Wallabies boast class in World Cup year
By Darren Walton, 20 Jun 2011 Darren Walton is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Matt Giteau, Rugby Union, wallabies
It is an exciting sign of the vastly-improved depth in Australian rugby that long-time automatic selection Matt Giteau is hoping rather than expecting to be picked next month for the Wallabies.
Giteau is a shoo-in for Robbie Deans’ 40-man squad for Australia’s Test against Samoa on July 17 and the ensuing Tri Nations campaign, with Brumbies’ coach Tony Rea claiming his inspirational leader should be among the first players chosen in the Wallabies starting XV.
But the classy midfielder was not counting his chickens, despite once again being outstanding in the Brumbies’ season-ending 41-7 Super Rugby shellacking on Saturday night at the hands of the NSW Waratahs.
“It’s a bit of the unknown. I don’t really know what happens now,” Toulon-bound Giteau said after setting up his side’s lone try and slotting the sideline conversion in an otherwise forgettable farewell appearance for the Brumbies.
“You love to be a part of the Wallabies and starting, but you’ve got other options there – James O’Connor, Anthony Faingaa has had a great year …”
With the brilliant Quade Cooper owning the Wallabies No.10 jumper, Giteau’s best chance of starting would be at inside centre, especially with Test incumbent Berrick Barnes’ immediate playing future up in the air as he recovers from footballer’s migraine.
“From my point of view, you don’t want to get a position through (an injury to someone else),” Giteau said.
“Obviously something has happened to Berrick, so I’d love to see him back playing and hopefully challenging for one of those starting spots.”
Watching from the ANZ Stadium stands, Deans had to have been impressed with Giteau.
“It’s not the result he wanted at the end, but clearly his performance was absolutely outstanding again,” Rea said.
“His leadership was great. He bustled his way through a big contest. I’ve never seen anyone like him. He does it in training – non-stop in training.
“He’s buggered every week from trying to lift the group and carry them forward.”
Rea said the 91-Test veteran would be “first picked” in his Wallabies starting side.
“Because you need competitors. You’re going to need experience, you’re going to need toughness,” he said.
Giteau was handed the Brumbies’ captaincy this season for the first time, with regular leader Stephen Hoiles and Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom sidelined with injury, and he rose to the challenge week in and week out.
“For me this year, I feel I’ve got no regrets,” Giteau said.
“I gave everything I could for the Brumbies this year and I’m personally been reasonably proud with how I’ve played.”
Rea said it was a shame that many Australian rugby fans misread the 28-year-old playmaker as a grump and hard character to deal with, perceptions that Giteau himself had learned to accept.
“I am who I am and, as long as I’ve got the respect of my teammates and my family and obviously my wife as well, and my friends, that’s all I really care about,” he said.
“People you don’t know are going to judge you. Whether they judge you rightly or wrongly, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Deans will name his initial 40-man Wallabies squad on July 10, the day after the Super Rugby final, and announce his final 30-man squad for the World Cup on August 18.
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The Crowd Says (21) | Page 1 of Comments
Have Your Say
- Explore:
- Matt Giteau, Rugby Union, wallabies
June 20th 2011 @ 9:13am
Jamesb said | June 20th 2011 @ 9:13am | Report comment
Looks like the same team as last year which was not class.
Forwards not good enough to cut it with Boks or AB’s and will struggle against the Poms.
June 20th 2011 @ 7:33pm
Aware said | June 20th 2011 @ 7:33pm | Report comment
You fail to take into account that young players improve with age and experience. The advantage the Wallabies have is that they’re growing together as a unit. That may not be enough to take them all the way, but you never know, especially if the spirit is good.
June 20th 2011 @ 9:31am
Gary Russell-Sharam said | June 20th 2011 @ 9:31am | Report comment
I watched the match and while Giteau played well he didn’t excel IMO. His line breaking ability is limited nowdays, he makes half breaks but doesn’t have the brilliance of his younger days. The exact example of this was when Robbie Coleman came on late in the match, and he being a replica of Giteau as a younger man, made multiple line breaks. Admittedly he was fresh but he looked much better than Giteau, playing in the same roll. I would wish Giteau all the best for his holiday in France but I think that Deans etc should move on from Giteau and look elsewhere. O’Connor and Faingaa and even looking at others may be the way to go. Trial some of them in the lead up to the WC. Giteau if you have to pick hiom in the squad should be used off the bench as an impact player in the last 20 minutes of a match. To put up his successful kick at the end of the match as something to talk about is silly. Any average goal kicker worth his salt would have put a kick like that over in his sleep, I watch a lot of rugby and I’m amazed that professional players can’t kick any better than they do, even when watching young teenagers kick in matches they do better than most of the pros do.
