Robbie Deans must put aside the protected species that we know as Matt Giteau and drop him for the upcoming Wales game. The basis for this decision is poor form, poor decision-making, and a sloppy goalkicking technique.
Giteau’s performance, in the light of his overt, public desire for the greatest responsibilities was poor. Coupled with the team’s success in giving him more than enough “raw ingredients” with which to bake a victory, he failed to deliver, and that is the principle reason for the defeat.
As the playmaker (60 percent of possession and territory), goalkicker (four goals well within range), one of three or four senior players, the most experienced back on the field, and Vice Captain, he was always going to be either hero or villain.
Matthew Giteau is sportsman, and as such, is only as good as his last game, not a protected species.
The vast majority of sportsmen suffer the humiliation of being dropped. The best bounce back and are better players because of it.
Robbie Deans has progressively sacrificed every sacred cow except Matt Giteau.
The backline for Wales should be:
9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 Hynes
12 O’Connor
13 Ioane
14 Mitchell
15 AAC
with Burgess, Giteau and Beale on the bench.
OR
If the coaches believe that new combinations will gel sufficiently in a week:
9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 Turner
12 O’Connor
13 AAC
14 Ioane
15 Hynes
with Burgess, Giteau and Beale on the bench
This second and much bolder backline transitions from the current one to the best one. The next back line after Wales should be:
9 Genia
10 Barnes
12 O’Connor
13 AAC
11 Ioane
14 Hynes
15 Cooper
Bench would be Burgess, Giteau and Turner.
The logic for this:
Genia attacking, kicking and defending option: never gives up
Barnes playmaker, kicker defender: never gives up
O’Connor attacker close to the ball, great foot work, good defender, will play S14 in 2010 at 12 so why change him: never gives up
AAC most experienced of a young back line so needed nearer to the action, excellent in attack, defence and kicking: never gives up
Ioane quick elusive and strong winger who can slot into back line at 13 when moves are on or during multi phase play: never gives up
Hynes, Quick and strong and another fullback never gives up.
Cooper Good kicker, elusive broken field runner, great pass when he comes into the line: and (YOU GUESSED IT) never gives up.
The “never gives up” is demonstrated in different ways on the field in the ferocity of their play (such as Hynes’ tackling, AAC’s driving runs to the try line with three defenders on him) or O’Connor keeping trying things when he was having a shocker against the All Blacks this year or Quade Cooper reining in his wild child behaviour and growing throughout this tour.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
chris, the point was that Giteau has been out fo form throuhgout the tour. His game agaisnt Wales shows jsut what the Wallabies were missing in the previous games. player Pro football players cannot afford to stay out fo form this long, partic. when it is partially, at least, due to his tanties.
Chris
Guest
Hate to be a hindsight hero, but who was Man of the Match?
Red Rooster
Guest
Playing against Cardiff B who are near the bottom of the Magners League - Not too much kudos please
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
isnt it lovely to be recognised.SMH today-Giteaus position ln the starting team was being guestioned by several LEADING AUSTRALIAN FIGURES!
Ads
Guest
Lachie Tuner missed out on the 22....Surely he deserves a run over Mitchell??
Ads
Guest
I think Burgess is still there cause Kingi is still relatively untested. Millennium Stadium has the potential to destroy even the most experiences players confidence. I have no doubt that next season Burgess will be 3rd potion and Kingi second. His performance vs Cardiff was pretty good for the short amount of time he had to impress. Gits at half back has been tried and failed. Genia is the man. Gits needs space to run. He needs to hit the ball on the angle and find the gaps. He will never do that at half or at 10. There is too much thinking and i don't think he has that kind of rugby brain. He needs to move out to 12 or even 13,15.... Personally i still think he needs a reality check and should be playing off the bench for this one....but again i think the Millennium stadium factor has come into play. What i want to know is why Peter Hynes and Drew Mitchell were picked over Lachie Turner?? He only missed out on being picked for the last few due to injury, right? For mine he is the more attacking winger and can also defend. Mitchell is a waste and has no impact despite numerous opportunities...And his MO looks the worst by far!
