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http://www.7days.ae/2006/11/03/walla...nt-gregan.html
WALLABIES legend David Campese wants Australia to end George Gregan’s career by thrashing Wales in Cardiff tomorrow. Campese believes the “arrogant” Gregan has strangled the life out of Australian rugby during the latter stages of his record-breaking 127-Test career. Gregan is skipping the November tour to stay fresh for the World Cup. And Campese hopes replacement scrum-half Matt Giteau grabs the chance to make the No.9 shirt his own.
“As soon as they get rid of George Gregan we can start playing some good rugby,” Campese told 7DAYS. “He’s got too much of a hold over the team. Hopefully on this tour Giteau will play really well and then the backs can actually perform. “At the moment George is just wasting time there. He should have gone after the 2003 World Cup. “When you’ve got opposition coaches like Jake White (South Africa) and Graham Henry (New Zealand) saying what a great player he is and that he should stay around, you know what’s going on. “They want him to play, and that’s pretty damning.”
Campese, the star of Australia’s World Cup-winning side of 1991, thinks Gregan’s influence over the team has become a negative factor. “His captaincy hasn’t been fantastic and his win ratio is not great either, but he still carries himself with that arrogance. His influence is all over the team, because he’s been there as captain for so long. But no one is bigger than the game and we need to move on,” added the former wing. Giteau will get his chance behind the scrum in the Millennium Stadium tomorrow, despite playing most of his career at inside centre.
In other changes to an experimental back-line, Stephen Larkham, who has played all his international rugby either at fly-half or full-back, moves to inside centre, alongside Lote Tuqiri, while Mat Rogers is at fly-half. Campese would like to see Giteau playing at scrum-half for his Super 14 franchise Western Force. But former All Blacks coach John Mitchell, who is in charge of the Perth side, has no plans to switch his player.
“Giteau has played half-back at Under-21, but he’s not playing there at Western Force, which is one of the problems we have in Australia. “Unlike in New Zealand, where all their coaches are Kiwis and are working toward the same goal, we have John Mitchell in charge in Western Australia. “He doesn’t give a stuff about Australian rugby, so he’s gonna keep playing Giteau at centre. You have to wonder whether that’s good for Australian rugby.”
Campese was in Dubai for last night’s gala dinner with Jonah Lomu at the Crowne Plaza, and is happy the All Black great has turned down a chance to switch codes to rugby league. “Whatever the reason, I’m pleased Jonah didn’t go to league because it’s just so different,” he said. “He’s been through a tough time, and it must be very frustrating not knowing what to do with your life. But one thing’s for sure, no one will ever do what he did for rugby ever again.”