Walllaby fly-half Matt Giteau says he's ready for a thundering onslaught of All Black traffic, declaring he won't be "going out there in a dinner suit" in Saturday's Tri Nations blockbuster in Brisbane.
The diminutive Giteau is the undisputed runt in a burly Wallaby backline, which features hulking winger Lote Tuqiri and and beefed-up centre pairing of Stirling Mortlock and Ryan Cross.
His stature makes Giteau the obvious target for the likes of powerful Kiwi centre Ma'a Nonu, although the Western Force star says if New Zealand have identified him as a weak link in the Wallaby chain, they are mistaken.
"There's no real fear or worry about it. I generally think most teams will be targeting me, so I don't think this week will be any different," Giteau said.
"Any ball they get, they might run it down our channel. But it's a Test match I won't be going out there in a dinner suit. If you're out there, you've got to make your tackles."
Giteau turned the heat back on the All Blacks, saying a potent Wallaby backline and wide running forwards could seek out his opposite number Dan Carter, another player who is a shrub among the tall timber.
"I don't know their game plan. I'd love to know it. With the big centres they've got, you'd think a bit of traffic would be going my way. And vice versa. We've got big backrowers and centres so there will be traffic going Dan's way as well," Giteau said.
After days of intrigue as to who would be the back-up to Giteau should he get injured, all was revealed at Ballymore this morning as Mortlock filled in as playmaker for part of the session.
Australia has opted for five forwards on the bench, a tactic many believe is designed to combat the breakdown raids of Richie McCaw, meaning Mortlock is the next best bet should Giteau be injured or replaced.
Giteau joked his former Brumbies team-mate had "learned to pass" this year, aiding his ability to adapt to inside centre or even five-eighth.
"I think he'd like to do it. He had a run today at five-eighth and he went really well. I think the team went better when he was there. He would have taken a lot out of that," Giteau said.
"Stirling this week has shown he's very capable of ball playing. He really enjoys it as well, he doesn't get beat up as much. Stirling has adapted very quickly."
Giteau also backed Mortlock and Cross to gel on Saturday night after former NRL star Cross was called in as a replacement for the injured Berrick Barnes.
"This year, I think Stirling's learned to pass, so he can play inside centre, outside centre. He's going very well. Ryan Cross comes in. I think both centres compliment each other very well," he said.
Flanker Rocky Elsom missed this morning's session through illness but Wallaby management believe he will be fit for Saturday night's clash at a sold-out Suncorp Stadium.
