed Ackerman had buried his head in the dirt during the game, adding to a sense of tension between the two. This tension further increased between the two, as Ackerman bumped into David Campese, Michael Lynagh and then Australian coach, Alan Jones, as they were entering the Angel Hotel in Cardiff. Ackerman walked up to the Wallabies coach and said in the presence of the two Australian backs, after Australia had beaten Wales 28–9, "Congratulations, I didn't think your backs were too good today."

In particular, I shall never forget the Barbarians game at Cardiff Arms Park to end our Grand Slam tour of 1984. We weren't in such good shape – our discipline had surrendered to celebration after beating Scotland and we knew this was to be Europe's game of retribution against us. We seemed to be constantly counter-attacking to get out of trouble and then Campese struck. He made a break from within his own half, the defence came at him and he stepped left and right with remarkable speed. And in the twinkling of an eye, the try line was his. But he had one defender to beat, the Welsh centre Robert Ackerman. Ackerman, unfortunately, had criticised the Australian victory after our crushing victory in the Test against Wales and Campo didn't have the words to retaliate then. But he retaliated now, with his feet and hands. He turned Ackerman inside out, threatening to go past, then changing direction, offering himself to be tackled then accelerating away until the crowd erupted, first in disbelief, then in sheer amusement and joy at what they were seeing. One yard from the line, Campo passed to Michael Hawker, and I'm sure, to this day, the pass was forward, but the referee knew he had seen artistry of incomparable dimension at work and the only reward he could offer was a try, which he duly did. It's an image I'll always associate with Campese. It remains for me the metaphor of his career.

Following Campese's first Test performance, Alec Evans, the assistant coach of Australia's 1984 Grand Slam side, went public suggesting that Campese should be dropped from the Australian side.

Campese was capped for the 84th time of his international career in the first Test against Italy, which the Wallabies narrowly won 23-20. Rugby journalist Greg Growden documented that 'Australia were no world champions last night.'

In 1984, Campese returned to his second Hong Kong Sevens tournament with the Australian Sevens team, in a team containing captain-coach John Maxwell, Mark Ella, Glen Ella, Brendan Moon, Chris Roche and Michael Lynagh. Australia won their first match of the tournament against Kwang-Hwa, and faced Canada in the second game. Australia were eliminated by Canada from the Hong Kong Sevens in controversial circumstances. Andrew Slack documented in Noddy: The Authorised Biography of Michael Lynagh (1995) that:

At state level, Campese represented both the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales. In 1983, he scored two tries, four conversions, and a penalty goal, in an Australian Capital Territory victory over Argentina. In 1991, he scored five tries for New South Wales in a 71–8 victory over Wales. At club level, Campese played for the Queanbeyan Whites from 1979 until 1986, and Randwick from 1987 to 1999. He won three consecutive grand finals with the Queanbeyan Whites from 1981–3, and in the 1983 grand final he scored all of his team's points in a 29-12 victory, scoring four tries, two conversions and three penalty goals. He won eight grand finals with Randwick, including six consecutive victories from 1987–92, as well as triumphs in 1994 and 1996.

Campese was also a renowned rugby sevens player. He made 12 appearances at the Hong Kong Sevens (1983–1990, 1993–94, 1997–98), during which he played in three victorious Australian campaigns (1983, 1985 and 1988), and was awarded the Leslie Williams Award for Player of the Tournament in 1988. In 1990 he participated in the 100th Melrose Sevens tournament playing for the victorious Randwick rugby club, during which he scored 44 of Randwick's 92 points. In 1998 he captained Australia to its first rugby sevens tournament victory in ten years, winning the Paris Sevens. He captained the Australian rugby sevens team at the 1998 Commonwealth Games to a bronze medal. In 2015 the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) announced Campese as one of seven members of 'The Hong Kong Magnificent Sevens', the HKRFU's commemorative campaign to recognise the seven most formative players to have played in the past 40 Years of Sevens in Hong Kong in 2015.

Australia's first Test in 1983 was against the USA in Sydney, which was won 49-3. David Campese scored four tries in Australia's victory over the USA, equaling former Australian backrower Greg Cornelson's record for the most tries in a Test match for an Australian, which he set in the third Test against the All Blacks in 1978. Mark Ella biographer Bret Harris wrote that in this Test, "Campese emerged as the most exciting attacking player in the world..." In On a Wing and a Prayer Campese downplayed his achievement, writing that, "...I don't regard that as a great achievement; American rugby in those days was a long way removed from the New Zealand standard. The tries I had scored in the Tests against the All Blacks at Christchurch and Wellington the previous year made me infinitely more proud."

