What do the Brumbies do with Matt Giteau?

From a “leagueie” who is also a casual observer of the Brumbies: IMO neither the Brumbies nor Wallabies have ever recovered from the departure of Stephen Larkham. People forget how good he really was, particularly when the pressure was on. As good as Giteau’s skills are, he isn’t a natural five-eighth and playing there cramps his passing game and hinders his running game. The Brumbies need to recruit in this area, or get Lealifano up to speed, fast.

As for the Wallabies, their problem is not having enough depth, in any position. As others have mentioned above, Tyrone Smith was a complete nobody in the NRL and is now on tour with the Wallabies. As much as I liked Pete Kimlin, the fact that he only played a handful of games with the Brumbies before getting his gold jersey was pretty telling. The guys who are out there look disinterested and lack passion at the moment.

BTW I haven’t seen either the Brumbies or Wallabies score a try as good as this in years: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU4-jPSF7SY

Maybe football(soccer) is not the only sport that should be looked at for match fixing.
Agree with Chokubaijo, the forwards have been dissapointing since the start of the tri nations. then we bring in Rocky with the promise of more mongrel and we compete for the first two or three rucks/mauls and then get beaten to every subsequent r/m for the rest of the game. Comes down to ticker, every sport has a wall that needs to be ‘tackled’ to give 100% for the full time. The problem is our ‘elite’ athletes can’t do it. Yeah maybe all the other teams are getting better but are we happy to just stagnate. I loved playing rugby when i was younger and loved that the Wallabies were one of the best teams in the world. Now we are at best third but more likely 4th or 5th, which is not that good as there are only 10 teams of any note.
Gits will do well when he comes here, hopefully slotting into no. 12 outside christian. Its gonna be a good year for the Brumbies, but unfortunately the Wallabies are treading water and only just managing to keep there heads above the water.

All I can say is, if that match against Scotland was a horse race, they’d be calling in the stewards – Gits, and 80% kicker missed 3 from 4; 1 from right in front – and it didn’t miss by a little bit either. Same with the conversion attempt at the end – I noted when he placed the ball it was aimed well to the left; and he kicked it – well to the left. So was it just a really, really bad day? A dummy spit? Other?

I agree with mutley gits is best at 12, as for Skidd Marx I think A-Cooper at 13 and hope that o’conner or someone else turns up for 15. As for the coaches well I think Jim Williams has a lot to answer for, our forwards have been beaten at the break down all year weather it be against NZ SA Englan Ireland or Scotland. We seem to like our forward scoreing tries rather than securreing the ball. I can remeber the first thing I learnt while playing Rugby was that”the ball is gold”. Our forward (especially the frontrow) don’t like getting into the break down, they seem to prefere hanging around the back line hopeing for a try.

mutley said :

Gits has always played his best footy at 12. He needs that extra width to work his magic.

+1, and hope Mortlock is good for 13.

Biggest problem at the ARU/Wallabies – John O’Neill, the man is big a fool as there has ever been. His attitude towards players is appalling and his willingness to ‘rule with an iron fist’ has done nothing but divide the game. Let us not forget he actively sought the dismissal of George Gregan because he just didn’t like him. He put a red line through Lote Tiquiri from the day he walked back into ARU headquarters and today we hear that Knuckles Connelly is suing the ARU and O’Neill. Defence Rests Your Honour.

The Aussie scrum has improved slightly and even the lineout seems to beholding its own. They are not dominated in either facet but they are not being dominated.

The backline is where there is no creativity, a lack of understanding and a willingness to kick all too often

Why? Well I just don’t think there is the talent in Aussie backs.

Without starting the league/union war, 2 players in the touring squad are leagues that never really rose to great heights.

Ryan Cross – though a schoolboy rugby player, had 7 years as a solid first grader with Sydney Roosters and never really pushed hard for State of Origin/Australia then 1-2 years back is often considered a first choice centre

Tyronne Smith – A reserve grader with Sydney Roosters then within 2 years an Australian player (at 25 years of age)

Either these guys a late maturers or it is easier for them to make Aus teams because the cupboard is pretty bare

My 2011 WC Backline:

10. Barnes
11. Mitchell (so long as he is prepared to have his left foot amputated)
12. Gits
13. Cooper
14. Ioane
15. Ashley-Cooper

Gits has always played his best footy at 12. He needs that extra width to work his magic.

Giteau will be fine when he gets to work with someone at twelve who isn’t a talentless hack like Quade Cooper. Do we work under a South African style quota system where every province needs a minimum number of wallabies regardless of how crap Queensland is?