Jamie Pandaram August 18, 2011
That'll be all ... Matt Giteau has been told he won't be going to the World Cup.
MATT GITEAU'S Test career was officially ended last night when the playmaker was told by Wallabies coach Robbie Deans he wasn't required for the World Cup.
Berrick Barnes has earned a place ahead of Giteau in Australia's 30-man squad - to be announced this morning - and the most pressing question to be answered will be who misses out between back-rowers Ben McCalman and Radike Samo.
Wycliff Palu ticked the boxes at yesterday's fitness test at Coogee Oval, and is a certainty for the squad, leaving McCalman to jostle with Samo for the final place in the forwards. The others who trained in the rain yesterday - Tatafu Polota-Nau, Drew Mitchell, Rob Horne, James Slipper, Dan Vickerman and Nick Phipps - are also expected to be named.
Winger Lachie Turner and second-rower Sitaleki Timani will likely miss out to Waratahs teammates Mitchell and Vickerman.
Deans all but confirmed those who trained yesterday would be chosen, saying the players would not put personal agendas before the team. ''If they're not right they're not going to promote themselves in the interests of the team,'' Deans said at Sydney Airport before heading to Coogee. ''That's where these guys are at. They want the best not only for themselves but the group as well, so we're just catching up and signing off that they're good to go.''
Giteau was told he would not be part of the squad shortly after landing in Sydney from South Africa.
As the small group of players required for fitness tests gathered on Coogee Oval, Giteau confirmed his axing by posting on Twitter: ''Thank u ballboys, thank u linesman! That's it.'' He added later: ''Really wanna thank everyone for the support! Was a huge honour to get the chance to represent my country as often as I did.''It has been suspected for some time that Giteau was out of favour, and when he was dropped following Australia's shock loss to Samoa, the 92-Test veteran faced an uphill battle to regain a spot.
Deans said players had been kept informed of their status throughout the year. ''We've already had conversations with them, so it's not as if it's the first time we've spoken, but there's no easy way to deliver bad news,'' he said.
Giteau, 28, is headed to France next season, and unless there is a spate of injuries to playmakers in the next two months, he will finish his career in Australia as the third most-capped back in Wallabies history behind George Gregan and Stephen Larkham.
Barnes was not required to undergo fitness testing despite his battles with concussion and footballer's migraine because he has come through four club games without a problem. He will be an option at inside-centre, and will be Quade Cooper's back-up as five-eighth.
Deans said while many players chosen would be under injury clouds, all of those named in the 30-man squad would be fit for the first World Cup match against Italy on September 11. ''There's some blokes who have history with us; we know what they're capable of,'' Deans said. ''You consider all of those factors. That can be an advantage over someone … who we haven't seen at that level.''
The injured players will get some match fitness when they play for the Australian Barbarians against Canada on August 26 on the Gold Coast.
The IRB said that all nations had to finalise their World Cup squads by August 22. Given that deadline falls just days before the second Bledisloe Cup match in Brisbane on August 27, Wallabies officials decided to finalise their squad today so they could focus on the All Blacks next week.
Teams will be allowed to replace injured players before and during the World Cup, but a replaced player will not be allowed to return if he regains fitness, forcing coaches to look for versatility as well as potency.
Samo, 35, said he would be delighted if selected for the World Cup after his Wallabies career stalled following six Tests in 2004. ''I got passed the last two World Cups, and to come back this year, I didn't think I would be in this position,'' Samo said. ''To me, it'd be like a dream come true.''
Meanwhile, the Waratahs have signed Ireland's backs coach Alan Gaffney as an assistant next year.
