Matt Giteau to remain Wallabies first-choice goal kicker
By Ed Jackson
September 12, 2010
The Wallabies are set to stick with Matt Giteau as first-choice goal kicker despite his costly inaccuracy in Saturday's one-point loss the All Blacks in Sydney.
Giteau missed two conversions and two penalty attempts in the 23-22 defeat at ANZ Stadium as the Wallabies' losing streak against New Zealand was stretched to a record 10 matches.
It's not the first time a poor kicking display by Giteau has cost the Wallabies.
This year's Test defeat to England at the same venue featured a couple of costly misses, while last year's loss to Scotland at Murrayfield was blighted by missed points-scoring opportunities.
Giteau's disappointing form would not have been an issue had the Wallabies not suffered another trademark second-half fadeout to lose from 22-9 up with 20 minutes to go.
"There's no doubt going forward Matt will still be the No.1 kicker in the team and he's earned the right to be the No.1 kicker in the team," said assistant coach Richard Graham.
He said Giteau's quality as a goal kicker was well proven.
"Matt kicked at 84 per cent during Super rugby," Graham said.
"Whilst some of his kicking throughout the Test season probably hasn't been as consistent as he'd liked to have seen it or we'd like to have seen it ... the guy can goal-kick.
"There's obviously a flaw in his kicking that in situations becomes apparent and doesn't allow him to be as consistent as he wants to be but in terms of what that flaw is I couldn't tell you."
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans refused to speculate on Giteau and his goal-kicking status in the team, instead focusing on his team's challenge to end their domination by the All Blacks.
Despite a marked improvement from this year's first Bledisloe Cup Test in Melbourne to Saturday's narrow loss, Deans refused to settle for near enough being good enough.
"It's evident that the group is progressing. But the All Blacks are still the benchmark," he said.
"The step's not enormous but it is going to take an effort. We've just got to keep going, it's that simple. You don't become No.1 in the world without an effort.
"You can't package it, no matter which way you look at it, we're disappointed. We came to win, we're prepared to win and we didn't win.
"You've got to give the All Blacks credit for what they've achieved, what they've done in recent times.
"They're playing good rugby, they're the best side in the world but we're not resigned to that. We'll just keep working on our own game, working on what we bring to the game."
Deans said the most pleasing aspect from his team's Tri Nations campaign was the development of a squad he feels has the depth to carry the team into next year's Rugby World Cup.
"There are any number of players who are integral, the good thing is the number who have integrated into our team," he said.
"I take great heart from that, not the fact that we're closer on the scoreboard."
The Wallabies will now enjoy a short break before an initial squad for next month's fourth Bledisloe Test in Hong Kong and the end-of-year European tour is selected in early October.
AAP
