Who will be the next great Wallaby fly-half?
Roar Guru
By Rickety Knees, 9 Feb 2010 Rickety Knees is a Roar Guru
Australia's Stephen Larkham is tackled during the All Blacks v Australia tri nations rugby match at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday July 21, 2007. New Zealand 26 bt Australia 12. AAP Images
Every Rugby World Cup winning rugby team has a world-class general playing at 10. In the past, the Wallabies have been blessed with Michael Lynagh and, of course, Stephen Larkham.
Since the departure of Stephen Larkham, the Wallabies have had mixed success on the field, which has reflected the mixed form of Matt Giteau – one day great, the next day, not so great.
To date, Giteau has not made the Wallaby No 10 position his own.
The 2010 Super 14 season promises to be fascinating. Berrick Barnes has moved to the Waratahs and will take over at No 10. Quade Cooper, with his court adjournment, will play 10 for the Reds.
Giteau is No 10 at the Brumbies, and now with season ending injury to Andre Pretorius, will we see James O’Connor move into the No 10 role for the Western Force?
So who, barring injury, will be the Wallaby 10 come June this year?
Will it be Barnes – who brings a solid all round game with great catching, passing, kicking skills coupled with a great defence?
Or will it be the all-round unpredictable but risky skills of Cooper.
Then, of course, Giteau will be looking to combine his talents in attack and defence which are more easily plied in the Super 14. Or, finally, will it be O’Conner that stands tall and delivers on his potential.
Robbie Deans must be sitting back salivating at the prospect of Barnes Vs Cooper Vs Giteau Vs O’Connor. I cannot remember when Australia had four quality No 10s competing for the Wallaby General’s position.
But who will it be?
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Frank O'Keeffe said | February 9th 2010 @ 2:21am | Report comment
Despite flashes of occasional brilliance Giteau just isn’t a great flyhalf. See what Mark Ella thinks of him – http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/give-giteau-another-run-at-halfback/story-e6frg7q6-1225790626558
Barnes should be five-eighth, and the revelation that Giteau will probably play at 10 for the Brumbies is disappointing, because with Barnes at 10 for the Tahs you would expect that Deans would play Giteau at 12 and Barnes at 10. I just hope Barnes can stay injury free as he seems as injury prone as Stephen Larkham.
I know this is arrogant to say, but I really thought the Wallabies would have won the 2008 if Barnes had have stayed healthy. It screwed things up royally in the Brisbane Test on which the 2008 tri nations was decided. Barnes, at his best, is Australia’s best back. He’s an old head on young shoulders.
Could he ever be as good as Lawton Sr, Hawthorne, McLean, Ella, Lynagh, or Larkham? Who knows?
Who Needs Melon said | February 9th 2010 @ 5:19am | Report comment
C’mon! Barnes is MUCH more injury prone than Larkham was, isn’t he?
I agree Barnes is the best of the current crop but let me see him run around in the position as a specialist for at least a season before I burden him ‘the next great’ tag.
AussieFAN said | April 20th 2010 @ 9:59am | Report comment
Sorry Frank but i’l have to disagree with ur first point abt Giteau nt bein great. I find it hard to believe that because since mid year of 2008 he has been rated the best flyhalf in the world…and even now he is rated no 1 above new zealands glory boy Carter. My point is for two years he has held the title of best number 10 and still going. If thats not great i really dont know what u want him to do.
oh and also he is a *flyhalf* and last year was the worlds international leading try scorer -extremely rare- and we only won 1 match in the try nations. Australia has a crap game, loses and Giteau stands out game after game…honestli Frank, if that aint great…then what do you want.
To answer the question of next fly half, Giteau aint going nower bud
Justin said | April 20th 2010 @ 10:22am | Report comment
Above NZ glory boy Carter?
ROFLMAO!
pothale said | February 9th 2010 @ 3:50am | Report comment
Danny Cipriani, obviously, after his glittering start with the Rebels who go on to win the S15 in their premier season.
Pajovic said | February 9th 2010 @ 5:27am | Report comment
ha ha ha!
Rickety Knees said | February 9th 2010 @ 7:38am | Report comment
G’day Pots – Cipriani won’t be at the Rebels – McQueen is looking for good clubmen not show ponies.
