Open Letter to Greg Growden

Yesterday I typed up an email to send to Greg Growden, I'm not much of a fan of Growden, and I think there are a few others who feel the same. I have just sent it to him, I am sure I will not hear another thing about it, in the mean time though, Rugby Heaven have two more articles on the topic. It would seem Spiro Zavos has caught the anti Gregan bug from Growden, and even Eddie Jones reckons Giteau should have a number 9 on his back! There must be something in the water down at Fairfax.

Anyway, I'll let you read it yourself. Any comments are welcome. Not that anyone actually reads this blog.

Greg Growden, this week’s Monday Maul began with you mentioning SANZAR officials had agreed that there was much in the game that stank; I assume you attended some of these meetings as a ‘self important rugby type.’ I suggest to you Greg Growden that the most putrid stink in Rugby at the moment is your journalistic coverage and opinions on the game.

You offer absolutely no constructive or thoughtful analysis of any matches, merely using your position as a soap box to whinge, complain and criticise. As chief rugby correspondent, your consistent negativity is a stain on Australian rugby in general and I hope that those involved with the Wallabies who do read the Sydney Morning Herald, simply regard your commentating as the childish rambling that it is. Before the tri nations started, you commented that the Wallabies would perhaps have a chance to win this year, not through their ability to improve their own game and show the potential that they certainly have, but because the All Blacks might rotate their squad and not have their best 15 players on the pitch. Besides the point that you have been proven wrong, your comments seem to highlight the general disdain you have for the national team. This week’s Monday Maul also saw you make reference to the fact there must be “many Wallabies sycophants who accept being number 2“; it would seem to me that you also subscribe to this school of thought.

Your incessant personal crusade against George Gregan is a disgrace. I am not sure what kind of personal vendetta you have against him, but you have been the chief antagonist in the constant criticism that has been largely unfairly levelled at him. In your so called post match analysis on Saturday’s game you again placed the blame for Australia’s poor performance squarely on Gregan’s shoulders. You again used your soap box to suggest his axing from the team, and you failed entirely, again, to recognise the positive impact Gregan had on the game. In a match that was nothing short of forgettable, Gregan was noticeably one of the better players for the Wallabies. You have criticised Gregan in the past for not running enough with the ball in hand, yet on Saturday he made a number of positive attacking runs and line breaks. You consistently fail to acknowledge the leadership and experience that Gregan brings, he has now deservedly become the man to captain the Wallabies the most number of times, and he continues to do so with aplomb. It seems as though there is nothing that Gregan can do to redeem himself in your eyes.

Sam Cordingly has certainly performed well enough this year to suggest that he could be considered at scrum half and deserves his place in the Wallaby squad; but he has not proved to be vastly technically superior to Gregan and obviously does not have the leadership and experience of the longest serving Wallaby captain. You praised Cordingly’s contribution on the weekend however often any fresh player who comes on with only 10 minutes remaining is likely to make an impact. Cordingly’s performances however are merely a convenience for you as you have consistently called for Gregan’s sacking, regardless of the quality of a potential replacement. In this week’s Monday Maul you made what could possibly be regarded as the most outrageous claim made by someone who calls himself a ‘rugby expert.’ The suggestion that you should drop George Gregan and replace him with Matt Giteau is beyond ludicrous. Have you asked Giteau whether he wishes to play at number 9? Giteau is a magnificent talent and I’m sure he could play in any number of positions, but how many times has he played professional rugby in a number 9 shirt? How can you possibly suggest that he would be a better scrum half than the world’s most capped test rugby player ever! Giteau was outstanding at number 12 (his preferred position) when he returned form injury in the first test against South Africa; the Wallabies are by far a superior side with him at number 12. Taking the world’s most expensive rugby talent out of his preferred position to take the place of the captain at scrum half will ensure that not only do you weaken your side, but you don’t get the best out of your best player.

Your suggestion to replace Gregan with Giteau suggest that you know absolutely nothing about rugby whatsoever; though given that your position as a rugby journalist, this is probably not true. So the only thing that your comments have done is highlighted that you clearly have some kind of personal vendetta against George Gregan, which seems uninfluenced by what happens on the rugby field.

It is sad for Australian rugby that you are in any way involved with our magnificent game. Your opinions are childish, arrogant, biased and often impertinent. It is unfortunate that while you are entitled to your opinions, you also have a platform for which to share them. You have used your column to wage a personal crusade against George Gregan, which is why I have little qualms in expressing my opinions to you, in a way that is much more vehement that merely disagreeing with you.

I long for the day when the Sydney Morning Herald’s chief rugby correspondent, is a person who actually wants to write about rugby.