Don’t expect this to be written by our rugby commentators but Luke Burgess is not a Test halfback.
Having spent years bemoaning the fact that George Gregan would not retire, Burgess (on the basis of very little evidence) was hailed by the commentators as the ‘next big thing’.
There is now a ‘conspiracy of silence’ from these commentators about Burgess’s rugby abilities. Expect all the post-match commentary, instead, to concentrate on Al Baxter’s scrummaging.
Someone has to bell the cat; the major weakness in the Test team at the moment is not Al Baxter but Luke Burgess.
The normally perceptive Rod Kafer, recently analysing Burgess’s game on television, said, almost as an after thought: “He needs to work on his passing.”
This suggests that Burgess’s passing is the only weakness in his game and, then, only a slight imperfection. In fact, Burgess’s passing, the most critical aspect of a halfback’s game, is not even club standard, let alone Test quality.
Burgess has the world’s second-best 10 outside him yet Giteau (or Barnes, when he occasionally swaps with Giteau) rarely gets good service from his 9.
The critical charge down in the last 10 minutes on Saturday was the result (as usual) of Giteau having to pluck a Burgess pass from the heavens before being able to think about his clearing kick.
Burgess’s performance on Saturday night was one of the worst from an Australian half and not just because his passing is so disastrous. He gets badly flustered when put under pressure at the ruck and inevitably this leads to wrong options. His kicking (particularly with his right foot; and into the box) is poor.
One of the most puzzling aspects of Saturday’s test is why it took Robbie Deans until the 74th minute before he replaced Burgess. Deans must have a very poor opinion of Will Genia!
Everyone has bad games but Burgess has yet to put in a great performance in a Test. His lacklustre Super 14 season this year casts doubts about whether he should even be in the Test squad, let alone ranked as Australia’s No. 1 half.
Sniping, a positive element in Burgess’s game, is never going to be much of an option against a New Zealand (or South African) team.
In the late 1960s, a friend of mine (a fullback) was selected in a Newcastle representative side.
On his first night at rep training, the Newcastle halfback, one John Hipwell, interrogated him at length on where he wanted the ball when passed to him for a clearing kick: what side of his body? what height? how hard? etc. It’s hard to imagine such a conversation taking place between Burgess and Adam Ashley-Cooper at training!
Being dropped from the squad last year did wonders for Nathan Sharpe’s test career when he was eventually restored.
It’s time for Deans to administer the same ‘tough love’ to Luke Burgess.
He could usefully spend some time with a John Hipwell, Ken Catchpole or Chris Whitaker learning how to pass. And, if he hasn’t gone back to Japan, he could do well to ask Nick Farr-Jones or George Gregan for some advice about his kicking game and composure behind the ruck.
Bonza
Guest
I dont think we can concude too much from 6 mins by Genia at the end of the other than he deserves more time. I think he need to earn a start and given he is coming of an injury period there is no need to throw him to the wolves. Burgess is a leftie so the right foot box kicks are tougher for him - not an excuse but you cannot compare him to Gregan as they were asked to play and did play very different games. gregan was a faiclitator of an extensive playbook who coupled with the intelligent larkham spent 99% of the time passing the ball to someone. He only kicked in the last season when Connelly arrived on the scene and brought some NH tactics. It was not great either. Burgess is being asked to play a tempo game that has significant volumes of kicking and field position tactics; he also has to pass to players who are playing what is in front of them so this is very unpredictable and I think this is acknowledged by Giteau. Gregan had a massive play book and people were coached to be in certain places - this is surely an easier environment to deliver better passes. yes Burgess can improve things technically but he tackles and provides enthusiasm. There was a test a few years back in Cape Town where the Boks won win a pick and drive game - hard to believe with their attack only about 20m wide gregan never made a tackle in the entire test - I saw the stats on a sa website and funnily enough was not surprised You are trying to compare apples with oranges
bennalong
Guest
Sheek, Gregans pass was fine. Larkham said it hit him on the chest every time. Regardless......................you incessant knockers.... Give Burgess a go . He's been great this season and if you put Genia up you blokes will be crucifying him within three games
OldManEmu
Guest
Is Burgess set to usurp the role of Sharpey as Australian Rugby Public Enemy number one? He's such a good looking young man. Surely that counts for something?
mother teresa
Guest
probably help burgess intermittent performances if he was consistent on the tradesman basics and his star outsides were themselves confidently primed to play;they were not
retired rucker
Guest
Based on Genias 7 minutes of game time I would be starting him against the springboks. He has awsome potential lets hope he stays grounded!
Justin
Guest
Sheek - re selectors. I went to a dinner where our old mate E. McKenzie was the guest speaker and he said that coaching was 80% selecting the right players. I would say its about right. I am beginning to wonder though whether Deans is that good at selecting and I am not just referring to Burgess...
sheek
Guest
Spencer, I'm always willing to support a fellow Aussie born in PNG! BTW, what about Nic Berry by comparison? Justin, I understand, but Deans has selected Burgess to date for his other skills, hoping his passing will improve along the way. At present, that hasn't happened. I must confess Valentine is my favourite for the #9 position. It's a horses for courses, isn't it? Gregan couldn't pass particularly well or fast, but he was chosen for other attributes he brought to the team. It's a tough gig, being a selector.....
