News

Giteau fit as fiddle to face `flat` Boks

Wednesday 27th August 2008

Far from flat: Matt Giteau

Wallaby fly-half Matt Giteau says he's feeling fresh as a daisy ahead of Saturday's Tri-Nations clash with the Springboks in Johannesburg in stark contrast to opposition coach Peter de Villiers' excuse that his team was feeling flat.

De Villiers was waxing lyrical last Saturday following his side's lacklustre 27-15 defeat to the Wallabies in Durban, saying that one of the reasons for the Boks' poor performance was because "some of the players were feeling flat due to the amount of rugby they have played".

"There's a few guys who played each and every minute of the Super 14, and most of the Test matches, too. You can see they are a bit flat, and the decision-making is just not there," said De Villiers.

Giteau, who has had a similarly hectic season, wasn't aware of de Villiers's comments, but was quick to insist he was not feeling as fatigued as his Springbok counterparts.

"I haven't (felt flat). You can't speak for the opposition, but where we're at, we're all feeling fresh," he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"It is a tough and intense competition. But I think we've got the balance right, and the guys do feel fresh. They are looking forward to training, and looking forward to games. I haven't experienced that flatness."

Giteau conceded that may have something to do with a different approach at training, where the workload is shared among all the squad members.

"One of our biggest strengths is the impact our bench has been giving to the team," said Giteau.

"We've got a squad of 30. The whole squad trains and everyone gets an opportunity to train in their position. And everyone gets equal time in their positions.

"I think that certainly has a positive effect when the interchange players come on. They feel comfortable in their roles. They just go out and want to play good football, and that's what they've been doing.

"Previously in a lot of teams, you'd probably focus on the starting XV, making sure they get enough time in their positions. But now everyone is getting that equal time and equal opportunity, and that is certainly paying dividends for us."

Loose forward George Smith echoed those sentiments.

"The good thing is that the guys are always prepared to come on in the first minute or the 58th minute,"said Smith

"The boys are always working hard and when they do take the field make sure they make an on-field impact."