Australian rugby captain George Gregan has welcomed competition for his scrum half role emerging from the Wallabies current European tour.
Gregan, the world's most-capped Test player, chose to miss the tour and said Matt Giteau's adaptation to the halfback role in his absence was to be expected.
``Gits is a great player. He is always going to put someone under pressure because he's such a good player and he's adapted really well to nine (halfback),'' Gregan said Tuesday.
``He played it as a junior and played it through (under) 21s, so he's done really well. I expect nothing less from a bloke like him.''
Gregan said he had no regrets about missing the Wallaby tour, allowing others to bid for the role he has occupied for the past decade and hopes to occupy at next year's World Cup.
``Not at all. This decision was made for next year, for 2007, and it's the best thing for me,'' Gregan said.
``I've been able to get some really good training and good regeneration over this period and I'm really looking forward over the next three weeks to spending some time down in Canberra with the (ACT) Brumbies.
``Then I'm obviously looking to the season which starts early February, so I'm really happy where I am mentally and physically at the moment.''
Gregan remained confident of starting next season.
``Next year it all starts from zero, I say it every year. You start with a clean slate and that's all I'm concerned about,'' he said.
``It's great for the team for us to have that, I guess, question answered of whether he can play halfback and play it well. He's showing that he can and that's good for the squad going into the World Cup and it's always good to have competition.''
