Giteau's express wishes

[Burgs]

Giteau's express wishes

By James Hooper
December 23, 2007

MATT Giteau can shuffle through midfield opponents with card-shark precision and send a spiralling bullet-pass bang on the button from the base of a scrum, but "Kid Dynamite" really covets the Australia No.10 jersey.

Australian rugby's greatest attacking asset, Giteau was identified last week as one of the central figures in new coach Robbie Deans' vision to resurrect the Wallabies as a force.

With rugby ranks rejoicing about the impending expansive revolution under Deans, Giteau has pinpointed close friend and Western Force teammate Matt Henjak as the playmaking partner to help him lead the Wallabies towards a new frontier.

The double act was initiated three doors down from each other in Queanbeyan, just across the border from Canberra, where Giteau grew up in Conway Street, with Henjak around the corner in Rusten Street.

"That's obviously a huge goal of ours. I'd love nothing more than for Matty to be playing for the Wallabies again and for me to be playing alongside him," Giteau said.

"The biggest thing I need to get my head around is the calling structure at five-eighth. When you're at inside-centre, you don't have to worry about calling. You just go out there and play."

For the past two seasons, Giteau has been the Mr Fix-it of the Wallabies backline, pushed into halfback as an alternative to an aging George Gregan and whisked back to inside centre to add more potency to the midfield.

With Gregan and Steve Larkham dominating the Australian halves for the past decade, one of the first assignments for Deans will be to decide who will sharpen the Wallabies attack and lead us back towards the promised land.

Giteau and Henjak, best friends from the age of three, are perhaps the X-factor Australian rugby has been missing.

That's from the Sunday Telegraph folks!!!

[jazza93]

with gregan gone i think he almost has the spot at halfback anyway if he plays like he did last year.

[Shaun]

Sounds good to me. Who will take the #12 jersey if Giteau is at #10?

Will be very interesting...

Barnes played well at the RWC at #10- but I do not think he will have quite the same impact at #12 when you compare him to the likes of the other Tri-Nations #12 such as Steyn and McAlister.

Stanners would fit in very well; but he is not part of the future.

[GIGS20]

True about Spanner not being a future option at 12, but we have dual issues at 12 if Gits takes 10. Spanner would certainly get us out of trouble in the short term, as would Two-dads or even Lote. If the midfield were going to change it's character a little, Ryan Cross would be a longer term option Oteher wise, you could look at one of the outside backs (bit of a stepper with some pace) and keep the muscle at 13. I think Junior is one of few players around at the moment who could provide the required muscle at centre (12 or 13) but I really have trouble finding east coast options in the backs!

Maybe I'm one eyed!

[Shaun]

Ja I was trying to think of some possible centers; but as much as I like Junior I don't see him being able to step it up to international level- especially if this is to be a revolution. I say play Stanners at #12 and give it a year or two for someone to put their hand up for #12 jersey.

[Burgs]

I have a hunch you may be on the money Shaun.
I think Deanes will select for results in '08, at least in the 3N, and get a feel for our depth and then make some more radical changes in '09 in the three year build up to the RWC.
Included in that I would say any back over 27 and any forward over 30 this coming season would want to be on notice that they aren't sacred as there is some great uncapped youth maturing at the moment in almost all positions.

[Flamethrower]

Spanner would certainly get us out of trouble in the short term, as would Two-dads or even Lote.

For Gods Sake!!!! Wash your mouth out with soap

[James]

I know he has a lot of growing up to do and to get his skills up but Lloyd Johanssen is a potential long-term option at inside centre as is obviously Anthony Faingaa. How long term are we talking here?

[.X.]

I love the idea of Henners at 9 for the Wallabies - but, here is the problem.

He got sent home from a tour. I don't want to argue about if that was right or wrong, but he did get sent home. It would appear as tho our national selectors have a VERY LONG memory about things like that. So - there will be a lot to do before there is enough water under that bridge I think.

[GIGS20]

I guess it's a competition between penance served and need for a quality halfback, let's face it, while George Gregan's in the arsenal, we can afford to keep Henners under the thumb and make him feel his pain. Now we have no world class halfbacks to cover for him, we need to make the assumption that he's learned his lesson and moved on. I for one think he's grown up a lot, and can't think of a single thing he's done wrong in the last 2 years.

[AndyS]

Interesting that he "covets" the 10 jersey...I got the distinct impression that, while he will probably be seen a lot in the Force 10 jersey next year, he would still much rather the 12.

[GIGS20]

That was certainly the tone of a lot of his media releases last year. I wonder if his opinion has changed after some training sessions in the position, or this is spin coming from a journo?

I think Gits will play himself into the 10 jersey well, he's the kind of centre that can make the transition well, he has an awesome step, intelligent kicking game and blistering speed. I think many of his issues last year came from the aspect of controlling the game. I think the difference this year will be that he wants that sort of control whereas last year he probably felt as if things were rushing at him a bit.

Can't wait to see a Western Force backline being driven around the field by someone like Matt Giteau, it'll be all attack once he gets his feet on the ground......awesome!

[Thequeerone]

Would love to see Hennas at 9 for the Wallabies - like many here reckon he deserves the spot - most of all I want him to get there on his own - don't think it's useful for either Gitts or Hennas to become tied together - they are both more useful than that- given that the Force has an awesome 9 and a very capable 12 - it seems likely that Gitts will play 10.

At the TWF award night the InnForcer asked them what they want to do in the coming year - Gitts didn't answer - Stanners did saying something to the effect that if he would play 12 and Gitts would play 10 (I had had a guiness by then someone else might remember more accurately!)

As for the Wallabies - with the loss of Gregan, Latham and Larkham (a cloud hanging over Mortlock - how fit will he be after this round of surgery !) just don't see many players around at the moment with the same maturity of play as the Force Players - Turner and Beale (maybe even Nick Cummins lets see how the season pans out !) are part of the future - but all need more time to develop their game and could probably do with a lot of mentoring which may well suit Robbie Deans in the longer term - in the short term the ARU and fair weather fans will be expecting results - not promises - why wouldn't Robbie go with the BEST option.

[Darren]

At the TWF award night the InnForcer asked them what they want to do in the coming year - Gitts didn't answer - Stanners did saying something to the effect that if he would play 12 and Gitts would play

Gits was diplomatic in how he didn't answer, but that was the gist of it...