- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Why is it that when the Wallabies lose or play poorly, or both, the blame lands on the forwards (line out, scrum or breakdown), Luke Burgess, slow wingers or inexperienced centres, selectors and now Robbie Deans. Nowhere has Matt Giteau been mentioned. Is he a protected species?
I must admit I was a bit annoyed that the Australian press have taken this defeat at the hands of the All Black very lightly, saying it was a good performance.
Having a lead at halftime over the All Blacks is always a good thing. but it was due to the good fortune of having an extra man in the back-line and a few players standing out.
New Zealand have a great history of fly halves that know how to kick for territory: Carter, Mehrtens and Fox, to name just a few in recent times.
This is something Australia has sadly lacked in since Michael Lynagh retired. We have also been blessed with Mark Ella and Stephen Larkham, who could play it a different way that was successful.
The Wallabies of the last few years do not know how to kick for touch. In fact, since Deans has been coach, the midfield bomb is the play of choice, with the outcome a 10 metre gain and a lottery who ends up with the ball.
I don’t understand why they do this.
And the back-line is either not flat enough or not deep enough to make any impact or penetration. All this comes back to the fly-half (this is, of course, on the belief that the forwards are going forward).
Matt Giteau is a gifted player. When he is in form, he is electric.
But I question his ability to lead a back-line. When he stands behind a scrum or breakdown, does he see the big picture: where the backline can go, as opposed to where HE can go.
Players like David Campese had the vision to see where he could go, whereas Mark Ella had the vision to see where all could go and meet up with Campo.
Giteau is successful when he makes the break on his own or when other players can read where he going.
We keep reading that the half-backs aren’t giving him good enough service. Nick Farr Jones recalls that when joined the Wallabies, he asked Ella where he wanted the pass, Ella told him to just throw the ball, and he will catch it.
Giteau must take some of the blame here.
I feel that the expectations on the Wallabies and the standards on their performance we are setting are getting low.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.