Giteau must be in Wallabies World Cup squad

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

There's been an excuse for Giteau not being up to the task given him almost every time we've lost a game. The forwards were shit. The ball was wet. The ball was dry. He was rusty, he'll be better next week. He was so good in the Super rugby season! He's coming back from an injury. And so on.

The facts as they appear to me is that he hasn't been a halfway threatening 12 since the demise of the Larkham, and only ever appeared a decent 10 in the ELV mess of 2008.

Even the most passionate fans of his have acknowledged that he's lost whatever it was that he had, so now it's the intangible "experience" factor that he can add.

Problem is, Giteau's "experience" consists of 90-odd tests playing on Wallaby teams that either got dominated, or found new and innovative ways to lose games they should have won. He's used to losing, he's got a cancerous "me first" attitude, and he needs to be as far away from the Wallaby squad as we can get him.

He's done. I don't care if Cooper AND Barnes are ruled out of the tournament, he has no place in the Wallaby camp, for my money.

Seriously, when has Giteau had a good pack in front of him?

Western Force?
Brumbies of late?
Wallabies teams of the last few years?

 

[JohnD]

LEGENDARY Test five-eighths Mark Ella and Stephen Larkham believe Wallabies selectors can't afford not to pick Matt Giteau for the Rugby World Cup.
What the greats had to say

Larkham, who steered the Wallabies to victory in the 1999 World Cup, believes Giteau should be on the plane.

"You need guys who play multiple positions and can be called upon to play anywhere in the backline," Larkham said.

"Gits can play anywhere, including halfback. He's very versatile, is a left-foot option and is very experienced," Larkham said. "You want someone like that in the squad."

Ella, who starred in the No.10 during the Wallabies' 1984 Grand Slam tour, echoed Larkham's sentiments.

 

[H...]

The current team is playing appreciably better without him. Is your hypothesis that the pack just happened to become substantially better at the same time that Giteau was dropped from the starting side?

Regardless, if your suggestion is that Giteau can only really perform when supported by a dominant pack, we may aswell leave him at home because the pack is not going to be any more dominant than it was for the best part of the last decade.

 

[H...]

Larkham, who steered the Wallabies to victory in the 1999 World Cup, believes Giteau should be on the plane.

"You need guys who play multiple positions and can be called upon to play anywhere in the backline," Larkham said.

"Gits can play anywhere, including halfback. He's very versatile, is a left-foot option and is very experienced," Larkham said. "You want someone like that in the squad."

Ella, who starred in the No.10 during the Wallabies' 1984 Grand Slam tour, echoed Larkham's sentiments.

Larkham is also the Brumbies backline coach. Hardly impartial.

As for Ella, it's a little surprising, though he also said that "there was no need to select three halfbacks in the squad given a new player could be sent over from Australia within a day." Which fails to acknowledge the fact that you can only replace players permanently. So he's hardly on top of the analysis.

 

[daz]

Larkham, who steered the Wallabies to victory in the 1999 World Cup, believes Giteau should be on the plane..

Larkham pimping for Giteau. Who woulda thunk it?

 

[Nelse]

Matt Giteau shouldered the Wallabies for many difficult years leading up to the current squad.

Well Gits and George Smith.

Personally not a fan of Gits at 10, but I think he'd be invaluable to the Cup squad. With Sharpie in the forwards and Gits in the backs, it would give some much needed experience to this very young Wallaby side. A couple of blokes to add to (read: take up) the leadership of the team. A centre pairing of Gits and Horne/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) would go alright. However, the way Gits has been playing, probably only warrants a bench seat.

 

[H...]

Even the most passionate fans of his have acknowledged that he's lost whatever it was that he had, so now it's the intangible "experience" factor that he can add.

Well Gits and George Smith.

Personally not a fan of Gits at 10, but I think he'd be invaluable to the Cup squad. With Sharpie in the forwards and Gits in the backs, it would give some much needed experience to this very young Wallaby side. A couple of blokes to add to (read: take up) the leadership of the team. A centre pairing of Gits and Horne/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) would go alright. However, the way Gits has been playing, probably only warrants a bench seat.

 

[Nelse]

I'm not a passionate fan of his though. Can't stand the way he crabs across field. But for a world cup, experience counts. The Darkness know it, The Saffa's have experienced it last time and this time are relying too much on it. Aus aren't gonna get anywhere if there's no-one to steer the ship. Personally I'd rather Mortlock and Waugh somewhere in the mix, but it ain't gonna happen.

 

[H...]