The Other Reds Fan.
Guest
Why the hell is Burgess still there? Put in Kingi. What about Giteau at half back?
Gary
Guest
Drew who? A vastly overated player who probably is only in the side because of the massive injury list in the backs.
Ads
Guest
AUSTRALIA: Adam Ashley-Cooper; Peter Hynes, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Drew Mitchell; Matt Giteau, Will Genia; Wycliff Palu, David Pocock, Rocky Elsom (captain); Dean Mumm, James Horwill; Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Matt Dunning, Mark Chisholm, George Smith, Luke Burgess, James O'Connor, Kurtley Beale Great to see Beale on the bench and Mumm starting. Shows that Deans may actually be watching the mid week games. Also good to see Cross gone, hopefully to never return. We will have to wait and see though whether Giteau and Cooper switch or not. I think Gits is on his last notice and has hopefully been told that if he doesn't direct the back to A victory over Wales then he maybe watching the games next year from the bench or even as a spectator. Biggest question mark for me is Palu...not his selection, just the fact he is back so quickly from what looked like a very serious issue last week. Fingers crossed he is back to 100% and has another huge performance. Especially with Mumm out there with him! GO BOYS!!
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
tommy, I am also with you on Toomua. He is unspectacular but gets the job done.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
Yep, good to see Beale on the bench. He had a good game against Cardiff
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
So, Deans didnt deliver to obvious selection of dropping Giteau. Mumm is a good selection. I have wondered why, so often, he had been sat on the bench with no game time. Pocock's rotation is a clever move. and Ioane's return is jsut a no brainer. But are the ready to play or is the scar tissue of so many losses too much to bear? Interestingly, the bookies have the Wallabies and Wales even at $1.90.
Parisien
Guest
The team is named. Mumm in for Chisolm, Beale on the bench, both good moves, but I suspect Deans is going to leave Giteau where he is. I would have gone for Cooper at 10, Giteau at 12 (JOC on the bench). I wish Deans would start TPN as well at 2. Another match where we'll have our hearts in our mouths every time its Drew Mitchell defending...
TommyM
Guest
For those who were wondering who might take on the kicking duties in Giteau's abscence, Cooper kicked 100% against Gloucester (albeit with the weirdest technique since Jonny 'sqatting on the potty' Wilkinson). O'Connor also has been every consistent when he's been given a go. Certainly interesting times ahead for 10 and 12 in Oz. Unfortunately there's only 2 positions, so some of the very talented Cooper, Beale, JOC, Barnes, Giteau and Toomua (best long term 10 prospect IMO) are going to miss out into the future.
TommyM
Guest
JOC is taller and now heavier than Giteau. Is Giteau too small to play at 12?
Justin
Guest
Cookie - they are fair questions which we will never know the answer to. Late in SLs career there was a concern that Gits was being used as a decoy way too often, mainly because Mortlock was so dominant in midfield. I dont think he got his hands on the ball enough from SL to really say that SL made him look better than he is/was.
cookie
Guest
Does anyone else wonder.... Did Larkham make Git's look better at 12 than he ever really was? I always thought that Larkham definately covered for Gregan...... Can't help but wonder just how good larkham would have been with a halfback that could pass...and a dominant forward pack?
fox
Guest
I don't think those are comparable. None of the players you mention were in midfield or in decision-making positions. The idea is that you shift Gits to 12 and let him work with 10 but not as a 10. I don't think O'Connor at this stage of his career warrants selection over Gits at 12, neither does Cooper should BB return (and move to 10). But this is all moot, as Deans will not drop Giteau and nor do I believe he should.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
Sheehan, really, you must be kidding. tough, umcompromising yep, a character, yes to all, but not up to Genia, Burgess or Kingi. Deans wants the 9 to attack from the ruck base and Bretto doesnt have the pace to do it
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
but bennalong, continuity of what? bad performances me thinks. Look, deans dropped george smith, Lote, Baxter and moore so Giteau can and must go