Gits quits

[#1 Tah]

As kicker.

Matt Giteau has given up the Wallabies' goalkicking duties after a recent run of poor form with the boot.

Winger James O'Connor will replace Giteau as Australia's first-choice kicker after knocking over a wide conversion to down the All Blacks in Hong Kong last Saturday.

Giteau booted just one from four in the 26-24 win over NZ, the latest Test in which his kicking has been out-of-sorts.

The Australian centre also struggled this year in narrow losses to England and New Zealand at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

Coach Robbie Deans said after the breakthrough win at Hong Kong Stadium Giteau's kicking form would not be a major factor in him holding his place in the Wallabies' line-up.

The 28-year-old was replaced midway through the second half by Berrick Barnes.

Meanwhile, defence has been on Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom's mind despite the euphoria of victory.

It wasn't hard to see why as small Wallabies midfielders - in particular Quade Cooper - were bowled backwards by the juggernaut that is Ma'a Nonu.

But the problem is even bigger than Nonu.

The game may have changed with new interpretations at the breakdown promoting attack, but the Wallabies in this year's Tri-Nations let more than double the amount of tries in than they did in 2009.

The figure was 21 this year to 10 in '09, or one every 4.9 minutes of the time the opposition had the ball.

They began the season defending well but have let an average of 33 points per game past them in their last six matches.

Playing the world No.1 and, until recently, No.2 sides in a tournament has its challenges and, while the attacking prowess and belief have grown, the Wallabies' defence has suffered.

Coach Robbie Deans conceded after the in Hong Kong Cooper could improve his technique, but applauded the five-eighth's willingness to get his body in the way.

He said replacing Giteau with renowned defender, and playmaker, Barnes was an "attacking move".

And he is adamant the partnership of 92kg Cooper and 85kg Giteau is not the issue.

"Everyone uses what they've got to best affect," Deans said.

"The relativities can be significant but it's more about the way you come together as a group and the way you defend as a group.

"While individuals have got to take ownership and are responsible for their part of it, the way you combine is probably the critical element and some of the smallest men are the best defenders."

Despite the Wallabies giving away 44 and 39 points in South Africa during the Tri-Nations, Elsom narrowed the issue to the All Blacks clash.

"The game the other night was very fast so that has an impact on it," he said.

"Also they're one of the better sides going around so, being ranked No.1, you'd expect them to have a pretty good attack.

"We obviously want to work on that, we let some line breaks through and they obviously scored some tries so we're going to keep working until we consistently shut teams out

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8117347

 

[Gnostic]

Yippee. Now for the next step.

 

[JJJ]

Did he quit or was he sacked? At this stage I suspect Gits has one eye on Europe post-RWC, and while he won't make as much money there as a non-kicker he'll probably make more than he would as a poor kicker. If he can get his running mojo back, that is.

 

[Slim 293]

The news I want to hear that Deans will now bench him after some continuous poor form...

Hopefully he won't turn this into another Dick Brown fiasco...

 

[Groucho]

The figure was 21 this year to 10 in '09, or one every 4.9 minutes of the time the opposition had the ball.

They began the season defending well but have let an average of 33 points per game past them in their last six matches

Those are two completely bogus stats.

Edit: okay, the 33 is close, now that I do the sums. Geez.

 

[Scarfman]

Barnes is a better kicker than JOC (James O'Connor), from what I have seen.

 

[Joe Blow]

‘‘It was 100 per cent my decision,’’ Giteau said. ‘‘I just thought that while I was trialling a new goal-kicking technique, it wasn’t best to trial it in Test matches. I didn’t want to jeopardise the team.’’

Advertisement: Story continues below Giteau said he would keep working on his goalkicking and when he thought he was on top of it he would approach Deans to see whether he could again take over the duties.

Giteau struggled with his kicks in several Tests, including Scotland at Murrayfield during last year’s end-of-season tour, and against England and New Zealand in Sydney. After kicking just one from four in Hong Kong last Saturday night, Giteau knew it was time to hand the goalkicking reins over.

From Rugbyheaven.

Good on him.

 

[Scotty]

Barnes is a better kicker than JOC (James O'Connor), from what I have seen.

I did agree, and do agree, however I believe JOC (James O'Connor) has been doing a lot of work on this area, with some extra help from Robbie, so he may have improved considerably. He does have a predisposition to pull the ball though (ie left of the posts). Hopefully this is what he has ironed out.