In 1983 Campese played three matches against the touring Argentina national rugby union team, including two Test matches. On 20 July 1983 Campese played at fullback for the ACT, scoring two tries, four conversions, and a penalty goal, in a 35-9 victory over the touring Argentinian side. The match was Argentina's second match on tour and the only loss they suffered in a provincial game on tour.

Campese's tries are a little like Don Bradman's centuries. Most were brilliant, but because there were so many of them they are not easy to single out. One Campese try which I do remember clearly was scored in the second Test against Argentina in 1983. Mark Ella picked up a loose ball in counter attack and passed it to Campese, who made a long run along the western touchline at the Sydney Cricket Ground, in front of the Members Pavilion. An Argentine defender had Campese well covered, but when he moved in to tackle him, Campese did his famous goose-step. The change of pace deceived the Argentine so comprehensively that he dived into touch, clutching thin air. The referee, the Welshman Clive Norling, was so impressed by this that he went up to Campese as soon as he had scored and told him it was the best try he had ever seen.

Campese played in the Wallabies' sole Bledisloe Cup Test of 1983 against the All Blacks, which was lost 18-8. Campese continued to substitute at full-back for the injured Roger Gould. Again, Australian coach Bob Dwyer recommended Randwick player Glen Ella for the full-back position in Gould's absence, but was overruled by his co-selectors.

Bret Harris, author of Ella, Ella, Ella, criticised Campese's positional play at full-back, and praised New Zealand's backs, in particular All Black centre Steve Pokere, for their tactical kicking. In My Game Your Game Campese defended his 'general play', but highlighted this Test as his 'first bitter experience' playing rugby union at Test match level: "My first bitter experience was in 1983, when we played the All Blacks at the Sydney Cricket Ground in a one-off Bledisloe Cup game. My general play was fine, but we had gone into the game without a recognised goal-kicker. Our regular fullback Roger Gould was injured and yours truly was given the job. None out of four was the end result and the All Blacks won the Test 18–8, despite Australia scoring two tries to one. The press had a great time with that one."

In 1983 the Australia rugby union team traveled to Europe for a Test against Italy and a two-Test series against France.

Australian fullback Roger Gould returned to the Australian team for Australia's 1983 Test series against France. However, due to an injury Gould sustained, Campese continued to perform the goal-kicking responsibilities for the Wallabies, following his goal-kicking performance against Italy. However, Campese played a diminished role in the games as Australia elected a less expansive style of play. Sports journalist Bret Harris records in Ella, Ella, Ella that:

Campese landed only one penalty goal in Australia's 15-6 loss to France in Paris on 19 November 1983. Bret Harris reports that, "France controlled 70 per cent of the ball and enjoyed a territorial advantage for most of the match."

In 1983 Campese made his debut for the Australian Sevens team at the Hong Kong Sevens, in a team containing Peter Faulk (manager), John Maxwell (captain-coach), Mark Ella, Glen Ella, Brendan Moon, Peter Lucas, Gary Pearce, Chris Roche and Qele Ratu. The tournament took place in what has been described as "some of the wettest conditions ever recorded in Hong Kong in March." Australia began by defeating Malaysia (44-0), Japan (42-0) and the Solomon Island (26-0). Australia then defeated Tonga 12-6 in the quarter-final, Western Samoa 16-0 in the semi-finals, and Fiji 14-4 in the final. Australia scored 192 points and conceded only 18 in its seven matches at the 1983 Hong Kong Sevens.

In 1983 the Parramatta Eels contacted Campese about playing rugby league for their club. Parramatta had won the premiership the last two consecutive years, and would win again in 1983. The side contained players such as Peter Sterling, Brett Kenny, Mick Cronin, Eric Grothe and Steve Ella. The club's chief executive Denis Fitzgerald contacted Campese and made him an offer, however he rejected the team's proposal.

