BACKin 2001 when the Wallabies followed their second World Cup success by coming from behind to beat Martin Johnson’s Lions, the ARU claimed that Union had overtaken League on pure playing numbers. The figures have been shrinking ever since and not only on the field.
The aggregate attendance at their first three home internationals of their season would barely have filled Twickenham.
After Scotland had turned the Wallabies over in Sydney, the fans gave them a still colder shoulder with barely 20,000 turning up for the Italy match in Brisbane.
The Springboks endured the s...