 

[en_force_er]

I did agree, and do agree, however I believe JOC (James O'Connor) has been doing a lot of work on this area, with some extra help from Robbie, so he may have improved considerably. He does have a predisposition to pull the ball though (ie left of the posts). Hopefully this is what he has ironed out.

There's being a good kicker (Gitts for example) and being a player who kick, and is good in a pressure situation. I think most players considered kickers at international level would have hit JOC (James O'Connor)'s kick in non-pressure situations (warm-ups).

Is Barnes a good pressure player? I don't recall ever seeing a pressure kick asked of him.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

JOC (James O'Connor) regularly kicked for the Force last season, he'll be fine. There's no doubt in my mind that Barnes is a pressure player. I've never seen him crack in those situations.

 

[Richard D. James]

Barnes is a better kicker than JOC (James O'Connor), from what I have seen.

I always thought JOC (James O'Connor) had the most natural, consistent kicking action of all them, not just place kicks but in general play as well. I agree that Barnes is our other best kicker, at least atm, but am not sure if he has the temperament to take those important kicks.

 

[RedsHappy]

There's being a good kicker (Gitts for example) and being a player who kick, and is good in a pressure situation. I think most players considered kickers at international level would have hit JOC (James O'Connor)'s kick in non-pressure situations (warm-ups).
Is Barnes a good pressure player? I don't recall ever seeing a pressure kick asked of him.

Spot on. Mental readiness, calm mind, detachment from crowd factors, etc are no doubt a crucial components of the total skill set required. One of the many reasons goal kicking at the top level lends itself to coaching specialisation.

I am delighted at Giteau's long, long-overdue withdrawal, but I am concerned re anointing J0'C as his age/stage as No 1 kicker. Just as he is finding consistency, real self-confidence, etc in the team and dealing with all of those pressures, we are going to put this young guy into yet another, additional very high pressure component of the game, just as the Wallabies need consistency of victories. It seems dangerous to me, for the team and the player at his stage of development. For this reason alone I would have much preferred BB to come in now as main 12, taken the prime kicking duties, but with a solid kicking support group of KB (Kurtley Beale) and JO'C (and maybe QC (Quade Cooper) as might be needed). All 4 deserve a full time, specialist coach, as does the huge role this skill plays in winning Tests (and RWCs - hi Johnny).

 

[RedsHappy]

‘‘It was 100 per cent my decision,’’ Giteau said. ‘‘I just thought that while I was trialling a new goal-kicking technique, it wasn’t best to trial it in Test matches. I didn’t want to jeopardise the team.’&#8217 From Rugbyheaven.

Good on him.

Umm, JB, are you quite serious? It is surely not 'good on him'. For the good of the team, the long-suffering Wallaby fans, and the longevity of MG himself, the facts make clear that it is obvious that MG should have been removed from these duties, worse case, at the conclusions of 2009's EOYT, and, best case, some time in 2008 to permit other, better kickers to be trained and develop in Test environments, and thus win more Tests for Australia.

Given MG's appalling kicking record in the last 12 months - and his shocking kicking in HKG could have cost us this crucial Test if Donald has just made that one penalty kick - it should under no circumstances have been '100% my decision' and, if it should have been, he should have resigned these duties for the good of the jersey and with more nobility as per para 1. Hopefully, the above statement you quote is merely corporate and MG ego-preserving PR from the ARU (whose capacity to admit mistakes is on a par with George Bush's) that has no relation to the truth, being that presumably Deans and Elsom had totally, finally, after years, run out of patience with the long-running Giteau-to-be-indulged-at-all-costs syndrome.

This recent history with Giteau is a sorry episode of placing one player's historical 'aura' and reputation at the expense of the team and the fans, and it must never be repeated. Let's recall as well that he's still a mediocre 12, meaning that other, more talented and deserving players have not be given a chance to develop in that role as a run-on player. Another major waste.

 

[DPK]

This recent history with Giteau is a sorry episode of placing one player's historical 'aura' and reputation at the expense of the team and the fans, and it must never be repeated. Let's recall as well that he's still a mediocre 12, meaning that other, more talented and deserving players have not be given a chance to develop in that role as a run-on player. Another major waste.

RH, you're appealing to ignorance. You don't know that Giteau is being picked for those reasons. For all we know, he's a commanding presence on the field with regards to setting up the attacking plays. You never know, he may well be in charge of the backline attack.