Campese made his debut for the Wallabies on the 1982 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand, during which he scored one try in each of his first two tests. In 1983, he equalled the then Australian record for most tries in a test match, scoring four for Australia against the USA. He was a member of the Eighth Wallabies for the 1984 Australia rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland that won rugby union's "grand slam", the first Australian side to defeat all four home nations, England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, on a tour. He was a member of the Wallabies on the 1986 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand that beat the All Blacks 2–1, one of six international teams and second Australian team to win a test series in New Zealand. He was a member of the Wallabies for the 1987 Rugby World Cup, during which he broke the then world record for most tries scored by an international rugby player in the semi-final against France. During the 1988 Australia rugby union tour of England, Scotland and Italy, Campese received a standing ovation from the crowd and applause from his teammates after scoring a try for Australia against the Barbarians at Cardiff Arms Park. Campese was a member of the Wallabies that won the 1991 Rugby World Cup, during which he was the tournament's equal leading try scorer with six, and acclaimed 'player of the tournament'.

In 1982 the Scottish Test side toured Australia for a two-Test series. Prior to both Tests, David Campese was a standout performer at fullback playing for the Australian under 21s side.

I was at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1982 when this unknown Canberra teenage fullback was playing in what was regarded as something of a trial, a curtain raiser to a Test against a New Zealand Under 21 side, though rarely did anyone from such a trial graduate immediately to much else. People were wandering into the ground and those who were there gave little attention to what was happening on the paddock. But on this day, and not for the first time, a remarkably gifted and fleet of foot Canberra teenager swept into the backline, received the ball at the end of a pass, chip-kicked, accelerated, gathered and scored.

In the same tribute book, Sir Nicholas Shehadie pinpointed Campese's performance for the Australian Under-21 team as his "breakout performance" that announced him to the wider public: "David Campese first made the Australian rugby fraternity stand up and take notice when he played fullback...in an early fixture to an international at the Sydney Cricket Ground in July, 1982. He continuously brought the massive crowd to its feet with his unorthodox style and free running. From that day, David Campese stamped his mark on the game and within weeks he had been elevated to the Australian team."

In Running Rugby Mark Ella recalled Campese's performance for the Australian Under 21s against New Zealand, which occurred prior to Australia's second Test against Scotland in 1982:

Like a lot of other people, I first became aware that a promising young player named David Campese had arrived on the scene when he appeared in a curtain-raiser to a Test against Scotland at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1982. Campese was playing for the Australian under 21s against the New Zealand under 21s. I was a reserve that day for the Test, so I was in the dressing-room and did not watch the curtain-raiser myself, but I soon came to hear about it. Although Australia won the Test against Scotland handsomely, all the talk after the match was about the performance in the curtain-raiser by the fullback from Canberra. Everyone who watched Campese that day had been astonished by his ability.

On the night of Australia's second Test against Scotland in 1982, ten Australian rugby players announced that for personal and business reasons they would not be available for the 1982 Australian tour to New Zealand, including the Wallabies' premier winger Brendan Moon. Following this announcement, David Campese was selected for the 1982 Australia rugby union tour of New Zealand.

We knew we could have played better in that Test [the second Test]. The fact that we had got so close to the Blacks proved we were close to them in ability, and when it came to the third Test in Wellington, we had a sense of giving everything to salvage our reputation. New Zealand had not won a Test match against Australia in Wellington since 1982. Not so long ago, you might think, but let me tell you, that is a lifetime by New Zealand's standards. And what happened that day really angered me. We played as though our lives depended on it; we tackled them as though they were demons; we knocked them back and we kept at them, mercilessly hounding them when they had possession and flattening them in some shuddering tackles. Not surprisingly, it won us the Test, but immediately apparent was the question: why the hell hadn't we played like that in the first two Tests?

Shortly following Campese's international rugby debut on the 1982 Australian tour to New Zealand, several rugby league clubs made offers to him to switch rugby codes. The Canberra Raiders, Manly-Warringah, Canterbury Bulldogs, and the Gold Coast (when they first joined the league), are all reputed to have made offers to Campese to join their club.

In Path to Victory: Wallaby Power in the 1980s the Daily Mirror's Terry Smith writes that, "One very famous player was in danger of losing his Test spot in New Zealand until his team-mates urged Jones to retain him." Australian coach Alan Jones selected Campese on the wing for the final test instead of fullback. This Test marked the first time David Campese opposed All Black winger John Kirwan. Kirwan had missed the 1984 Bledisloe series due to injury. Campese had missed the 1985 Bledisloe Cup Test due to injury.

In Path to Victory: Wallaby Power in the 1980s Mark Ella wrote: "It was good to see David Campese get that last try because by now he had no confidence at all. He was absolutely shot to pieces. It doesn't really matter in what position Campo plays as long as he sees the ball. It could be wing or it could be fullback. Nobody's going to argue he shouldn't be in the side. The main thing is to build up his confidence, and this can't be done if Campo is just going to chase all day and not see the ball."

