Western Force not fooled by injury Mat Giteau injury 'bluff'

[travelling_gerry]

Western Force not fooled by injury Mat Giteau injury 'bluff'

• Dale Granger
• From: The Sunday Times
• January 30, 2010 8:48PM
• 2 comments

NOT GOING TO FLY: The Western Force refuses to be fooled by injury 'bluffs' surrounding Canberra's Matt Giteau. Picture: Tom Hevezi Source: AP





IF the Brumbies are faking it, the Emirates Western Force aren't fooled.

Force captain Nathan Sharpe says he knows Matt Giteau well enough to believe the ace playmaker will be returning to Perth wearing the No.10 jumper in a fortnight for the opening Super 14 game against his former franchise.
Conflicting reports from Canberra have raised doubts over whether Giteau, sidelined with a quadricep injury, will be fit enough for selection in the clash at ME Bank Stadium.

In what appears to be a calculated, smoke-and-mirrors ploy designed to scramble the Forces' focus, it has also been suggested that Giteau could play inside-centre, a cunning strategy designed to disrupt his former Perth prodigy, James OConnor.
But Sharpe, who has been around long enough to smell a rat in rugby, isn't buying any of it.


"Matt's not the sort of a guy to fake an injury. We are preparing for him to play and I believe there's no doubt he will be at flyhalf," said the veteran lock of a mouth-watering match-up featuring Giteau against marquee signing Andre Pretorius on the Springbok's Super 14 debut for the Force.

Four seasons of combat alongside Giteau has given the Force a close-up insight into the playmaking abilities of a rare talent.

But if anyone knows Giteau's weaknesses, if any, and how best to rattle the Wallaby pivot, it's the Perth franchise.
Without giving too much away, Sharpe confirmed that the team would be cooking up a cocktail for their former teammate.
"Matt is the type of player who can adapt to just about any situation, but there are different ways we can look to limit his influence.
"You can put pressure on players around him or directly on him. It's important that we cover all bases," he said.
For the moment, though, the Force aren't looking beyond Friday's final warm-up at their new rectangular stadium against a Reds side buoyant from pre-season upset victories against the Waratahs and the Crusaders.
Meanwhile, airline Emirates has extended its deal as naming rights sponsor with the Force for a further three years.


http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/wes...-1225825070092

[PerthGirl]

Mudskipper might not be posting here but he can't resist a dig in the comments below the story

[blueandblack]

"News"papers really need to come up with something original. Stop laughing now.

Every year they always write about someone being injured right before season starts. Maybe the vbookie can run a bet from next year as to who it will be.

[beige]

Mudskipper might not be posting here but he can't resist a dig in the comments below the story

Mudskipper exists in the outside world now?

[SleazyWineBaas]

The Force knows he's a malingerer. He feigns injury to get out of training. Probably needs some pink fun foils before he shows up in Perth

He'll probably leave Perth injured after 80 minutes of getting hammered by Pocock

[brokendown gunfighter]

one can only hope

[blue]

The Force knows he's a malingerer. He feigns injury to get out of training. Probably needs some pink fun foils before he shows up in Perth

He'll probably leave Perth injured after 80 minutes of getting hammered by Pocock

Maybe he is feigning the injury so that he doesn't have to face Pocock.

[GIGS20]

The Force knows he's a malingerer. He feigns injury to get out of training. Probably needs some pink fun foils before he shows up in Perth

He'll probably leave Perth injured after 80 minutes of getting hammered by Pocock

80 minutes?

You obviously didn't see the Tahs game that cost me my hair.


First tackle, Sam norton Knight, Stirling Mortlock head position, good night sweet prince.

I give him five minutes, two if they kick off!

[laura]

Maybe they're not falling for it because its all contrived hype from someone trying to get a bite out of Force supporters?!