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Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Matt Giteau has challenged the Springboks to back talk with action or cop a Wallabies ambush in Saturday's Tri Nations opener in Cape Town.
Pumped to be back at inside centre after starting his last six Tests at halfback, Giteau believes the in-form Springboks - the only side to have conquered the All Blacks in the past two years - could be vulnerable to some early pressure from the Wallabies at Newlands.
When reminded today of Australia's dreadful record in South Africa, the multi-million-dollar backline star said seven straight Test losses in the Republic only increased the Wallabies' resolve.
"I've never won over here playing for the Wallabies, so every time you come over here you've just got that desire to win. You want it more," Giteau said.
"So I don't feel under any more pressure. If anything, it feels like the South Africans are putting themselves under a fair bit of pressure.
"They're obviously playing really good rugby, but I think they are talking it up a fair bit.
"So we've kind of got the underdog tag and that suits us pretty well. We obviously haven't had the best preparation. We haven't played that well. But we're looking forward to a big game this week."
Giteau has ample respect for the vastly-improved Springboks, saying he agreed with George Gregan's assertion that the Jake White-coached outfit may well be the most "confident and balanced" South African team to emerge in a decade of Tri Nations rugby.
But he refused to believe the Springboks were invincible at home and pointed to victories with the Western Force in South Africa over the Stormers and eventual champions the Bulls in this year's Super 14 as the source of his confidence.
"With the Force, I'm two from two. One hundred per cent. So I'm looking for 100 per cent this year - in 2007," Giteau said.
Landing an early psychological blow in the match is crucial in stopping the Springboks from gaining momentum - and their hardcore fans from finding full voice, he said.
"You definitely need a fast start. If you give them a sniff and obviously let them have a lead, then it's going to be a lot tougher to chase them down.
"You've got to have a fast start and try and silence the crowd as much as you can."
But Giteau said the Wallabies also needed to measure their attack and warned that a repeat of the gung-ho approach used against Wales and Fiji probably wouldn't be good enough against the better-equipped Boks defence.
"You need to be patient," he said. "Obviously we've got to match them physically, and that's not just through the forward pack but throughout the whole side.
"Once we do that, we've got to look to outsmart them. There's different areas where we want to attack, but I think patience is the key.
"We've really got to build throughout the game. We showed in the first three Tests (of the year) that we didn't have too much patience when we got close to the line.
"We tried to score off every phase, so that's something we need to work on."
One of the game's most dangerous ball-runners, Giteau can't wait to test the South African defence and said he expected his transition back to the midfield - where he will tuck in between former Brumbies teammates Stephen Larkham and Stirling Mortlock - to be seamless.
"Going on the first two Tests, whenever I moved back to inside centre, I felt completely comfortable," he said.
"I felt like I knew my role really well and I felt at ease. I could just go out there and play my normal rugby. So I don't think it will be too much of a challenge.
"The guys that I've got around me, I've obviously played a fair bit of football with. So it shouldn't be too much of a problem."
AAP
http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/ar...414371235.html
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Originally Posted by travelling_gerry
players as possible! 