Wavell Wakefield said | February 9th 2010 @ 7:44am | Report comment
What on earth do you know about Cipriani, RK? What on earth do you know about his committment to Wasps or English rugby?
Bay35Pablo said | February 9th 2010 @ 7:48am | Report comment
WW, read the following:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/cipriani-on-the-loose/story-e6frg7mf-1225827298089
Then talk.
Wavell Wakefield said | February 9th 2010 @ 7:52am | Report comment
Talk about what? Who do you think you’re quizzing? I’m not an Australian who has seen Cipriani play once or twice, and read some bland ‘journalism’ from the local press. I’m an Englishman who has watched the majority of his games and who has a personal insight into his career. I mean… what exactly is your point?
Justin said | February 9th 2010 @ 8:12am | Report comment
Well with your “personal insight” do you care to tell us something about him we havent read? Give us the real story about him…
mushi said | February 9th 2010 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
Oh well if you’re an englishman then clearly you are far more insghtful and intelligent.
Can ye tell us ow it werks guv? Our tiny convic noggins just won get it
Bay35Pablo said | February 9th 2010 @ 3:52pm | Report comment
WW, my point is that this is the press in Oz, which is informing RK’s comment. You are unlikely to know this since you live in the NH, whereas as soon as I saw RK’s comment, I knew where he was coming from, being informed by that article.
I also knew you knee kerk reaction was made clearly without knowing that.
katzilla said | February 9th 2010 @ 3:53am | Report comment
Who will be the NEXT great Wallaby fly half?
No doubt hes playing school boy rugby in NZ somewhere.
Pajovic said | February 9th 2010 @ 5:27am | Report comment
But dying to leave………….
Daniel J said | February 9th 2010 @ 6:27pm | Report comment
That was awesome
sheek said | February 9th 2010 @ 6:46am | Report comment
I agree with Frank – Berrick Barnes looks to have the goods.
But getting back to Katzilla’s comment – yeah, probably some kiwi raised kid of Pacific Islands background, with an unpronounceable surname….. !
Sam Taulelei said | February 9th 2010 @ 7:08am | Report comment
” I cannot remember when Australia had four quality No 10s competing for the Wallaby General’s position.”
Well you’ve never had four Super rugby sides before and the previous interstate series only involved NSW and QLD and then ACT.
However I think you’re being a bit premature with your judgement of quality no.10′s. Barnes and Giteau are the only quality 10s with any experience. O’Connor is far too raw and an instinctive attacking player with questionable defence to guide a team around the field and control a game. Cooper is the same and very inconsistent. I’d prefer to see someone like Matt Toomua (there you go Katzilla) playing 10 for the Brumbies with Giteau outside him as a guiding voice.
formeropenside said | February 9th 2010 @ 7:23am | Report comment
NSW have not had a quality 10 since Mark Ella – and now they have had to poach a Queenslander to fix their 25 year problem. Its enough to make you laugh, if not cry. Toomua, Barnes, O’Connor…all lost Queenslanders.
DingoBob said | February 9th 2010 @ 11:20am | Report comment
I have to agree Sam I think that would be the best combination. Puttng Gitaeau a bit wider seemed to work during the last tour when he played outside Barnes. As long as Matt Toomua can handle his part of the kicking game as well.
Short-Blind. said | February 9th 2010 @ 7:25am | Report comment
Kat – Aaron Cruden’s replacement at AB 10 has just moved out from Apia, Nandi or Nuku’alofa….glass houses please….
Seriously, the word great is being flicked about a little loosely here. Lynagh and Larkham played at a high level for years at 10 to achieve such status. Giteau has been a great international 12 but never a great 10 (too inconsistent) and never will be (esp with Deans now seeing him as a 12). Agree with Frank and Sheek, Barnes looks like our best 10 but the word great cannot be used until he cements the wallaby 10 and plays a couple of seasons AND wins lots of big matches by controlling a game (a la Carter) – this seems a long way off at present given his tendency to get injured. O’Connor and Cooper are pups who have shown flashes of potential but neither strike me as likely to be great 10′s….maybe 12 or 15. Unfortunately I get the feeling that Barnes is just not going to be around enough to become great (hope I’m wrong). So the next ‘great’ wallaby flyhalf is probably running around in schoolboys somewhere?
katzilla said | February 9th 2010 @ 1:59pm | Report comment
Im not having a dig short blind, just a fact of life.
