Berrick Barnes to replace Matt Giteau as Wallabies' No.12, Fox Sports rugby commentat

[Burgs]

You can get stats to prove whatever you like, fact is Giteau has been average (compared to history and potential) and needs a kick up the arse. Barnes changed the match when he came on and is clearly in good form and needs to be rewarded.
If a swap in jersey number achieves both of those things then it is a good thing, both in the short and long term.
Case closed.

[jazza93]

Tackle statistics are pretty simple and only tell us one simple fact that the article doesn't address.

Barnes was great when he came on, but he isn't going to play like that for the whole 80minutes if he starts. He only had to make one tackle and got plenty of ball thanks to the fitness and hard work of the forwards. I like him coming on with 20 to go, its working well. Giteau was good in defense and attack against NZ. Just because he isn't setting the world on fire doesn't mean he isn't doing his job.

Last season everyone was complaining about Giteau trying to do everything himself, now that he has settled for a teammate role, he isn't standing out enough! I agree he could improve, but dismissing his performances by ignoring stats and just assuming a whole lot of things isn't the best way to judge things.

Barnes will get his start soon enough. Once Giteau actually hits bad form and the data suggests that i'll join the Barnes 4 #12 crew. But i'm not going to be one of those people who made their mind up about him 6 months ago. I'll take it game by game.

[Burgs]

There is no assumption apart from your own, I am making a judgement match by match by watching each match at least twice as well as considering the stats, unfortunately he is not performing to his potential.
It is a problem associated to setting a high bar at a young age.
If Pocock was to now have five ordinary matches it would really stand out where as if Cooper now has a slump it is "understandable" due to reasonably regular brain fart 20 minute periods.
Giteau was unequalled in world rugby as a #12 prior to moving to #10 and briefly #9, the same cannot be said of his form since being moved back to #12, despite it being better than anything in either of his other two positions.
As the player most likely to be first selected I don't enjoy him having a form slump as it affects the whole team and our results.
If he was playing the brilliant rugby that some seem to feel he is then he would have no detractors, the fact that he does must at least flag some concern, no matter how minor, that others are seeing it different to oneself.

[jazza93]

It depends how you judge his performance. I do it on a game by game basis and some people compare him to what he was like a few seasons ago.

After watching the Hong Kong game i'd definitely select him in my XV again and be bringing Barnes on at the same time, if not a few minutes earlier while telling Giteau to work like crazy for the first 60.

[The EnForcer]

My Tuppence says give Barnes a full run on. He runs straight and can tackle, when you have a guy like Cooper doing the crazy stuff it is important to have that. Besides, we have Joc and Drew to do the inside running and need the room to play with. Oh and don't forget AAC! Too many cooks and all that........

[James]

Thing is though that if you want someone who can run straight and tackle, why not get someone bigger than Barnes? Deans plays 4 guys who could be playmakers and sacrifices a lot of bulk. We can attack our way out of a bank vault but what happens when someone like England pull off a great display of defence and beat us with attrition? If the opposition forwards get dominance and we don't get quick ball, we've only got AAC to toss the ball to and the opposition will see that coming from a mile off.

[SleazyWineBaas]

A.Faingaa shoud come into 12
He knows Coopers' game
He runs straight
He is a very strong defender for his size

[zimeric]

SWB you're starting to sound like a stuck record..Deans wont pick Faingaa as long as giteau is in reasonable form and uninjured

[GIGS20]

Nor should he. Gits isn't THAT bad, he just need to be kicked out of his complacency
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[palitu]

i rewatched the game last night, barnes comes on and stops nonu dead in his tracks... Even if it just give gits the boot in the ass he needs, then it would be worth it.