In The Winning Way former Australian coach Bob Dwyer writes that, "They exposed our vulnerability, mentally, to the kind of bully-boy tactics they employed... there was a mental attitude prevailing in the Australian team in the late 1980s which made Australia a soft target for any team which sets out to unsettle it with foul play."

David Campese played his first game of rugby union for the Queanbeyan Whites in 1979 in fourth grade. During 1980 he was promoted to first grade. After two years of first-grade rugby, in 1981 Campese was promoted to the Australian under-21 squad to tour New Zealand that was beaten 37–7. Shortly after, Campese was selected in a 'trial match' prior to the 1981–82 Australia rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland, but did not achieve national selection.

Peter Jenkins in Wallaby Gold: The History of Australian Test Rugby writes that, "A try to Campese sealed one of the greatest Wallaby wins." In Nick Farr-Jones former Wallaby and author Peter FitzSimons writes that, "With seven minutes to go in the game [Note: Campese's try was in the 79th minute], Farr-Jones took the ball from a quick ruck, darted away, and threw Campese a fifteen-metre pass, which set him up to run twenty metres to score, and put the Wallabies thirteen points ahead with five minutes to go. The match was sealed with the final score of Australia 22, New Zealand 9, and in the jubilations of it all Farr-Jones picked Campese up in the in-goal and put him over his shoulders."

Campese attended his local public school and high school and played rugby league from the ages of eight to sixteen for the Queanbeyan Blues. At age 16 he gave up all forms of rugby to play golf. In 1978 he won the ACT-Monaro Schoolboys golf title.

...a Korean referee who didn't speak English was in charge of their second match with Canada. Several injuries, combined with language difficulties, meant Australia played a man short for the last few minutes of the game, and the always-enthusiastic Canadians held the tournament favourites to a 12-all draw. With nothing in the rules to clarify the situation, the winner was decided on the flip of a coin. Ever since an ugly incident in the very first tournament in 1976, the Hong Kong spectators have loved to hate Australia, so it was a hushed crowd that greeted Maxwell and Canadian skipper Jim Donaldson, as they strode to the halfway line to toss. When Donaldson called correctly, the tournament favourites had been ousted and both the crowd and the Canadian team went berserk.

The Wallabies set a scoring record for an Australian rugby union tour of New Zealand by scoring 316 points in 14 matches, including 47 tries. This surpassed the achievement of the 1972 Australian team, which scored 229 in 13 matches. Australian sportswriter Jack Pollard documented that Campese "scored eight tries in nine games, kicked four goals and two penalties for a total of 48 points."

The loss was the then heaviest defeat the All Blacks had achieved against the Wallabies since the third Test of 1972 in Auckland, won by New Zealand 38-3.

Campese was involved in the biggest controversy of the World Cup Final in the 69th minute. English flanker Peter Winterbottom attempted a pass to Campese's opposing winger Rory Underwood, who at that stage "may have had an overlap," when Campese knocked the ball forward. The referee ruled it a deliberate knock-on and awarded England a penalty." The English hooker, Brian Moore, thought the referee should have awarded a penalty try. Moore was reported after the Test to have said, "[Campese] sets himself up as the saviour of rugby. Yet when it comes down to it he's as cynical as anyone. I wouldn't criticise Campese except he called me mad as a hatter earlier this week." Moore writes in Beware of the Dog: Rugby's Hard Man Reveals All that, 'I have no issue with what Campese did; I would have done the same, and he got away with it. The point I make about what he did is that, as he has been shown to be as cynical as the rest of us, I don't now want to hear lectures from him about the spirit of the game.'

Campese scored his 64th and final international Test try in Australia's 74-9 defeat of Canada. It was Campese's first Test try in 14 months.

We went down the blindside, Nick Farr-Jones got the ball, gave it to Lloyd Walker and he gave it to Michael Cook. Cookie threw it to me, and along the way, I remember running wide to beat Gavin Hastings, then stepping off my left foot because I saw Jonathan Davies coming across in cover. I went back off my right foot to pass him and eventually scored under the posts. As I headed back to halfway, the other boys in the team started clapping. I think Michael Cook had started it all, and I joined in because I thought it had been great work by all the team.... The crowd were on their feet, and a lot was made of that later. They said it was the first standing ovation accorded a foreign player since the Arms Park sang 'He's a jolly good fellow' to the former All Black captain Wilson Whineray back in 1963.

