Dave Campbell, Editor Of Rugby News

Ian Henderson – 02/11/01

Dave Campbell began as the new editor of Rugby News in May, only the fourth person in the thirty four year history of the respected magazine to hold that post. Ian Henderson talks to him about his history in rugby, and rugby writing in New Zealand.

Jade Stadium is sold out. The air is filled with the tumultuous roar of a crowd expectant of a rugby match of high drama. This is Wellington against Canterbury, an NPC game, but the significance is much more than that – because this is a Ranfurly Shield game, considered the pinnacle of rugby in New Zealand. Wellington have been unashamedly honest about how they are viewing this match – to them, this is a shield match, and the possible points from an NPC victory are not as important as winning the shield.

Dave Campbell is watching the game at the media box in the Hadlee Stand. He is one of several rugby writers from publications around the country – a group that includes such well-known names as Bob Schumacher, Lindsay Knight, and Phil Gifford. The game unfolds, and it looks as if Wellington have the wood on Canterbury. Canterbury aren’t playing well. This season they’ve blitzed, among others, Otago and Bay of Plenty – old foe Wellington have them on the ropes.

Campbell enjoys this frenzied, enthusiastic atmosphere. The media box is light-hearted, he says, "most of the time. There is some parochialism, but most of the reporters manage to stay pretty objective. The TVs are going for replays, refreshment is provided. It’s a pretty social atmosphere."

Campbell is the editor of Rugby News, one of the country’s premier sports magazines – and highly respected for the intelligent and passionate way in which it covers New Zealand’s national obsession. Campbell is only the fourth editor in Rugby News’ 34 year history, and he’s also the youngest. A fact that doesn’t daunt him – much.

"It can be daunting at times, but it’s a position you become totally engrossed in, so you don’t really have a chance to think about that sort of thing. Within saying that, I’m well aware of the history of the magazine and what people expect."

Campbell was born in Dunedin in 1975, and moved around the country during his teenage years, ending up in Paraparaumu. He came south again for his university career, studying at the University of Canterbury, gaining honours in journalism. After finishing in 1998, Campbell began as a junior reporter for the now-defunct Sportstar, a Christchurch sports newspaper, then worked as editor-in-chief for Christchurch based Sports Update, producing the programmes for Super 12, All Black and NPC matches. He started at Rugby News in February 2001, first as a staff writer, then stepped up to the role of editor in May.

Campbell says he always wanted to be a sports journalist. Easy going, and with a wry sense of humour, Campbell is completely passionate about his rugby. As such, it was only natural for him to gravitate toward writing about it. “It was a dream for me as a youngster to become a sports journalist. A guy like Keith Quinn always seemed to have the most amazing job, travelling the world watching rugby.”

Unsurprisingly for a rugby fanatic, Campbell has done his time on muddy rugby fields, usually at number eight or blindside flanker, "though I moved into hooker in my ‘twilight’ years". He jokes that he is "currently unavailable for All Black selection due to a gammy shoulder". He played colts for Kapiti, and senior Bs for Peninsula in Dunedin. "I’ve played rugby since I was five years old, but I haven’t played in the last two years because of injury and work."

He believes that playing rugby helps him, now he makes his living writing about it. "It’s difficult to try and describe the intensity or nature of the game without having experienced it first hand. Within saying that, New Zealand is such a rugby-oriented country that there are plenty of people around who know a great deal about the game but have never played."

As is appropriate for someone from Dunedin, he says he is "very much a true blue and gold southern man, but you can’t really afford to be too parochial as editor of Rugby News. I don’t go into mourning when they [Otago] lose."

After the past few seasons, he is used to the All Blacks losing as well. "The last time I felt really miserable after an All Black loss was in London 1999 when they lost to France. Luckily, I found solace with other Kiwis at the Walkabout Pub in inner London later that night. I’m just happy to watch a quality game of rugby, regardless of which teams are playing."

Rugby News takes a significant slice of his time to put together, around 50-55 hours a week, which doesn’t include travel to the games. “I have to oversee everything that goes into the magazine.” Despite this intense workload, Campbell sees the job itself as the highlight of what he does: “Being involved with some very talented people and having the opportunity to travel to different places to watch rugby. And there is a lot of diversity involved in the job. We cover any kind of rugby, from juniors to the All Blacks, Southland to Northland, men’s rugby and women’s rugby.”

Sports writing, and rugby writing in particular, is competitive, he admits, but "New Zealand is a small country and all of the rugby writers know one another and are in pretty regular contact through being at the games". The journalists all know each other, and get on well. But, even so, he recognises the hierarchy of the writers. "There is quite an established order of senior rugby writers in New Zealand, and I would be one of the youngest."

Campbell believes that the high exposure that rugby receives in New Zealand "is to be expected. You just have to look at how many people read the newspaper from back to front, especially men, to realise how important sport is to New Zealanders."

Rugby is important to New Zealanders, a fact that is evident every time you open the sports section of a newspaper. But the professional age has brought many changes to the way the game is managed and played in New Zealand. The atmosphere in which everyday New Zealand men (and women) play their rugby is very different from the world of the All Blacks. Grassroots rugby, in country and city clubs, is (according to many critics) ignored by bigger unions with lots of money.

