Wallabies take new direction

[travelling_gerry]

Wallabies take new direction

Stathi Paxinos | May 21, 2008


WALLABIES star Matt Giteau said yesterday he was looking forward to the more attractive style of rugby that new coach Robbie Deans was expected to bring this year.

Australia will play Ireland in the first Test of the year at Telstra Dome on June 14 and Giteau, who is expected to be selected at fly-half, said the Wallabies would be a very different creature from recent years.

Australia has fallen from the top of the rugby world after a number of underachieving years, culminating in the disappointing quarter-final exit from last year's World Cup, as other countries have exploited weaknesses, including with its scrum.

But Giteau said one look at Deans' results with New Zealand Super 14 powerhouse the Crusaders showed what to expect this Test season, not least of all a "winning culture".

"If you look at the way the Crusaders play, they always seem to be the trendsetters and a lot of teams are trying to catch up with them," Giteau said.

"(Deans) seems very innovative … You can only go on what you see and the results that he has delivered with the Crusaders. The brand of football that he'll bring to Australian rugby will be certainly attractive and hopefully bring us a lot more wins.

"… The players still need to go out there and perform, the coach can only do so much, but as far as direction and ideas go, he'll certainly bring a lot to the table."

■NSW flyer Alfi Mafi has signed with the Brumbies for the next two Super 14 seasons. The Tongan-born 19-year-old winger/full-back made his Super 14 debut with the Waratahs this year and played nine matches, mainly off the bench. The Brumbies had already secured the services of hooker Stephen Moore and lock Sitaleki Timani for 2009.

■New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence has been named to officiate at the Super 14 semi-final between the Waratahs and Sharks in Sydney. He will be assisted by fellow Kiwis Lyndon Bray and Kelvin Deaker.
With AAP

[Thequeerone]

Gitts is probably correct here - the things I will be looking for are:

1: What Pocock learns from Robbie
2: Different options with play makers a little a la John Mitchell - in the Brumbies game wide expansive use of all the backs - with an emphasis on mobile forwards backing them up - i.e. the backs will have to be less protected and make their own hits.
3: What he will do with the Forwards in Oz - definitely a weak spot - has me stumped as to what is possible - we want expansive rugby but we need to be able to manage the English Scrum and the Yarpies etc..

[no.8]

Salient point oh! magnificent one.

More to the point Bam Bam will flourish in a game with expansive running back line!

Looking at the Waratahs v. Reds game - as much as it pains me to say it the Reds front row is no longer safe.

Ben "the pocket battleship" Robinson was awesome.
So 1. Robinson 2. Moore 3. Shepherdson would be a starting point front row from what I can see - 17. Dunning 16. Freier. Add a 4. Sharpe 5. Vickerman 18. Horwill to the mix with a 6. Brown 8. Palu 7. Smith 19. Bam Bam and you have a pack that can hopefully lay a platform for a get up and go back line.

9. Burgess 20. Lucas
10. Giteau
11. Mitchell 21. Gerrard
12. Barnes 22. Turinui
13. Mortlock
14. Tuqiri
15. Shepherd

Bring on the Micks!