Where Should Matt Giteau Play For The Wallabies?
Columnist By Spiro Zavos, 27 Feb 2007 Spiro Zavos is a Roar Expert
Matt Giteau’s pathetic attempt at a drop goal right on time against the Lions at Perth revealed, once again, that he is not a natural first five-eighth. This position really requires a player to be able to read the game several phases in advance. Giteau is an instinctive player. He is at his best when he just makes his plays. He decided he wanted to go for a drop goal to win the game for the Western Force. But he did not think through the possibility of waiting for a better opportunity. A more natural, thinking five-eighths would have organised more hit-ups to penetrate the Lions 22. And then drop-kicked an easy goal, like Jonny Wilkinson in the 2003 World Cup final. Instead Giteau fired away from a long way out and his drop goal fell to earth well short like a shot duck.
Halfback is the obvious position to Giteau for the Wallabies and the position he will make his own, presumably, when George Gregan retires after the 2007 World Cup tournament.
I’ve been told by one of the great coaches that Giteau is the nearest equivalent Australian rugby has to Tim Horan as a world class inside centre. My only objection to this assertion (which has merit) is that he is rather small for a position where he might have to mark monsters like Ma’a Nonu or Luke Macallister who is over 100kgs, and fast with this weight.
My predecessor as the Sydney Morning Herald’s rugby columnist, the great Evan Whitton, insists that Giteau’s best position is outside centre. He suggests the old South African-type of centre combination of a hard man at inside centre (Stirling Mortlock) and a runner at outside centre (Giteau) would work well for the Wallabies.
I also believe that Giteau could play brilliantly on the wing, in the David Campese manner of coming in at first receiver inside the opponent’s 22. He could also play this roving role at fullback.
In summary, then: Giteau is a freakish talent who can play any position in the backline up to test standard. His worst position is first five-eighths. His best positions are halfback and inside centre.
Where John Connolly plays him will tell us a great deal about the type of game the Wallaby coach wants to take into the 2007 World Cup tournament.
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March 16th 2007 @ 9:29pm
MADDO said | March 16th 2007 @ 9:29pm | Report comment
Having played halfback for a couple of years I think the skills Giteau posses are way above Gregans. If Giteau does not play half-back he should be fly-half with Henjak at half-back
March 17th 2007 @ 9:41pm
Paul said | March 17th 2007 @ 9:41pm | Report comment
I think he should play at o/c, 13. He has pace, vision, defence and additional atack options in the era of the modern game. Inside his pace, turn of speed and other attributes are wasted. Also, he is a little lighter than most opponents so at the one on one he is second ensuring ball remains with carrier.
March 18th 2007 @ 5:47pm
Maddo said | March 18th 2007 @ 5:47pm | Report comment
He has to much vision to be wasting at outside he should be connceting thr fowards and the backs or leading the backs not having people tell him what to do
March 19th 2007 @ 2:03am
Derek Murray said | March 19th 2007 @ 2:03am | Report comment
Alright Spiro, I’ll bite. What does what position Giteau plays tell us about how the Wallabies will play? Serious question. The way you made the comment indicated it was obvious but if there is an obvious answer I’m missing it. Frankly, I really liked the idea of Cross at 12 (assuming Mortlock the first choice 13). With Cross’ speed and line-breaking ability we can afford to play old Bernie at 10 and leave Giteau at 9. He has more impact on a game than most 9′s and his defence is less exposed there.
March 19th 2007 @ 12:24pm
spiro said | March 19th 2007 @ 12:24pm | Report comment
There’s a lot of talk about Ryan Cross at inside centre but he hasn’t done much, in my view, to justify the overly-generous talk about his play. I suspect the fine hand of his manager John Fordham behind some of the talk. I don’t see why the Wallabies don’t play Scott Staniforth at inside centre, Mortlock (if he is available) or Clyde Rathbone, a natural centre, and Stehpen Larkham at first-five and Matt Giteau at halfback. Playing instead of George Gregan at halfback, which is what the selectors will do I suspect, will mean that the Wallabies will play the narrow, kicking game that John Connolly likes and which failed for the Wallabies last year.
March 19th 2007 @ 5:52pm
Maddo said | March 19th 2007 @ 5:52pm | Report comment
I can see were your’e coming from but a part of me wants Mortlock to be injured so we can have Gits-Beale/Bernie-Staniforth-Cross-Mitchell-Rathbourne-Shepard