Its well known that a couple of the OZ franchises have been looking in NZ for players with Australian Heritage.
And why wouldn’t they? Its the best rugby development system in the world.
Short-Blind. said | February 9th 2010 @ 8:18pm | Report comment
I guess that’s the case if rugby is religion in your country – fair enough Katzilla
ps can anyone tell me why rugby in NZ is so dominant and played across all strata of society and in Oz it is mainly a preppy school pastime played predominantly in two east coast states? I’m thinking that is why the development system in Oz sucks – unlike league or AFL. thanks
JF said | February 9th 2010 @ 8:39pm | Report comment
NZ is the exceptional one here, probably only Wales that can match NZ for penetrating the entire populous. In every other rugby-playing nation, it is supported by a certain rung of society with a strong connection to private schooling and the middle-class. Geographical strongholds are also evident such as in France, England, Ireland and Italy. Can’t really answer why this is – I am more puzzled by the sport’s ability to be free of this stigma in NZ and Wales.
rugbyfuture said | February 9th 2010 @ 9:04pm | Report comment
wales were less stringent to the amateur days I do Know.
Jameswm said | February 9th 2010 @ 7:47am | Report comment
He’s playing in my club U11s team this year. Quick, good step, excellent catch pass, good boot, vision, bright, coachable, sets up his outside backs, level head. Tackles when he has to…
sheek said | February 9th 2010 @ 8:10am | Report comment
James,
That wouldn’t be junior, would it….. ?
Bay35Pablo said | February 9th 2010 @ 7:52am | Report comment
Barnes is the best prospect, with Gits at 12, and Cooper off the bench. use Barnes/Gits as 1st/2nd 5/8 in the Kiwi style.
O’Connor doesn’t look to be a 5/8. Hell, the boy was shown up in the Test this year. He can’t play full back, and is more a centre but needs a few more years of meat and scars on him.
Work in progress. Question is whether we can get it sufficiently together by RWC 2011.
We haven’t had a world class 10 since Larkham, which is part of the reason for the Wallaby malaise since he left (along with the half back issue which Genia appears to have fixed).
Rickety Knees said | February 9th 2010 @ 8:05am | Report comment
Thanks Bay – that’s my view also for the RWC Genia-Barnes-Giteau. IMHO Giteau only came good on the last tour when he played second receiver inside Cooper – so Cooper for the bench. I hope that KB steps up at 12 for the Tahs and put pressure on to join the Wallaby bench. At this stage of his career I believe that O’Connor is best played at 15 but that is unlikely to happen with the injury to Pretorius. The next big questions will be who will play 13 and 15 for the Wallabies in the RWC.
Rickety Knees said | February 9th 2010 @ 8:34am | Report comment
I have just read that Bartholomeusz is playing 10 for the Force.
Brett McKay said | February 9th 2010 @ 7:53am | Report comment
put the easy questions out there nice and early Rickety, good one!!
I think we’ll finally get to see the Barnes-Giteau 10-12 setup this year too. NSW have fallen into line and Barnes looks set to be confirmed as their chief playmaker, goal-kicker, set-piece caller, lineout caller, tactician, scrum coach and CEO.
Giteau on the other hand seems to have taken on the relaxed elder statesman in Canberra this year, making noises about playing wherever the team and coach needs him, and not being overly worried what number he’s wearing. He may well play 10 in Perth this Fri night, but I think we might see a Toomua-Giteau 10-12 combo down here before too long..
Rickety Knees said | February 9th 2010 @ 8:07am | Report comment
G’day Brett – “coach and CEO of the Tahs” hmmm that’s worth considering.
Brett McKay said | February 9th 2010 @ 8:09am | Report comment
just the scrum coach and CEO mate, you apparently need to serve an apprenticship before getting the top job
Jameswm said | February 9th 2010 @ 8:08am | Report comment
AAC will be 13 or 15 – I see him more as a 13.
15 maybe Cam Shepherd if his body can hold together, or Gerrardo.
Wings? Fainifo, Turner, Hynes, Mitchell, Nadolo, Cummins, Morahan, Sills – who have I missed? No real standouts though.
reds fan said | February 9th 2010 @ 10:08am | Report comment
You left out Digby.