Matt Giteau of Australia, right, is tackled during the rugby union international match between England and Australia at Twickenham stadium, London, England, Saturday Nov. 15, 2008. AP Photo/Matt Dunham
Magical Mark Ella was the inspiration 25 years ago and now Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is backing Matt Giteau as The Man to lead Australia’s improbable quest for a grand slam sweep of the UK and Ireland.
A quarter of century after Ella famously bagged a try in successive Test wins over England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, it is another master five-eighth who the Wallabies are leaning on to steer them to grand slam glory in the British Isles.
After controversially overlooking Giteau for the spring tour vice-captaincy, Deans has promoted the classy No.10 to be Rocky Elsom’s deputy in the absence of injured centre Berrick Barnes.
And the elevation paid immediate dividends for Deans, with Giteau bouncing back after a mixed Tri Nations campaign to turn in the eye-catching display the Wallabies coach was looking for in Australia’s pre-tour Bledisloe Cup battle with the New Zealand on Saturday.
“Personally, I thought Matt had an outstanding game last weekend (in Australia’s 32-19 loss to New Zealand in Tokyo),” Deans said ahead of the Wallabies’s Twickenham showdown with England on Saturday.
“If he maintains that, he’ll enjoy his footy enormously and so will his mates.”
Giteau admits the added prestige surrounding this year’s spring tour was rammed home to the Wallabies last month at a special dinner where they met some of Australia’s legendary 1984 grand slammers, including Ella, Nick Farr-Jones and Andrew Slack.
“It was great to talk to them,” Giteau said.
“Obviously the tradition and history behind that grand slam is still around and a lot of the current players are still quite proud of what was achieved in ’84.
“But, for this group, we’d be silly to look at four games and look too far ahead.
“The biggest thing for us is to focus on that cliche of week-to-week football. It really is true. You can’t look past England at this point, so that’s all we’re focusing on.”
The entertaining Ella typified the spirit of running rugby, all four of his tries on the ’84 tour equally spectacular – and now Giteau is approaching the game in the same free-spirited manner in the hope of inspiring Australia’s class of 2009.
“The biggest thing for me is the enjoyment – to obviously enjoy my football and hopefully that will reflect in the way I’m playing,” Giteau said.
“Then hopefully if I’m playing my best football, that’s all I can ask and hopefully that will help the team.
“If everyone’s playing their best football, then hopefully we’ll get the results we’re after.”
Even in defeat, the superstar flyhalf was back to his brilliant best against New Zealand, constantly threatening the All Blacks defence with probing runs to the line.
“I’d worked quite hard throughout that mini pre-season on my running game and getting more involved rather than just distributing all the time,” Giteau said.
“I feel that’s when I’m playing my best football – when I’m running. So it was something I was conscious of.
“But also there are opportunities where you’ve just got to pass the ball and that’s your role. I’m comfortable with that also.”
Giteau is shouldering even more responsibility than ever following the loss of Barnes, who had been set to share the Wallabies’s midfield playmaking duties before suffering a tour-ending ankle injury.
He’s aware of the extra responsibility he’s carrying but coach Deans is tipping his backline general to deliver in Australia’s hour of need.
“The way we were training before Berrick got injured was great,” Giteau said.
“We had a good combination. I felt we were training the best we ever had. So, from that point of view, it’s very disappointing not to have a guy like Berrick here … it’s a huge loss for the team.”
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