News

Barnes enjoys a game of league

Sunday 20th July 2008

Berrick Barnes and Matt Giteau: Australia's future?

He won't be entirely persona grata with his own CEO for saying it, but Australia centre Berrick Barnes reckons his side got a rugby league-style workout in their Tri-Nations clash against South Africa on Saturday.

The comments of John O'Neill regarding the potential for more tries and entertainment under the ELVs will be scrutinised this week after a low-scoring Tri-Nations clash in which open space was at a premium and the game struggled for shape.

The arguments for the ELVs rang a little hollow during the match. Many of the detractors say that they make the game similar to rugby league, and Barnes agreed.

"It was almost back in the league days, you stand the big forwards out wide and run them at the small blokes," Barnes said to the AAP.

"We knew it was coming. You have (Springboks number eight Pierre) Spies, you have (flanker Juan) Smith, you have (flanker Schalk) Burger and then they bring more people off the bench so it never stops.

"Gits (Matt Giteau) deserves a lot of credit, too, he was pretty outstanding last night."

Barnes expects more of the same next Saturday against the All Blacks, and more specifically Ma'a Nonu.

"No doubt with the midfield New Zealand have they'll be aiming runners there," he said.

Barnes did agree that the ELVs sped the game up.

"I just felt that sore after playing and after 80 minutes I was buggered, it was that intense," Barnes said.

"There's no stopping. You kick the ball out, you have a knock-on you've got to be ready because someone goes or there's a quick line-out.

"I can't say enough about the new rules."

Barnes and Giteau's partnership at ten and twelve is looking to be one of the cornerstones of Robbie Deans' new-look Wallabies, and although it did not fire in the way Australians had hoped, it showed every sign of developing.

"We were trying to be a bit more patient this week I suppose and at times there obviously we forced the pass just a little bit," Barnes said.

"We were creating line breaks and we were making dents and that's a positive sign so we know the scope for improvement's massive."