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Wallabies should use Johns as guru: Gregan
Rupert Guinness
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Wallabies captain George Gregan believes the Australian Rugby Union should use the footballing brain of Andrew Johns by signing the retired Newcastle league star as a consultant for this year's World Cup campaign.
Gregan, like many, was saddened to hear Johns had been forced to end his playing career on Tuesday due to a neck injury. But he feels it would be "silly" for the Wallabies to not consider the value of having him on board as a consultant for the domestic Test series, Tri Nations and World Cup.
"If he was in a position [to] and he is going to add value and the guys wanted to hear from him, you would be silly not to," Gregan told the Herald yesterday. He was speaking at the launch of Project 88, a fund-raising auction of land at Sanctuary Cove, with proceeds going to the George Gregan Foundation, which supports ill children.
Gregan finds it interesting that Johns has already been tapped for his football nous by rugby parties outside Australia, citing as an example All Blacks halfback Piri Weepu, who trained with the Newcastle Knights in the pre-season.
"I caught up with Piri in South Africa. He loved that experience. I know he has done stuff with Wales," Gregan said. "The All Blacks have probably utilised him more than us, which sounds really strange. But he is an immense talent. He has a real strong eye for the game. A lot of what he does crosses over to what we do. It has been evidenced by the [rugby league] guys who have made the transition."
The Brumbies No.9 and holder of a world record 127 Test caps rues the ARU's failure to recruit Johns as a player in 2005. And had Johns joined the Waratahs, he would by now almost certainly have played for the Wallabies.
"It would have been nice to see him come. I am just saying that because I loved watching him play and what he brings with his skill set," Gregan said.
"It is kind of like watching when 'Stevie' Larkham plays. When you see those quality players and they are on song … who knows what would have happened? I would imagine [he would have played for the Wallabies]. He would have been a 10 or 12. He is a very important player [with a] great kicking game, great pass.
"[He is a] tough defender, a smart footballer. That crosses over both codes with his space awareness, knowing where to put people, organising, communicating. But we'll never know."
Johns was always sincere in his interest in union, Gregan said. "He loves this game. I know that." But he agrees with most that Johns made the right call to retire. "He has a his life ahead of him. We are all going to miss him. But he has made the right decision," said Gregan, whose career will end when he fulfils a six-month contract with second division French club Toulon after the World Cup.
Yet before his French sojourn Gregan has one final Super 14 campaign to complete - and his fourth-placed Brumbies are hitting their straps after winning their past three games, including last Sunday's fixture against the Waratahs.
The Brumbies have a bye this weekend. But for Saturday night's NSW-Reds derby for the wooden spoon, Gregan has no doubt about the problem, besides injuries, both teams face: inexperience that "comes through in pressure games".
And inevitably, Gregan says, that digs deep into the reserves of self-confidence.
"Confidence is a funny thing. When you lose it, it's hard to get back," he said. "And when you've got it, it is a great thing. But you have to tap into it and hold on to it for as long as you can. Both those teams have lost that confidence."
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