Spencer
Guest
Sheek - if you can watch a replay of the Reds V Brumbies this year you will see why Genia is the best scrumhalf in Australia. Pass, Run, Kick, Tackle, Ticker - he is the real deal.
Justin
Guest
Benny have you ever kicked in a gale? You dont have to be off by much for the ball to really move from its intended target. He kicked the ones he should have and missed the tough ones from memory, no shame in that. Sheek - the point is there are much better passes of the ball than Burgess and that is criteria one for a 9. Valentine kills him from the deck but he doesnt make the breaks Burgess does.
John of Cloverdale West Australia
Guest
An abysmal performance from Burgess. He has had too many chances now. And from a spectator point of view, ban the box kick and please do something about the scrums (stoppages and penalties galore)- boring!
Benny
Guest
Still no mention of Giteau losing us 6 points with his terrible duck-hook goalkicking
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Dexter Williams - you couldn't have put it any better at all and Hammer I agree with you too. I mentioned on Saturday night that Burgess cost us 13 points, 13 points in a Bledisloe Test match, simply unacceptable. I still haven't forgotton his howler in Paris which nearly cost us that game. Halfback is such a pivotal position and no room for headless chooks which is what Burgess is. I am sure he is a lovely guy from the Country who has worked hard to get where he has but he is not cutting the mustard in the key area's of a halfbacks game most importantly his pass. I mentioned on the roar earlier this year that he needs a mentor like NFJ to work on his game. He desperately needs some coaching. He has plenty of ticker and I hope he can become a good halfback but at the moment he is not up to International standard. Just too many errors in his game. He needs to go back to Club Rugby, hire a specialist coach to help him and work 6 hours a day on his game. Will Genia and Josh Valentine should be the halfbacks for the Tri Nations. I rate Valentine as a player.His combination with Giteau at the Force was very good and they will be teaming up again at the Brumbies.
sheek
Guest
It's all very well to say Burgess (or Baxter) aren't up to international standard. The problem Deans faces is that they're still the best we have in their positions. At the moment anyway. Australian rugby isn't blessed with the great depth of NZ or SA rugby unfortunately. Not to the same extent anyway.
Dexter William
Roar Guru
Virgil "Passing is not a ‘natural’ talent. I’ve been a halfback for about 10 years now and my pass has improved every year…" So if you started from a harbour bridge style of pass to a Nick Far Jones style of pass, and it takes 10 years, what hope are we talking about. To make a good steak, you must first find a good piece of meat. Let's just admit it. Burgess need to go back to club games or whatever until he improves on his passing (first thing). The other more difficult thing for him to improve on is his composure. He makes silly errors under pressure - maybe not choke, but overawed. He has not shown much grey matter in the way he plays the last 15 tests.
Spencer
Guest
Genia is a genius in waiting. I am no Robbie Deans, however I predicted 2 months ago that Gena would be Australia's starting scrumhalf before the end of the year. Let's hope I gave too much time in the estimate.
AndyS
Guest
I thought Burgess was horrible on the weekend. If no other blame were to be attached to Deans for that performance, he should have brought on Genia far earlier. Perhaps he was worried about it being a debut, but he just couldn't have been any worse.
The Gaz
Guest
I would just like to see Burgo give up on the box kicking...it is a nothing, ugly part of the game and NZ overuse it terribly (is all cowan does)...pass the ball to Gits and the lazy forwards hanging out wide
Chuck
Guest
WISM, If Bray is a burgess supporter then greg martin is at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, jumps on any opportunity to crucify him - on saturday he blamed a wasted attacking opportunity from an O'connor knockon on burgess - he also blamed burgess for a pass over the touch line when the referee stopped the wallaby running onto it Criticism must be shared by a whole host of underperformers on Saturday - Mortlock plays like a prop (zero speed), Barnes cost us an early try, Giteau's goalkicking was substandard and he went missing for most of the match, George Smith gives away way too many penalties, Baxter is hated by the refs, Turner and Mitchell make bad decisions, Brown was average at best...
Ben J
Guest
I can't see how any of this coud be good news to the Boks. The Wallabies are a premier rebound team, I think it was last year when Palu went to town against the Boks and smashed his way to a try or two. The Boks just had no answer to him and he had a massive hand in their defeat. I would be worried about Burgess, too much sideways running, Juan Smith will line him up for a bruiser if he continues that nasty habit.I could be wrong but he seems to be playing like Gregan did in his last few matches, maybe Gregan is the last person on earth you want him to emulate. The question could be: Could Genia be any worse as a starter?
Benny
Guest
The charge down could easily have been avoided: A) giteau the vastly overrated (and untouchable re: criticism it would seem following his equally bad game) not standing 15m back when he couldn't kick the ball out on the full anyway B) giteau not having the world's slowest kicking motion (he regularly gets charged down when passes hit him on the chest) C) giteau stepping or checking his kick, not continuing on regardless Burgess has been our form player so far this test season...one bad game shouldn't mean he gets dropped