These concerns have been raised many times by many people, but none more eloquently and forcefully than by Clive Akers and Geoff Miller, the editors of the respected Rugby Almanack. Always trenchant and firm in their views, Akers and Miller believe there are grave problems with grassroots level rugby. In their editorial to the 2001 Almanack, they bemoan the fact that the dollar now dictates many players’ careers.

"Money now attracts talented players from school to school, from schools to provincial union academies, from one union to a richer union. Players leave school for a rugby career, do not become closely involved with any club and do not work a forty-hour week. How long before we see players retire from active rugby who have never experienced the culture of the clubrooms, of taking part in a club championship final, of voluntarily giving of time and knowledge, and unwilling to put something back at amateur level?"

It is a sentiment that Dave Campbell understands, and agrees with. But he also sees this as symptomatic of a professional age. "The dollar dictates, as it does in any professional sport. The bigger unions do have a responsibility to look after the minnows, especially those within their Super 12 catchment areas."

Campbell also suggests that people look at it from the players’ point of view. "Why [should they] continue playing second or third division rugby when, realistically, you’re not going to get a Super 12 contract unless you are playing first division rugby? We’re in an age where our rugby players are full-time professionals, and it’s up to them to maximise their potential in what is becoming a short playing life span."

More funds should be allocated to the second and third divisions, he says, to ensure they can survive, and also nurture their young players. Campbell also suggests compensation for the loss of players who go to bigger unions.

Grassroots rugby "is very real", he says. "But it could face extinction if the dollar continues to dominate." The absence of big name players turning out for their clubs “has had an adverse effect on the club scene”, although in recent years many All Blacks have returned to their roots – for instance, Andrew Mehrtens playing for High School Old Boys this year. "Grassroots is the heart of New Zealand rugby – it’s where all our players start their rugby careers, [and] where volunteers help make the game work at the club level. The game needs more exposure at club and school level."

But first, there are other important matters to consider – such as the new All Black coach. Campbell believes the recently appointed John Mitchell will bring the All Blacks a "hard edge" that they have been lacking in recent times. “He’s a firm believer in hard work and discipline, and he can get the best out of his players. Success has followed him basically everywhere he’s gone as a professional coach." Wayne Smith did not do anything wrong, he says, but "[he] could have been remembered in a different light, if not for three or four minutes here or there".

Journalists, of course, are told to strive for objectivity. Campbell recognises this, but admits "we both know that that’s an impossibility. There are always going to be certain players or teams that sports journalists favour. But as a rule, I don’t find it all that difficult to be objective with my rugby writing, as much as it hurts to slag off the All Blacks when the occasion calls for it.”

Running a major rugby publication, Campbell must liaise with the All Blacks and other major stars of New Zealand rugby. The relationship between the media and rugby players in New Zealand "is pretty good", although the professional age has also brought changes. "Access is sometimes restricted, and players are a lot more guarded about what they say. It could always be improved, but, as a rule, I’ve never really had too much of a problem getting in touch with players or management."

New Zealanders are lucky, he says, because of the close contact we have with our sport stars, compared to American sports or football in Europe, "where you can’t always just walk up to a player and have a chat or ask for an autograph".

If there is any downside of the job, it is exposure to what he refers to as "the Kiwi knocking machine". The public wrath that comes down upon the All Blacks when they lose is often incredibly hostile, especially on talk back radio. Again, the diplomatic Campbell can see, and understand, both sides of the criticism. "I think the New Zealand public are too harsh on the All Blacks, but they are paid, professional athletes, so when they perform like amateurs, the public have a right to moan and groan. But I think the recent events in America and Afghanistan have helped put things into perspective."

Campbell has plans to enlarge exactly what Rugby News covers, taking into consideration the international flavour of the game. "As the game grows, we need to look at increasing our coverage of all things rugby, especially as the game is being played in places like Kenya, China, Georgia, and other countries around the world." Rugby News, however, does have history and traditions. "It’s been going for over 30 years, and has a lot of very loyal readers. What they think about the magazine is very important as well."

Dave Campbell says he wants to "really make a go of things" at Rugby News. "I want to see the magazine grow and take shape over the next few years, and maximise the opportunities that come my way. The Rugby World Cup is here in 2003, and it will be a pretty exciting time for the magazine. We look forward to that with great anticipation."

Back at Jade Stadium, the game has come down to the wire in the most nerve-wracking way. The score is now Wellington 29, Canterbury 24, and literally in the dying sessions, Ben Blair hurtles over for a try, which he then coolly converts to put Canterbury in the lead 31-24. The Wellington team look shell-shocked, and their fans are just as dumbstruck as referee Steve Walsh whistles the end of a match that is already being called the match of the century.

With the clamour of the crowd still reverberating around the ground, Dave Campbell must speak with players and coaches from both teams, and then quickly write a report that will catch the events of the day and bring them to life for the thousands of people around New Zealand who read Rugby News each week. This has been a particularly exciting match, one of the best ever in New Zealand rugby’s history – but for someone with as much passion for the game as Dave Campbell, every game is an exciting game.