June 20th 2011 @ 1:25pm
Dexter William said | June 20th 2011 @ 1:25pm | Report comment
“Any average goal kicker worth his salt would have put a kick like that over in his sleep”
The one he missed against Scotland was an easier one.
June 20th 2011 @ 1:57pm
Hoy said | June 20th 2011 @ 1:57pm | Report comment
It is interesting Gary, what you say about talking up his kicking…
I was watching the league on Sunday and the commentators were applauding Benji because he can pass as good both sides. I was thinking the bloke is a professional footballer, he had better bloody be able to pass both ways. It boggles my mind watching professional footballers who can’t perform some aspect of what I would deem an important part of their job. Steve Michaels has the worst pass from a football I have ever seen. I have seen AFL players pass the ball better than him. Yet he is a professional footballer, who prior to game one, was touted as an origin possible!!!
If you are the kicker, you should be getting kicks.
June 20th 2011 @ 10:15am
jameswm said | June 20th 2011 @ 10:15am | Report comment
It would be completely hypocritical of Deans to say publicly that JOC is too small for 12, then start Giteau. JOC is more nuggety, tackles better, and is overall stronger in contact than Giteau.
Giteau’s default mode is still to kick or crab across field.
With Barnes out, you have to start JOC at 12. The question is, with Mitchell out, who partners Diggers on the wings?
The rest of the team pretty much picks itself and as I’ve said all along, the first string team is very good. It’s when we lose any of TPN, Pocock, Genia, Cooper, JOC and Beale that we struggle.
June 20th 2011 @ 10:53am
Nashi said | June 20th 2011 @ 10:53am | Report comment
I agree with that. I reckon it would make an ineresting discussion to see what the second string 15 would be. I guess we’d have to see some sort of consensus on the top 15, but I think that is relatively easy as long as you include anyone out injured.
Without any real thought my firts and second choice for each position would be:
Beale, Lucas
Ioane, Turner
AAC, Faingaa
JOC, Barnes
Cooper, Giteau
Mitchell, Davies
Genia, Burgess
Palu, McCalman
Pocock, Robinson
Elsom, Higgs
Sharp, Timani
Horwill, Vickerman
Slipper, Kepu
TPN, Moore
Robinson, Daley
Not sure if I have my loose and tight heads round the right way but they are the 4 I would choose.
As a second 15 it looks OK but a bit untested at the top level
June 20th 2011 @ 12:17pm
baybum said | June 20th 2011 @ 12:17pm | Report comment
any chance you are getting ahead of yourself? strongest lineup looks suspiciously like the same team as lost 12 (?) straight vs all blacks and last 2 against England…..nice to see your enthusiasm, though that won’t win RWC2011
June 20th 2011 @ 12:29pm
Nashi said | June 20th 2011 @ 12:29pm | Report comment
any chance you are missing the point? The idea is to propose a first and second 15. I doubt that has much to do with what happened last year (particularly against England in Oz). I’d still give that team a better chance than almost any with the exception of the ABs of winning RWC2011.
June 20th 2011 @ 1:28pm
Decs said | June 20th 2011 @ 1:28pm | Report comment
Would have to agree with both lists there Nashi. My two possible changes would be Gerrard for Lucas in team 2 and swap Kepu for Slipper.
I do think with Mitchell injured that Deans will put JOC on the wing and start Gits (given Barnes is also out).
June 20th 2011 @ 2:58pm
Twickenham said | June 20th 2011 @ 2:58pm | Report comment
Put Kepu in the first XV instead of Slipper and you’ve got it nailed I think. Horne in for Faingaa if fit. Higginbotham to cover 8 and 6.
June 20th 2011 @ 7:07pm
Bryce Courtney said | June 20th 2011 @ 7:07pm | Report comment
Deniss has to be there. He’s been outstanding all year, does more hard work than hitters, wins more line outs and is almost as quick. Also samo should be on bench
June 20th 2011 @ 7:39pm
Nashi said | June 20th 2011 @ 7:39pm | Report comment
yeah, I have a soft spot for Samo too. I think we (Oz) are spoilt for 6s at the moment, more riches than any other position. Dennis has certainly impressed and will be around next year. Tahs have lots of natural 6s on their own. Mowen, Dennis, Mumm and possibly even Timani could play 6. Thats before you look at Hodgson, Saffey, McCalman etc elsewhere. I have always looked at 6 as the quintessential Ozzie position, if such a thing exists. We’ve had a lot of good ones over the years.
