0
Emirates Western Force flyhalf Matt Giteau will take on the Brumbies for the second time this Friday night at Subiaco Oval and is determined to see the Force finish above his former side with a victory.
The match will end Giteau's second season with the Force and his first at No. 10, but he will have no problem doing his very best to beat the Brumbies and ensure that the Perth-based close the year with the Waratahs the only local side ahead of his men.
"It's now my second game against them so that type of feeling won't be there this time around. There's always some added feeling against another Australian side, though, so that's the extra bit going into the game," Giteau said.
"When you go out there nobody is friends and they are opposition. If anything you go a little harder against people that you know, so I don't expect any favours."
"They have a young and exciting backline now, and pretty young team all round. They've created a lot of things this season, but just haven't finished it off. They are dangerous from that aspect and we just have to stop them from being creative."
Giteau feels that both his new position and the ELVs have led to him being targeted more this season, but he has learnt cope with that and certainly isn't complaining.
"It's been a difficult year for me. It's the first time I've played a full season at flyhalf and also as the vice captain. I've learned a lot this year, my worst game was probably the last one against the Hurricanes, and I'm looking forward to a good one this weekend," he said.
"I think I've been targeted a bit more, but that comes with the territory at flyhalf and the new rules make it a bit easier to get at me. It's nothing I'm complaining about, you have to go out there and play football. Tackling and getting hit late is all part of it, so you just have to take it."
This season has been Giteau's first as vice captain at the Force under Nathan Sharpe and he has enjoyed that leadership, especially of late with the side ravaged by injuries to senior players, but he was far from happy with his performance in the loss to the Chiefs last Friday.
"The first time when James O'Connor came in for the Chiefs game I tried to take as much leadership as I could in the backline and I was happy with that game, but was disappointed in my game last week. I don't dwell on things too much, though, and I'm looking for a good game this weekend," he said.
"We didn't dominate field possession last Friday and someone has to take responsibility for that and it has to be me as the flyhalf, main kicker and guy that calls a lot of plays."
After looking like a finals-bound side mid-season, it has been a disappointing finish for the Force and Giteau is gutted.
"It has been disappointing. This year's competition has been the most open season I've been involved with. Obviously the Crusaders are ahead on points, but there's just been so many games that have been tight and there's not much between most of the teams," he said.
"It's disappointing from our point of view because we feel we could have contested the finals, but we can feel how we want when the reality is that we won't be there."
Reply With Quote