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An interesting insight into the years ahead.
Knuckles anoints Giteau 'captain'
By Peter Badel, The Sunday Telegraph/Fox Sport
December 31, 2006
AUSTRALIA coach John Connolly has hailed Matt Giteau as a future Test captain, saying the backline dynamo has the character to fill the leadership vacuum when George Gregan steps aside as Wallabies skipper.
As Australia enters a Rugby World Cup year, Connolly spoke about the challenges facing the Wallabies in 2007.
He also opened up about Gregan's Test future; the Mat Rogers affair; and his side's confidence of beating the All Blacks at the code's showpiece event in France.
"The next year is a big challenge for Australian rugby," Connolly said.
"We need to take another step forward."
Captain Giteau
With Gregan's career winding down, the Wallabies have pencilled in several potential successors, including George Smith, Stirling Mortlock, Nathan Sharpe and Phil Waugh.
But Connolly is adamant that Giteau, rarely mentioned as a viable captaincy candidate, will eventually lead his country - possibly at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
"I don't know if he will succeed George but I have no doubt he will captain Australia one day," he said.
"I've got to know Matt this year. He's very professional, he has such a strong presence within the team.
"On the outside, people may not see that, but Matt is a special player and he will have a big influence on Australian rugby."
Connolly likened the Western Force $1.5million man to one of rugby's greatest centres.
"He reminds me very much of Tim Horan - just in his manner and how he acts," he said.
"He's such a strong personality.
"When he loses it hurts him badly.
"He's a bit cheeky but, like Tim, he's a winner and a leader of men."
George Gregan
Connolly said the Wallabies' long-standing skipper was not guaranteed the halfback spot next year following Giteau's successful stint in the No.9 jumper on the tour of Europe.
"George, like most guys, is probably under pressure," he said.
"I had a chat to George last week about the Wallabies. What we do with Giteau is an issue.
"(Giteau) is now comfortable at 9 or 12 (inside centre).
"Initially he was very nervous about playing halfback but that first 20 or 30 minutes against Wales (Giteau's starting Test debut at halfback) was probably the best footy that we've played this year."
Connolly also revealed that Gregan played under duress last season.
"A lot of people don't know George had a shoulder problem which affected the speed of his pass," he said.
"He also had a foot injury, he was a tough customer for us," he said. "I was happy with him but George, like everyone else, has things to work on.
"The team will be picked on form and George knows that.
"He said to me he has one goal - making the World Cup."
All Blacks
New Zealand has been hammering rivals ruthlessly over the past three years, but Connolly says the All Blacks, raging favourites to win next year's Rugby World Cup in France after winning 33 of their past 37 Test matches, are far from invincible.
"We are all chasing New Zealand but they've fallen over before," he said.
"They've imploded at times.
"There is confidence in this side that we are good enough to beat the All Blacks."
In this year's Tri-Nations, the Wallabies lost all three matches against the All Blacks, but two defeats, 34-27 and 13-9, were fiercely fought.
"We are comfortable playing them," Connolly said.
"They are ominous, no doubt. To beat them in France we need to be combative, we need to be technically correct and we must work for the full 80 minutes."
Mat Rogers
Connolly believes the Australian Rugby Union should have retained Rogers. He also denied falling out with the gifted utility after Rogers expressed his disappointment with a lack of opportunities at five-eighth in Europe.
"At the end of the day, you sign a contract for a lot of money and you have to honour that," he said.
"I would have liked for Mat to stay but I can understand why he wanted to go.
"There was no inkling he wanted out early.
"We spoke a number of times on tour and he said he was disappointed not to play the final Test (at five-eighth) and I said, 'Mat, you did have two or three Tests, you had some chances'.
"We left on a good note.
"He's a bloke I like and I wish him well back in rugby league."
Depth
"Our goal at the start of the year was to develop a forward pack that can compete and we've done that," Connolly said.
"Our backs are still a bit of an issue ... but the players are very keen to do well at the World Cup - and I'm confident we will."
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