Super Shane ready for copy-Catt show for England
Saints sensation Shane Geraghty is confident England's two blond bombshells will find the right 'blend' to turn Australia white at Twickenham today.
Geraghty has been superb for his new club at fly-half this season, but he will make his England return after a two-year absence at inside centre alongside talisman Jonny Wilkinson.
England boss Martin Johnson is hoping the two blond bombshells will combine in the same way Wilkinson and Geraghty's mentor Mike Catt did in the World Cup triumph of 2003.
Geraghty will give England two first receivers on the field and two ball-players to hopefully flummox Australia. The 23-year-old is looking to take the weight of Wilkinson's shoulders just as Catt did so successfully.
"We want to blend well together," said Geraghty. "It wouldn't be a bad model to replicate, that is the closest thing England have had to what we will be trying on Saturday.
"I learned a lot off Catty, so I will be trying to bring aspects of what he taught me into the game. There was a great blend between him and Jonny, a good balance, they worked off each other. I am definitely looking to do that. I want to bring a good balance to the team and take some of the load off Jonny's shoulders and some of the team's responsibilities and spread them between us.
"Hopefully we will interchange throughout the game so we will keep the defence guessing as to who is the first receiver when we are attacking.
"Myself being a 10, it is always good to have a 12 that can talk you through the game, as Catty used to say, almost commentate on the game for you. I am going to do that and hopefully take some of the workload off Jonny's shoulders and be an option for him. I can be his eyes and ears a bit more, especially in second phase."
Geraghty was mentored by Catt as he came through the ranks at London Irish before moving to Saints in the summer. But at England he has found an old ally in former London Irish boss Brian Smith. The England attack coach talks from the same open-minded 'heads-up' rugby gospel that Geraghty was brought up on when he made his international debut under the guru of 'play-what-you-see' Brian Ashton in 2007.
"We have mixed things up quite a bit in training," said Geraghty. "On the pitch we have left it where if I see an opportunity down the blindside then we have an over-ride call that we have worked on in training where I become first receiver.
"Brian Smith has brought in the type of rugby, which is quite open to that sort of multi-phase rugby. To be honest having me and Jonny playing together probably suits the style of play Brian has brought in.
"I am still playing the type of rugby Brian Ashton taught me when I was younger. It is the 'heads-up, back-yourself-if-it's-on' stuff, that is what I have done for my club.
"I am feeling the best I have since my England debut. When I made my debut I had had a long run of games on the bounce and that is what I have had this season. The medical and conditioning department at Saints have been great. I have been surprised at some of their warm-ups. We have done pretty much 15 minutes in the gym and another 15 on the park warming up as well. It has been good to have that pre-habilitation taking place.”
Wilkinson is the best defensive fly-half in the world, but Geraghty knows the Aussies will test him out today.
“We have not played together before, so I am sure the Aussies will be coming down our channel to test us out,” said Geraghty. “We have been working hard on our defence. A lot of it is built on trust where he doesn’t think he has got to cover me and likewise I don’t have to think I have got to cover him, if you do that the Aussies will get past you.”
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Friday 10 February 2012
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