Champion de Crespigny: Sounds like an aristocrat, plays like a gladiator
It's hard to skim past uncapped flanker Nick Champion de Crespigny's name on the Western Force team sheet. One of six of Joe Schmidt's Wallabies to be released for Saturday's fixture against the British and Irish Lions, he is known for his abrasive approach. 'A gun' is the frequently heard Australian term used to describe him.Watching on will be his grandfather - Professor Rafe de Crespigny, who at 86 remains an internationally recognised historian on ancient Chinese history. However, Normandy in France is where the name originates and it was the country of his ancestors which shaped Champion de Crespigny - playing in front of nearly 80,000 in the Top14 final against eventual champions Montpellier in 2022 before returning to Australia.
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