Wednesday 06th February 2008

http://www.planetrugby.com/Story/0,1...113201,00.html

A battle for Australian flyhalf supremacy will begin in a pre-season Super 14 warm-up on Thursday and will continue for the entire Super 14 campaign.

Stephen Larkham's retirement from international rugby has left the Wallaby flyhalf berth vacant - a position that Force number ten Matt Giteau and Reds pivot Berrick Barnes will be vying for.

As Giteau and Barnes start their tussle, Force coach John Mitchell revealed how he tried to sign the Reds' rising star before swooping on Giteau last year.

Barnes' obvious talent was on display during the Wallabies' ultimately disappointing World Cup campaign - with a two-try debut against Japan, followed by a starring role in the pool win over Wales.

Playing alongside Giteau for the Wallabies, Barnes impressed all, but Mitchell said he knew long before then what the 21-year-old had to offer.

"I was interested in Berrick in our inaugural year in terms of recruiting, we had a meeting with him and through our recruitment understood the talent he had to offer," Mitchell said on rugbyheaven.com.au.

"He has a good little toughness about him that I like and he will get better with age.

"He was put in a very difficult situation in the World Cup quarter-final and I am sure he will be better for that experience going forward.

"They are two quite different players. Gits [Giteau] is still learning to play [at] number ten and Barnesy [Barnes] has had that time internationally.

"It should be a good contest, because they are both youthful but Gits has had that little bit more experience on the big stage."

With Giteau relishing his permanent role at fly-half for the Force, what incoming Australian coach Robbie Deans has in mind for him, come June, will be one of the talking points of the new season.

Mitchell however has no doubt the Force's new vice-captain can inflict more damage on the opposition at fly-half.

"He is enthused there because he is driving the team," Mitchell said.

"Under the new free kick dynamic and new laws ... he will see more ball in his hands and he will be a greater influence on the game.

"I thought during the World Cup when he played centre ... you didn't see the same influence as we see with ball in hand."

Despite naming a strong line-up for the clash against the Reds, Mitchell insisted on Wednesday at least five positions were still up for grabs, with Scott Staniforth warned his position in the side was not assured despite his recovery from shoulder surgery.