Justin Marshall: Giteau the man the ABs must watch

Matt Giteau may provide the biggest threat for the Wallabies in the World Cup final. Photo / Getty

When I assess the threat of the Wallabies, one of my biggest concerns from an All Blacks' point of view is their second-five Matt Giteau.

It probably took him three or four tests to get to the level he's at now, after being recalled into the test arena from his French club Toulon. He was struggling with pace of the game when he first came in. As much as he's in a good team with a lot of internationals, you're not playing at the same pace. The game is so much quicker at the contact zone and ruck.

Now, though, he has adapted and is looking increasingly dangerous. Wing Drew Mitchell, also at Toulon, is the same and he had his best game for the Wallabies at the weekend. You can't train for that test tempo, you have to experience it again and again to get used to it.

Giteau has now adapted and his partnership with first-five Bernard Foley is a very good one. They are working in sync and that's making Foley a different player. Foley, in the form of his life, is playing with confidence at the gain line because he knows he has a distributer outside him in Giteau.

Backs coach Stephen Larkham knows Giteau well from his Brumbies days and he's using him wisely. He isn't being used as a crash player - centre Tevita Kuridrani and wings Mitchell and Adam Ashley-Cooper can do that - he is using Giteau for his distribution and kicking skills. With Israel Folau at the back and Will Genia calling the shots at halfback, that is a very potent backline. A defender only has to making one poor decision and the Wallabies are in behind his team and creating havoc.

For example at the weekend Pumas wing Juan Imhoff came in slightly and the Aussies were away. They can do that because with Giteau there teams have to defend more narrowly.

The All Blacks haven't seen Giteau play like this. In the Wallabies' Bledisloe Cup win in Sydney this year he was reasonably easy to contain but that has changed.

He will ask some questions of the All Blacks - forcing them to work as a solid defensive unit. Otherwise the Wallabies will get into the outside channels, where they have good finishing power. Giteau's left foot means Folau doesn't have to step into the line and kick now - an advantage for the Wallabies.

He has added a better balance to the backs and is one of the most important players for the All Blacks to shut down. If they give him time and space then he can cause problems.