Matt Giteau to Straaten up his kicking

[travelling_gerry]

Matt Giteau to Straaten up his kicking

• Jon Geddes
• From: The Daily Telegraph
• September 13, 2010 12:00AM

Gutted ... Matt Giteau. Source: Getty Images





SOUTH African kicking guru Braam van Straaten will fly to Australia next month after Matt Giteau missed four shots at goal in the Wallabies' 23-22 loss to the All Blacks on Saturday night.

The former Springboks inside back will spend a week working intensively with the Wallabies' kickers.

He will then use the latest technology to hone the technique of Giteau and the Wallabies' other kickers during their tour of Europe kicks off in November.

Van Straaten worked wonders with Giteau during the recent tour to South Africa, the backline ace booting 10 goals from 10 attempts in two Tests against the Springboks.

Accurate goalkicking has always been vital at World Cups and next year's tournament won't be any different.

Giteau has an 84 per cent success rate in Super 14.

And while his success rate in the Tri Nations is 73.5 per cent, he has suffered the wobbles at crucial times in recent Tests.


In Australia's 21-20 loss to England at Homebush in June, Giteau scored all the Wallabies' points but missed four penalties - including one from in front of the posts that would have won the game.

On last year's tour of Scotland, he missed an injury-time conversion and the Wallabies lost 9-8.

Outgoing Wallabies assistant coach Richard Graham said Giteau doesn't suffer from a lack of concentration.

"There is a flaw in his kicking that in situations becomes apparent and doesn't allow him to be as consistent as he wants to be," Graham said.

Graham backed Giteau to continue in the important role.

"The guy can goalkick," Graham said.

"There is no doubt Matt will still be the No. 1 kicker in the team and he has earned that right."

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said the team's kickers have to put in the work.

"The reality now is that it is about numbers," Deans said.

"It's about the players getting their numbers up and getting into a routine.

"You don't master that sort of skill overnight."

Deans said van Straaten doesn't physically need to be with the squad during their upcoming tour.

"He can support with the use of technology - even in real time, believe it or not," he said.

"Players can be filmed and then you can get a response while you are on the training field."

Deans said van Straaten won't just work with the Wallabies during his time in Australia.

The next generation of kickers and kicking coaches will also get some pointers.

Deans will name a training squad of 40 for the spring tour.

That number will be reduced and while the size of the party is yet to be finalised, it will be include more than 32 players.

"There are two midweekers, so there is a lot of rugby," Deans said.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1225919779141

[GIGS20]

Hope he's a bloody good psychologist, because it seems to me that Gits only cracks when under pressure.

His stats might be good, and he might be a better kicker from all parts of the field than anybody in the team, but he doesn't have the balls to make a kick like Kurtley did in Bloem.

(Matter of fact, I didn't think Kurtley had the stones to make that kick.....happy to be proven wrong!)

[Cowboy]

Giteau is kicking poorly, and near on invisible the rest of the time. Why is he on the field is the real question?

[hertryk]

He's not making much of an impact where ever he is...I think his playing has deteriorated since leaving the Force....He's not as good as he thinks he is....!!!

[robyn <3]

I don't understand why we're hauling in doctors and kicking experts to fix the wayward kicking of Giteau, who's getting towards the 'has been' status, despite the fact we have plenty of young, adequate kicking gems in the XV - like we have money to burn. Yet we can't have a second tier Aussie rugby competition because it's a waste of money. Some serious money management issues here JON.

[Piet Van Ziel]

He needs a biochemist to design a iv valium self administartion system to inject himself before crucial kicks in big games.

Alternatively, play A.Faingaa at 12 and pass the ball to Cooper or Beale

[GIGS20]

I'll take option 2!