Wallabies go for Giteau at 9
24 May 2007
Matt Giteau will continue at scrumhalf when Australia meet Wales in their season opening Test.
Giteau filled the role on the Wallabie’s end of year tour in 2006 to limited success. Coach John Connolly though has maintained faith in the Force man, and continues his search a midfield partner for Stirling Mortlock. Giteau is expected to shift to inside centre in the second half with veteran scrumhalf George Gregan taking over at the ruck base.
“In the backs we are lucky that Matt Giteau is so versatile,” Wallabies backs coach Scott Johnson told the Sydney Morning Herald. “We are trying to reinvent a new No.9 and see if it fits our play. He’s a wonderful player. Where he is best suited, we are about to find out.”
Mortlock’s Brumbies teammate Adam Ashley-Cooper is the man entrusted with the No 12 shirt, and he will look to cement his spot with a series of solid displays in the run up to the World Cup. Julian Huxley slots in at fullback in the absence of Chris Latham. He has had a solid season with the Brumbies and is one-third of a new look back three that is completed by Drew Mitchell and Mark Gerrard.
Phil Waugh captains the side and will play the fetchers role in an all-Waratah back row with Wycliff Palu and Rocky Elsom.
Waugh and Mortlock will share the captaincy duties over the next seven Tests with the ‘Tahs man rotating with George Smith at openside flank.
Australia - 15 Julian Huxley, 14 Mark Gerrard, 13 Stirling Mortlock, 12 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Stephen Larkham, 9 Matt Giteau, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Phil Waugh (c), 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Mark Chisholm, 4 Nathan Sharpe, 3 Guy Shepherdson, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Matt Dunning.
Subs: 16 Adam Freier, 17 Benn Robinson, 18 Dan Vickerman, 19 Stephen Hoiles, 20 George Smith, 21 George Gregan, 22 Scott Staniforth.
Wales - 15 Lee Byrne, 14 Gareth Thomas (c), 13 Jamie Robinson, 12 Sonny Parker, 11 Chris Czekaj, 10 James Hook, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Iestyn Thomas, 7 Matthew Rees, 6 Adam Jones, 5 Brent Cockbain, 4 Rob Sidoli, 3 Colin Charvis, 2 Gavin Thomas, 1 Jonathan Thomas.
Subs: 16 Richard Hibbard, 17 Ceri Jones, 18 Michael Owen, 19 Scott Morgan, 20 Gareth Cooper, 21 Ceri Sweeney, 22 Gavin Henson.
18 Comments
24 May 2007, 07:59 am
Massive mistake. He is on of, if not the best inside center in the game. He gells well with Larkham, and now you move him to 9 !
Knuckles should be shot
24 May 2007, 08:01 am
Should read “one of”
Oh, and FIRST !
24 May 2007, 08:13 am
Agree Cheetha,
and nevermind that Adam has had limited game time at Centre. Besides Gregan really isn’t THAT bad.
24 May 2007, 08:27 am
Stupid Aussies!
24 May 2007, 08:34 am
Ag I like it.. Less Gregan? Yes Please!!
24 May 2007, 08:34 am
George I hear that you are a gentleman – this Connolly has no respect for you. You have nothing to prove and I worry and wonder why he does not play you
24 May 2007, 09:03 am
yawn.
24 May 2007, 09:34 am
uuummmm…. where is Cameron Shepherd? Am i missing something?
24 May 2007, 09:50 am
Cameron Shepherd must be missing his sheep.
Like Little Bo Peep.
24 May 2007, 10:00 am
Jeez putting your best play maker at the base of the scrum is madness
24 May 2007, 10:11 am
That’s actually a very good side, front-row excepted.
I thought Giteau did very well at scrummy on the EOYT, but Ig’s right. He’s a good scrummy, but he’s a magnificent 12.
He should be playing there, with Henjak at scrumhalf. But apparently, Knuckles has an issue with Henjak.
Perhaps similar to Jake’s issue with Luke (Luke and Henjak both have LATS – Loudmouth Arrogant Tosser Syndrome)
24 May 2007, 10:11 am
Tell that to Joost vd W, Ig.
24 May 2007, 10:43 am
What’s Charvis doing at 3?
24 May 2007, 11:03 am
What a waste of talent and resources.
Henjak and Shepard should be starting and the best #12 in the world should be playing at #12
24 May 2007, 11:36 am
Jake White announced today that Jean de Villiers would start at 9 for the Boks. He was quoted as saying ‘we need to keep up with international developments in the game’. This brilliant move will allow us to try out Pierre Spies at 12, a position to which I feel he will be ultimatley suited’.
24 May 2007, 12:04 pm
go the wales!!!
24 May 2007, 23:44 pm
Not a silly move, in SA you have some good running scrum halves, in FdP and Ruan Pienaar, so could we see Aus adopting a similar strategy, someone to attack the same lines and capable of strong defence.
Thinking outside the square, another option other than the standard Gregan etc, its a good move 90 odd days from a world cup.
25 May 2007, 04:02 am
I’m sure he’s going to be very good at scrumhalf, but he seems like a quite oke. and so, who is going to stand over Byron Kelleher and yel FOUR MORE YEARS BOYS!
That’s my favourite part of the world cup. (well, second favourite actually.)
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