Matt Giteau
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| Birth name | Matthew James Giteau | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 29 September 1982 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Sydney,New South Wales,Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 85 kg (13 st 5 lb; 187 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | St Edmunds College,Canberra | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Ron Giteau(father) Bianca Giteau(wife) Kristy Giteau(sister) Lance Franklin(Brother in law) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Matthew James Giteau(born 29 September 1982)[1]is an Australianrugby unionprofessional player who plays forSan Diego LegionofMajor League Rugby(MLR).
Giteau plays as autility back.His usual positions are inside centre and fly-half, although he started his career as a scrum-half. He played for the Wallabies for the first time in 2002 againstEnglandatTwickenhamand was a nominee for theInternational Rugby Board Player of the Yearin 2004.[1]He appeared in 104Super Rugbymatches. During his career he won 103test capsforAustralia.He was re-selected to the national team after several years' absence under a rule known asGiteau's law.
Personal life
[edit]Giteau attendedSt Edmund's College, Canberra,[1]which has produced other Wallabies includingGeorge Gregan,Matt HenjakandRicky Stuart.
His father,Ron Giteau,is a former professionalrugby leaguefootballer, and his older sisterKristy Giteauis a dual-code rugby international for Australia. On 11 December 2010, Matt Giteau marriedBianca Franklin,a former netball player with theAdelaide Thunderbirds.[2]They have three children: Levi, Kai, and Winter.[3]
Playing career
[edit]2001–05
[edit]Giteau made his debut for theACT Brumbiesin 2001 and the Wallabies in 2002. During this time he won twoSuper Rugbytitles with the Brumbies in the2001 Super 12 seasonand the2004 Super 12 seasonand was a part of the Wallabies at the2003 Rugby World Cup.
2006–07
[edit]In April 2006 Giteau announced that he would play for theWestern ForceSuper Rugbyteam, in the2007 Super 14 season.He was included in the Wallabies2006 mid-year rugby testssquad, but was ruled out with an injury. However, he recovered in time for the2006 Tri Nations Series.He came off the bench in the first game in the series.
In 2007, Giteau was selected for the Wallabies2007 Rugby World Cupand 2008 squad and was first choiceNo. 12.He had also scored 40 test points, putting him in the top scorer's list in the competition. Giteau took injuries into the match, and the Wallabies lost in the quarter-final to England 10–12.
Following the Rugby World Cup, Giteau played fly-half for theBarbariansagainst Rugby World Cup winnersSouth Africa.Giteau scored atry,and the Barbarians won 22–5.
2008
[edit]In 2008, new Wallabies coachRobbie Deansselected Giteau as Australia's new fly-half, following the retirement ofStephen Larkham.
Giteau played fly-half againstIrelandandFrancein the mid-year Test. In the2008 Tri Nations Series,Giteau played in all six games. He played against theAll Blackswinning 34–22 at theANZ Stadiumin Sydney, and againstSouth Africawinning 27–15 atKings Park StadiuminDurban.[citation needed]
Giteau was also a part of the Wallabies' record loss that following week to South Africa 53–8.
Super Rugby
[edit]Giteau played for theWestern Forcefor 2007–09. In2007the Force finished seventh, and recorded their first home win (17–18 against theHurricanes).
In 2010 Giteau returned toCanberraand the Brumbies, where he played for2010and2011.
Move to France
[edit]
During the2011 Super Rugby season,Giteau signed with the French clubToulon,a move that would take effect after the2011 Rugby World Cup.Despite not being selected for the Australian World Cup squad, he could not join Toulon until mid-November, as he was still under contract with theAustralian Rugby Unionthrough the World Cup.[4]In May 2013 he started asToulonwon the2013 Heineken Cup Finalby 16–15 againstClermont Auvergne.He won three European titles with Toulon starting all three. In 2015 they won three successive European titles, (2013 vs Clermont 16–15, 2014 vs Saracens 23–6, and 2015 vs Clermont 24–18). He also won the Top 14 in 2014.[5]
2015
[edit]In 2015, national coachMichael Cheikanegotiated with theAustralian Rugby Unionto allow players with 60 caps or more eligible to represent theWallabiesdespite not playing in theSuper Rugbyknown asGiteau's law.Giteau played against theSpringbokswinning 24–20 atSuncorp Stadium,and against theAll Blacks27–19 atANZ Stadium.Giteau was selected in theWallabies31-man squad for the2015 Rugby World Cup.In October, during the tournament, Giteau scored his 30th international try for theWallabiesas part of their win againstEngland,knocking them out of the tournament. Giteau was a key player for the Wallabies in reaching theRugby World Cupfinal, but he copped a head knock in the opening stages of the final and was ruled out of the remainder of the match, which the Wallabies lost to theAll Blacks17–34.[6]
Top League
[edit]In March 2017, Giteau announced that he would spend his last season with Toulon as a player-coach. On 15 May 2017, Giteau confirmed his move to Japan withSuntory Sungoliathin theTop Leaguenext season.[7]
Major League Rugby
[edit]In March 2021 Giteau joined his former Australia teammate,Adam Ashley-Cooperat theLA Giltinisfor the2021 Major League Rugby season.[8]
In August 2021, Giteau played his last professional game of rugby union after a man of the match performance in the Giltini's MLR shield win against Rugby ATL.[9]Giteau was named in the MLR team of the season with 98 points scored in 13 matches played. Giteau returned to the Giltinis in 2022.[10]
In late 2023, on his podcast, Kick Ons and Kick Offs, Giteau announced that he would come out of retirement to join the San Diego Legion for the 2024 MLR season.[11]
References
[edit]- ^abc"Matt Giteau: Player profile".ESPN Scrum.ESPN. 2011.Retrieved2 June2012.
- ^Low, Clair (14 December 2010)."Giteau gets hitched under veil of secrecy".The Canberra Times.Archived fromthe originalon 15 December 2010.Retrieved14 December2010.
- ^Dutton, Chris (16 June 2018)."'I won't play for the wrong reasons': Matt Giteau opens up on future ".The Sydney Morning Herald.Retrieved28 August2019.
- ^Bernaudeau, Eric (15 November 2011)."Former Wallabies fly-half Matt Giteau joins teammates for first training session with French club Toulon".Fox Sports Australia.AAP.Retrieved18 November2011.
- ^"Toulon claim Heineken Cup glory".ESPN.18 March 2013.Retrieved20 May2013.
- ^"England out of Rugby World Cup as Australia win 33-13".BBC Sport.3 October 2015.Retrieved5 October2015.
- ^"Australia versatile back Matt Giteau leaves France for Japan with Suntory Sungoliath".The Sydney Morning Herald.15 May 2017.Retrieved21 May2017.
- ^"Matt Giteau joins MLR side LA Giltinis".espnscrum.Retrieved8 March2021.
- ^Tucker, Jim."CHAMPIONS: Giteau, Ashley-Cooper retire with a bang in Los Angeles".Rugby.com.au.Retrieved6 August2021.
- ^"Wallabies great Matt Giteau turns down retirement to return to MLR".www.rugbypass.com.24 January 2022.Retrieved28 June2024.
- ^"San Diego team signs Australian rugby legend Matt Giteau".www.rugbypass.com.18 December 2023.Retrieved5 July2024.
External links
[edit]- 1982 births
- Living people
- Australian Institute of Sport rugby union players
- Australian rugby union players
- Australia international rugby union players
- Barbarian F.C. players
- ACT Brumbies players
- RC Toulon players
- Western Force players
- Rugby union centres
- Rugby union fly-halves
- Rugby sevens players at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
- Male rugby sevens players
- