Genia expecting extra attention

Updated June 15, 2012 15:29:05

Wallabies half-back Will Genia has figured out he can do more for the side simply by doing less.

Genia is a marked man for Australia's second clash with Wales in Melbourne on Saturday night after steering his side to a first Test win with a commanding performance.

The 24-year-old welcomed the added attention that is set to come at Docklands and said he was up to the challenge.

Genia said he had learnt a lot about himself this year playing for the Queensland Reds without injured long-time halves partner Quade Cooper and he had transferred that knowledge to his international game.

"The thing I learnt during the Super Rugby without Quade being there was that I have to play naturally and not try to do too much and trust the guy outside me," Genia said on Friday.

"The moment I try to do too much and take on too much responsibility, it doesn't work - it doesn't help my own game.

"Super Rugby was a steep learning curve because I had to learn how to control things without Quade being there and I think I'm a much better player for it."

Playing alongside Berrick Barnes, a more traditional number 10 than the flamboyant Cooper, was an adjustment but Genia said the pair worked well together.

"I have every faith in Berrick.

"We had some chats about what we wanted to do and that all worked out.

"It's a matter of trusting the game plan and the guys inside and outside you."

Genia said his man-of-the-match performance was only possible because of the work done by the Wallabies forwards but did not think he would be given as much room to move in the second Test.

His outside backs can expect even more involvement if Wales' plan to pressure him by starving him of quick ball comes to the fore.

"I'll just ship it early than look to run," Genia said.

"If there's a little more attention close to the ruck, then there'll be space elsewhere."

AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted June 15, 2012 14:35:45

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Reds centres told to grab attention

Updated June 17, 2011 16:14:00

Stand-in Queensland centres Ben Tapuai and Will Chambers are on notice to gate-crash the Chiefs' farewell party and safeguard the Reds' number one position in Super Rugby on Saturday.

Much-loved captain Mils Muliaina, respected playmaker Stephen Donald, star finisher Sitiveni Sivivatu and long-time coach Ian Foster are among the seven local stalwarts to be farewelled in a sentimental last-round clash at Waikato Stadium.

But Reds coach Ewen McKenzie only wants to see his table-topping team take centre stage by sealing Super Rugby's top spot and gain the important inside running to a July 9 home decider.

It is Tapuai and Chambers who have the biggest personal assignments in producing their defensive A-games after the Reds' midfield was exposed in last week's 24-21 escape act against Western Force in Perth.

The new combination - filling in for injured pair Anthony Faingaa and Mike Harris - must rise to the challenge against one of the most unpredictable and dangerous teams in the competition.

McKenzie was pleased with Tapuai and Chambers' ball-running games in Perth but they were caught out with slow line speed and reactions in two early tries by opposing centre Rory Sidey.

"We were disappointed about our defence against the Force, it wasn't up to our usual standard ... it's normally an area of strength," McKenzie said.

"These guys have stepped up and it is draining when you haven't played that much before.

"But we weren't happy with it and we want to do better, and we know we need to do better."

The Chiefs boast a highly mobile back row and can be near unstoppable if their halves Brendon Leonard and Donald receive quick ball to feed their dangerous outside men.

Despite the Reds' standing, the Chiefs will start slight favourites at home with injury-hit visitors missing their entire starting backline besides Wallabies duo Will Genia and Quade Cooper.

McKenzie has promoted versatile back rower Jake Schatz at the expense of Radike Samo to help nullify the influence of All Blacks flankers Liam Messam and Tanerau Latimer.

Reactivated winger Caleb Ralph, who started his 135-match Super Rugby career with the Chiefs 14 years ago, will made an unlikely Reds debut from the bench with rookie Dom Shipperley selected to replace Luke Morahan (hamstring).

Shipperley will line up opposite tackle-busting Lelia Masaga, while Rod Davies has overcome a shoulder problem to mark Sivivatu, who scored a hat-trick on the Reds flyer when he made a forgettable 2009 debut.

"The worm turns," McKenzie said.

"He (Davies) is definitely a better player than he was then."

A Chiefs loss would see them finish at the bottom of the New Zealand conference.

- AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, brisbane-4000, new-zealand

First posted June 17, 2011 16:07:00

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SBW won't be Reds' centre of attention

By Luke Pentony

Updated May 24, 2011 16:51:00

Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie says it will be reckless of the Reds to focus too much attention on Sonny Bill Williams in Sunday's blockbuster clash against the Crusaders at Lang Park.

Williams has been a revelation in his debut Super Rugby season, the former rugby league international proving to be a massive attacking threat at inside centre for the Crusaders, who sit in fourth place on the overall standings.

It has been Williams' ability to pass in the tackle that has troubled opposition defensive systems the most, the 26-year-old topping the competition for off-loads with 43, well clear of the second-placed Quade Cooper's 24.

He and Cooper share top billing on the list of linebreak assists with nine each, a statistic reflective of their ability to commit more than one tackler when they have ball in hand and therefore creating holes in the defensive line for their support players.

Williams missed the Crusaders' 25-19 win over the Chiefs in Napier last Saturday night because of a bruised knee, but is expected to take his place in the midfield against the ladder-leading Reds in the round 15 encounter.

McKenzie feels the Reds cannot afford to concentrate too heavily on shutting down Williams, as there is so much class in the Crusaders line-up that also includes the likes of All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and Dan Carter.

"They've got good players, so we won't spending all our time on one player," he said.

"We will be spending our time coming up with the right strategy for us and making sure we understand how we will think they will play.

"They've got many different ways to play. We saw a kicking-orientated, field position game last week. We've seen them run the ball side to side, so we've got to make sure we address that all in our training."

While an admirer of Williams' skill set, McKenzie notes that the four-Test All Black can be contained, as the Cheetahs proved in their 33-20 upset win over the Crusaders in Bloemfontein in round 13.

"He's got a good off-loading game, but those off-loads don't always come off," he said.

"There's also a bunch of turnovers that come with them, so you've got to get in there and teams have proved in recent weeks, the Cheetahs did a very good job.

"You go through the stats and you work out some games he was very effective and some games he wasn't in terms of off-loading."

Scrum battle

An area of the Crusaders' game where McKenzie has placed significant attention is their scrum.

The seven-time Super Rugby champions possess arguably the strongest scrum in the competition, as illustrated in the triumph over the Chiefs where they stole a tighthead.

The Reds have struggled at scrum time during the season and McKenzie knows his pack will be given a thorough examination on Sunday afternoon.

"They've (Crusaders) got one of the best performing scrums in the competition, that's a challenge in itself," he said.

"We did a bit of scrummaging last week, we will continue that this week. That will be a good test for our young guys, that's definitely a feature of their game."

The Crusaders pack has been a dominant force at the breakdown too and they may consider playing McCaw at blindside flanker so as to accommodate the impressive Matt Todd at openside.

Todd made his debut for the Crusaders against the Blues in round one in place of the then-injured McCaw and has used his 'on the ball' skills to great effect in his 11 appearances so far this season.

Reds openside flanker Beau Robinson, whose form this year may earn him a World Cup berth for the Wallabies, concedes two scavengers could be overkill for the Crusaders, as they already have more than one "pest at the breakdown" without the inclusion of both McCaw and Todd.

"They're whole team, one to 15, across the park is quite on the ball," he said.

"So, that's something we have taken notice of and we'll apply ourselves accordingly."

Meanwhile, healthy ticket sales for Sunday's match could see the Australian Super Rugby attendance record of 42,237 broken, that mark set when the Reds met New South Wales at Lang Park in 2004.

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, brisbane-4000

First posted May 24, 2011 16:24:00

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