June 20th 2011 @ 12:20pm
Benz said | June 20th 2011 @ 12:20pm | Report comment
I think Genia’s back up is more likely to be Phipps than Burgess
June 20th 2011 @ 1:37pm
jameswm said | June 20th 2011 @ 1:37pm | Report comment
Phipps missed the most tackles in the comp.
June 20th 2011 @ 3:22pm
IronAwe said | June 20th 2011 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
He’s also 4th highest in the Aussie conference for most tackles made with 172. Having missed 42.
June 20th 2011 @ 7:44pm
Nashi said | June 20th 2011 @ 7:44pm | Report comment
yeah, no…. Burgess with all his faults delivers at the back end of the game. I reckon aside from his technical defficiencies, which to some degree he sems to have overcome, he plays with gusto when the ball and backs are set. That is the way Deans wants the game played, Phipps may get there over time, next year would be my call with Burgo gone to greener pastures….
June 20th 2011 @ 1:57pm
Dexter William said | June 20th 2011 @ 1:57pm | Report comment
Rea also said this:
”He tests you, he challenges you, he pushes you and all that, and he’s difficult at times because he wants to win and he keeps trying to compete. And if the public don’t like the look of that stuff, then they’re reading him wrong.”
He does sound like a coach nightmare. He probably will be asking Robbie Deans:
1) Why can’t I play 10 – please explain
2) Why am I not Captain? – I can tell others what to do
3) Why should I be taking instructions from Quade on what is our next attacking move?
He wants to win, but he still thinks that he is the best 10.
Do you want someone who questions and challenges, especially if you have younger players around him who could be undermined by him and in turn make them lose their confidence on the field?
We have a 10 in Quade that promises to be our next Larkham with daylight between him and our second best 10. I am not sure if Giteau’s ego would allow him to underplay his hand at 12, and give Quade his unequivocal support.
Plus the fact that Quade is young and may not have the experience in getting Giteau to play his supporting role as a 12 should. Teaching old dogs new tricks is best left to Prison Wardens, not play makers.
June 21st 2011 @ 12:13am
Damo said | June 21st 2011 @ 12:13am | Report comment
Come on Dexter with respect please put up or shut up. How do you know that this is Giteau’s style ? I sure don’t know that it isn’t his style so tell us – are you riding on evidence? Or assumption and rumour?
The reason that this is important is that Gits may well be in the squad. He may well be on the bench which means he may well get the last 10 of a must win game.
If this happens will you be screaming at him from across the ditch to ‘get off’?
Probably not.
So in case he does make the field let’s not run him or selector intelligence down,
Unless you have evidence that he is difficult to coach.
BTW I am not a big fan of his current skill set. And I don’t know the guy but he is part of the team potentially at least. This forum has been great for the self expression of us amateur selectors but there was once a culture of put down on some posts that seemed to me indulgent and counter productive.
I am not asking for the evident detail just let us know that you have it. There is more at stake than one player’s reputation and career but that is enough.
June 21st 2011 @ 9:22am
Dexter William said | June 21st 2011 @ 9:22am | Report comment
Rea also said this:
”He tests you, he challenges you, he pushes you and all that, and he’s difficult at times because he wants to win and he keeps trying to compete. And if the public don’t like the look of that stuff, then they’re reading him wrong.”
If he does get selected, I would be less confident of a successful RWC campaign.
June 22nd 2011 @ 7:23pm
Matthew Skellett said | June 22nd 2011 @ 7:23pm | Report comment
I wouldn’t touch Mr.Giteau with a bargepole if i was Mr Deans and the other selectors, I absolutely agree with Dexter on that one , he is the most over-rated , big-headed bad influence on any team he has played in the last 4-5 years . I actually rang the ARU to alert them to the fact that he might be betting against his own team (the wallabies) because of the vital easy goal kicks he missed that would have won the games against scotland and england in the last two years .Not mentioning the big smirk he had on his face after he “missed” the goal against England . Hooray that we don’t have to rely on him to feel like playing anymore !!!!