Matt Giteau has been thrust into the toughest test first five-eighths initiation imaginable after the Wallabies' woes worsened with Stephen Larkham sidelined for the rest of 2005.
Coach Eddie Jones has earmarked Giteau to take Larkham's No 10 jersey and breathe life into Australia's battered Tri-Nations hopes in the Bledisloe
Cup test against the All Blacks in Sydney next week.
News that 82-test playmaker Larkham would require a shoulder reconstruction after sustaining a labral tear in his right joint was the sting in the tail of a nightmare South African tour.
Larkham, who copped the initial blow in the 33-20 Mandela Plate loss, played with pain in Sunday's 22-16 Tri-Nations defeat in Pretoria after the injury was misdiagnosed as an A/C joint problem.
The full damage was revealed only after the 31-year-old veteran had a precautionary MRI scan on arrival home.
Looking ahead to the World Cup, the Wallabies decided to put Larkham under the knife in his long-term best interests, even though he could have played out the Tri-Nations.
But Jones has faith that second-five Giteau can make a quick transition to first five-eighths.
"He's up to it. He's good enough for the job. He's just not going to be Stevey," Jones said.
- AAP
