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- Wayne Smith
- From: The Australian
- November 27, 2009 12:00AM
MATT Giteau has gone into 77 Tests determined to win a contest. He goes into his 78th Test on Sunday trying to win back a country.
There is no question that Australians have turned on their once-favourite son, though not because of his shocker against Scotland, in particular his unconvincing shot at the conversion that would have won the match. The greatest players have their off days. Even Donald Bradman was dismissed for Test ducks, seven of them from memory.
No, Australians have turned on Giteau not so much because of a performance but because of a photograph. No longer is their image of him one of him flashing that trademark cheeky grin, mischief written all over a boyish face.
Now when Australians think of him, the image that comes to mind is the one captured by a press photographer in Sydney last month just after Giteau had been passed over for the Wallabies vice-captaincy. It shows him leaning sullenly against a post, arms folded aggressively, petulant look on his face, while to his left the man who had passed him over, Wallabies coach Robbie Deans stands head down, dejectedly studying the ground.
With the click of a shutter, Giteau was frozen in memory in that moment, in that unflattering, surly pose. In that moment, the country turned on him.
He ceased being Australia's most dangerous attacking player and became, instead, Australia's most overpaid sook, an egotist out of all control. He was scheming to bring down the coach and generally destabilising the Wallabies.
When he took the ball to the line and got hammered, as happened against England, he was selfish. When he took the ball to the line and skipped straight through, as happened against Ireland, he was stupid for not diving for the tryline earlier.
Where once he ghosted, now he crabs sideways, cramping his outside backs for room. Where last season he averaged 85 per cent with his goalkicking, now he has become a liability, barely managing 72 per cent. And yes, technically he is the highest Test points-scorer in world rugby this year but that's only because Jonny Wilkinson and Dan Carter made late starts to the season and Springbok coach Peter de Villiers took forever to recognise what a goalkicking robot he has in Agent Hymie, Morne Steyn.
Yet for a player who has undergone such a profound change in such a short time in the collective mind of the Australian public, Giteau remained remarkably unchanged in his behaviour on the Wallabies spring tour.
Indeed, after he steered Australia to victory over England at Twickenham, stories even began to appear in the press that he was back to his old self. He even started teasing Rocky Elsom at press conferences.
Of course, that was all before the Wallabies threw away two Grand Slam Test victories within the space of a week.
Still, he didn't duck the Australian media after the Scotland Test as many others would have done, instead fronting up to answer some awkward questions.
Even then, it was tricky. He looked disappointed but should he have been distraught? Even his facial expressions were being analysed, and he knew it.
This is all utterly unfamiliar territory for the former pin-up boy of Australian rugby. It's his spontaneity that makes Giteau the player he is. The moment he becomes self-conscious and starts to doubt himself, he ceases to be as dangerous. That was evident with that line break at Croke Park where he stepped straight past Ronan O'Gara.
The Giteau of old would have been lairising and swan diving over for the try before the cover defence even woke to the danger. The Giteau of today looked over his left shoulder, saw only Benn Robinson in support, debated whether to pass him the ball but then kept going, giving Ireland fullback Rob Kearney just enough time to cut him down before he could launch his dive.
Had that try been scored, the Wallabies would be playing for the Grand Slam at Millennium Stadium with Giteau the man of the hour. But it wasn't and they aren't and he isn't and that's the way it is these days for the Wallabies and their newly maligned playmaker.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225804386970
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Originally Posted by GIGS20