David Ian Campese, AM (born 21 October 1962), also known as Campo, is a former Australian rugby union player, who was capped by the Wallabies 101 times, and played 85 tests at wing and 16 tests at fullback.

David Campese was born on 21 October 1962, in Queanbeyan, New South Wales to Gianantonio and Joan Campese. His older brother Mario was born in 1959. Campese has two sisters, Lisa and Corrina. Lisa was born in 1964 and Corrina was born in 1965. In 1966 his family moved back to Montecchio Precalcino in northern Italy for eighteen months before moving back to Australia and settling in Queanbeyan, New South Wales.

Jack Pollard in Australian Rugby: The Game and its Players documented that: "David Campese got his 59th Test try because of a lucky decision with South African referee Ian Rogers clearly erred in ruling that Campese grounded the ball before he was pushed over the sideline. Campese again played a lot as a second fullback, thrilling Melbourne fans with the length of many of his linekicks. Australia won 20-7 in heavy rain."

Campese scored his second try in the 44th minute of the match after some interplay between Australia's backrow and backs from the back of a scrum. From the back of a scrum, Nick Farr-Jones passed the ball to Tim Horan, while Australia's eightman Tim Gavin and Farr-Jones both looped Horan. Gavin received a pass from Horan and passed the ball to Farr-Jones, who occupied Campese's opposing winger, and passed the ball to an unmarked Campese, who scored the try.

Campo really left a huge imprint on that semi-final. In the sixth minute he scored the most exhilerating [sic?] solo try of the tournament, and later created an even better team try, to show he was the best attacking player in the world and definitely the star performer in the World Cup. The memory of Campo angling across field and bomboozling Mark Carter, Sean Fitzpatrick and John Kirwan will remain forever. This was then topped in the 34th minute by his incredible one-handed pickup from a clever Lynagh kick, a wiggle to offset John Timu and then an inspired flick over his right shoulder to the brilliant Horan to give us a decisive edge.

Following Australia's 32-13 victory over Scotland, Campese was rested for the Wallabies 12th game on tour against the Combined Services.

Campese scored his first try in the 29th minute of the Test when Australian captain and scrum-half Nick Farr-Jones executed a "box kick" that exposed England's outside backs following a "22 drop-out." Campese out-sprinted his opposite winger Chris Oti, received a favourable bounce to regather the ball, and scored the try near the corner flag.

Campese scored his world record 25th Test try six minutes into the second half of the semi-final, surpassing Scotland winger Ian Smith's 54-year-old record for most international Test tries. In Blindsided Michael Lynagh documented how Campese scored his world-record try. "My dummy to wrong-foot Franck Mesnel and a step inside Philippe Sella [Note: It was Pierre Berbizier] set up a break deep inside French territory," Lynagh wrote. "As he usually did, Campo showed up at the end of the move to score in the corner after Peter Grigg popped the ball inside to him."

France won the second Test played in Lille 25 to 19. Campese played his 48th Test in this match.

Playing at fullback, Campese scored his 24th Test try in Australia's World Cup pool match against Japan, equaling the then world record for tries with Ian Smith of Scotland (1924–33).

In Wallaby Gold: The History of Australian Test Rugby rugby writer Peter Jenkins documents that, "...individually, there had been some impressive moments. Winger Campese, criticised the week before by Jones for indifferent defence, received after this game a one-word endorsement from the coach: 'Fantastic.' Campese scored a try, his 23rd, just one short of the world record, and produced an inspired flick pass for halfback Brian Smith to cross.

Campese played in Australia's ninth match on tour against South of Scotland. The Sydney Morning Herald rugby writer Greg Growden reported that, "Australia fully deserved to be 23-0 ahead at halftime after well-crafted tries by Niuqila, Gourley and David Campese, who left the field in the 30th minute with a slight groin strain." Campese was then rested for the 10th match on tour against North and Midlands of Scotland with Australian team management electing a side composed almost entirely of players who didn't play in Australia's victory over South of Scotland.

Campese was assigned the goal-kicking duties against Italy. Peter Jenkins in Wallaby Gold: The History of Australian Test Rugby writes that the Test "also marked a goal-kicking return of sorts for winger Campese, who celebrated his 21st birthday the previous night. He managed to land three conversions and a penalty after coach Dwyer had suggested he was on the kicking high-wire. 'If David starts well, he'll kick well all day,' Dwyer offered on Test eve. 'But conversely, if he starts badly, then that's the end of him.'"