Giteau walked off Millennium Stadium last November with his reputation as one of the world's premier flyhalf's intact.

Lambasted after Australia's shock 9-8 loss to Scotland during last year's Spring Tour, Giteau made his critics eat their words with a man-of-the-match performance in leading the Wallabies to a 33-12 thumping of Wales in Cardiff seven days later.

Last week the 27-year-old was reduced to a mere mortal, making uncharacteristic errors in the Brumbies' scrappy 24-13 win against the Johannesburg Lions.

In Giteau's defence, the wet weather made ball handling a nightmare.

With pristine conditions forecast for Saturday night's Super 14 clash with the Durban Sharks at Canberra Stadium, Alexander backed his mercurial teammate to rediscover his Welsh magic.

''It's pretty silly all the pressure that's on him because he had one bad game in the wet ... I think it's a bit unwarranted,'' Alexander said.

''So expect a big performance from Gitty because he never has two bad games in a row.

''If you guys [the media] want to keep rubbishing him, go ahead, because last time everyone got on his case he ripped Wales to shreds, so hopefully he'll do the same with the Sharks.''

For more on this story, see the print edition of today's Canberra Times.