I'm not a passionate fan of his though. Can't stand the way he crabs across field. But for a world cup, experience counts. The Darkness know it, The Saffa's have experienced it last time and this time are relying too much on it. Aus aren't gonna get anywhere if there's no-one to steer the ship. Personally I'd rather Mortlock and Waugh somewhere in the mix, but it ain't gonna happen.

Why?

We need a team that can win 3 or 4 difficult games of rugby. in 1995 the experienced team did us no good and it was the same in 2007. Carrying old, broken, ineffective players for their experience factor is just asking to not make it past the 1/4 finals.

 

[Clawhammer]

Why?

We need a team that can win 3 or 4 difficult games of rugby. in 1995 the experienced team did us no good and it was the same in 2007. Carrying old, broken, ineffective players for their experience factor is just asking to not make it past the 1/4 finals.

We get it - you don't like Gits. Nevertheless, the fact that you call him old, broken and ineffective suggests that you haven't watched much of him this year other than the Samoa test.

 

[Torn Hammy]

The intrigue is that Deans on a $million a year for the last four years, with McCabe, is going to serve up to the RWC in a vital position someone who has only played 4 or 5 tests. Given the pedigree of Giteau, this is an astonishing risk.

I feel Giteau's mistake was that he made the no. 10 jersey a contest between Cooper and himself, and gave the impression that he plays no.12 reluctantly(especially outside Cooper). However, if there is no Gits and Cooper gets injured early, I reckon we are stuffed.

 

[antipodean]

Why?

We need a team that can win 3 or 4 difficult games of rugby.

Something the Wallabies have been unable to do during Deans' tenure.

 

[aussie1st]

The only thing that keeps Giteau in the frame is his few games at halfback where he looked alright. That helps if we keep on going the 5/2 bench split but the problem is you wouldn't really want him as the replacement 5/8. Ideally we go back to the 4/3 bench split as that extra forward doesn't add enough for me to justify leaving out a potential back replacement.

 

[H...]

We get it - you don't like Gits. Nevertheless, the fact that you call him old, broken and ineffective suggests that you haven't watched much of him this year other than the Samoa test.

Ive seen him play 90 odd tests, or at the very least, all those that count. His super rugby form is completely irrelevant at this point.

Though, the broken comment was more in relation to the general idea that it's wise to carry yesterday's stars into the RWC on the back of a vague notion of experience than it was to Giteau specifcally.

 

[Nelse]

He just made a tweet "Thank u ball boys, thank u linesman! Thats it..."

He might have just caught the let down..

 

[chasmac]

The two biggest problems with a Cooper Giteau combo is 1) Size and accuracy in defense. 2) Giteau seems to lose his mojo on attack when he's outside Cooper.
The biggest advantage with them playing together is they make the opposition defense have to split their focus on the two playmakers / 2 general play kickers.
With Diggers performing Cooper's defensive duties, problem 1 is reasonably solved but problem 2 remains.
If JOC (James O'Connor) or Beale can interchange with McCabe when the Wallabies have the ball, then we retain the advantage we had with the 2 playmakers / field kickers.
All of this must make AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s life a total misery. He wouldn't have a clue who's inside him, if they are going to try and work some spaces with him, without him, kick it.
Bloody hell. If Cooper could tackle it would be alot simpler.

Back to topic; I don't think Cooper and Giteau should play beside each other unless Giteau is at half back.

I would pick Giteau for the 22 at the expense of the reserve half back. Not the starting XV unless Cooper is out. Even so, still not at 10 - never at 10.

 

[chasmac]

He just made a tweet "Thank u ball boys, thank u linesman! Thats it..."

He might have just caught the let down..

That would be a pity.

 

[mudskipper]

No he mustn't - and he won't be. Gits has repeatedly failed at 10 at international level against decent opposition. He's a 12. McCabe, Fainga'a & Barnes are ahead of him at 12. Cooper, JOC (James O'Connor), Barnes and probably Beale are ahead at 10.

Barnes hasn't played 12 since his return to local rugby... His head injuries will likely happen again at international level rugby. He is a risk. Beale hasn't played flyhalf at international level and is best given a roaming fullback brief as he is more dangerous. Giteau is the only utility inside back who is a goal kicker in Australia. He needs to be available as an option. Giteau maybe not at his peak but he still offers more at a Rugby World Cup than most.

Giteau played behind a dominated forwards pack against Samoa, he is hardly solely responsible for the loss

 

[Richo]

The case would appear to be closed.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...et-hints-at-world-cup-axe-20110817-1ixqz.html

 

[aussie1st]

If we are bringing Phipps then we might as well have brought Giteau over him.