Chill out and tone down the anti-Giteau crusade at least until the squad is released.

 

[Joe Blow]

Umm, JB, are you quite serious? It is surely not 'good on him'. For the good of the team, the long-suffering Wallaby fans, and the longevity of MG himself, the facts make clear that it is obvious that MG should have been removed from these duties, worse case, at the conclusions of 2009's EOYT, and, best case, some time in 2008 to permit other, better kickers to be trained and develop in Test environments, and thus win more Tests for Australia.

Given MG's appalling kicking record in the last 12 months - and his shocking kicking in HKG could have cost us this crucial Test if Donald has just made that one penalty kick - it should under no circumstances have been '100% my decision' and, if it should have been, he should have resigned these duties for the good of the jersey and with more nobility as per para 1. Hopefully, the above statement you quote is merely corporate and MG ego-preserving PR from the ARU (whose capacity to admit mistakes is on a par with George Bush's) that has no relation to the truth, being that presumably Deans and Elsom had totally, finally, after years, run out of patience with the long-running Giteau-to-be-indulged-at-all-costs syndrome.

This recent history with Giteau is a sorry episode of placing one player's historical 'aura' and reputation at the expense of the team and the fans, and it must never be repeated. Let's recall as well that he's still a mediocre 12, meaning that other, more talented and deserving players have not be given a chance to develop in that role as a run-on player. Another major waste.

"He's still a mediocre 12".
He wasn't mediocre when he was playing in between Larkham and Morty. He wasn't mediocre when he tore Wales a new one last year and the ARU and most fans didn't think he was mediocre when he was about to jump ship and head to France.
He wasn't mediocre when he ripped France to pieces last year in Australia.

I'll give it to you that he is out of form right now and has never performed his best against the ABs. Mind you most in the know, including his team mates, Bob Dwyer and pretty much every other coach of note, seem to think he is OK.
He doesn't select himself or choose himself to be the goal kicker, however he did choose to step down from kicking duties for the common good. Kudos to him for that when his coach didn't have the balls to do what needed to be done.

 

[Gnostic]

Giteau has not shown any form for two years. He IS a mediocre 12 on current form. Yes at one time (before the 2007 RWC) he was the best 12 in Oz and could arguably have been the best since Horan but he got shifted around to 9 and 10. Since then it has been downhill for him. When and only when he recovers that form will he again deserve his spot in the side.

 

[Joe Blow]

I would not question him being dropped to the bench because of his current form.

The point is that he is not a selector. He is chosen in the greater squad, fronts up and puts his best foot forward and in turn is then chosen in the starting side. Then other people choose him as the first choice kicker.

What do you expect him to do? Some act as though he has done the Wallabies a great disservice or has underhandedly engineered his own selection as player and kicker.

 

[Gnostic]

Joe, that is why I and other have been extremely critcial of Deans. You are quite right it isn't Giteau's place to death ride himself. In fact the opposite really, one has to have confidence in oneself, the other way lies depression etc.

However Deans has failed IMO but consistantly selecting Giteau as kicker and in fact starting him. I also add the failure of Connolly to the list with moving Giteau to nine and Jones for moving him to 10. The Flyhalf move could be justified at the time but it was pretty apparent that against an organised team he didn't offer what was needed at 10. Hence he should have been returned to his best spot and hopefully his form not badly damaged. Remember other 12's were tried at 10 and failed, Grey and Horan. Horan, possibly the best 12 in the professional era possibly ever, and he was dire at 10. The point is that it was recognised and the idea discarded early. Giteau has been done a dis-service my consecutive coaches in continuing to play him at 10 (and please do not hold up S14 games against some fairly ordinary teams as proof of his 10 skills). Perhaps if he is dropped to the bench and he has to strive to get back in he form will return to what it once was and this would be great for Oz. As things stand now Barnes is a better defender, better kicker from hand and place, and better organiser.

 

[Joe Blow]

I would not be surprised to see him completely destroy Wales on Saturday with the pressure of goal kicking gone.
He is one of the highest try scoring Wallabies of all time behind a couple of back 3 players.

Don't write him off just yet.

 

[Red Rooster]

Makes a mockery of the Braam coaching deal - the guy is dead and buried now and no-one fixed/addressed what clearly is a mental issue not a technical issue. I bet he kicks well for the Brumbies next year just like he did this year.