Embattled Wallaby skipper George Gregan has hit back at his trenchant media critics, saying the criticism has become personal and petty.
Gregan has been under fire from sections of the Australian rugby media and the criticism reached a crescendo during Australia’s ugly 20-18 Tri-Nations’ victory over South Africa last Saturday.
Gregan, who has been defended by Wallaby coaching staff and teammates, is international rugby’s most-capped player with 125 Tests and is his country’s most-capped captain.
But the concerted media campaign to have him sacked and replaced by a younger scrumhalf ahead of next year’s World Cup in France is having its effect on him and his family.
Gregan has generally been stoic in the face of the persistent criticism of his rugby, but spoke on Saturday of its effects.
”The criticism has just been extremely intense in the last 12 months,” Gregan told The Australian newspaper.
”It’s got real personal and just a little bit silly, to be honest, a bit petty.
”And the thing is, at the end of the day, no-one is more brutally honest on their performance and how they’re going than the player and, obviously, the coaches and the players around you.
”We’re a pretty honest group in that regard. We’re always looking for improvement and I always feel I have something to contribute to the teams I’m playing in. And as soon as that’s not the case, then that’s the obvious time to go.”
Gregan said the criticism of two rugby writers, in particular, was predictable and personal.
”It’s predictable … it’s so damn predictable. If I play the game to appease two journalists who just lack a real focus, I think, on what they should be doing, looking after the game and talking about it, I wouldn’t get anywhere,” Gregan said.
”It affects you,” he conceded. ”And you know it’s going to affect your family. It affects your family pretty badly, especially some of the stuff that gets written.
”It’s not nice. It’s my name that gets thrown around but it’s the family name and [other] people are affected by it.
”I think the landscape of journalism now has changed considerably from when I first started, to where it is now.
”What is in the pages now … gone are the days of reading about the game that has just been played and the wash-up of that, and what’s the next challenge, the next week, who might be injured … all that. That’s not happening now.
”It’s more going down the line of gossip and innuendo and sources here and there. I can’t believe how many sources are commenting on what my future is. And it just becomes subjective gossip. It’s quite sad really.”
Gregan sees few ways in which the rift with sections of the media can be mended.
”This sport is bigger than me and it’s certainly bigger than those two men. I think I’ve stated this pretty clearly: that’s what motivates me, the pure part of that and I understand my position in promoting the game and I’ve never shirked that,” Gregan said.
”I work on a really professional basis. I’m very professional, turn up on time, do what I’ve got to do but I think it comes back to the word ‘respect’.
”If someone’s disrespectful towards you and continues to be that way, then it’s hard to have any sort of relationship beyond the bare minimum professionally. And that’s what I’ll continue to do.”
Coach John Connolly, the fifth successive Wallabies coach to put his faith in him, and the other Australian selectors, believe Gregan remains the best number nine in Australian rugby.
Fellow national selector and backs coach Scott Johnson said: ”George is the most-capped player in history, wants to play for his country and keeps getting picked on form. What’s his crime?” — AFP
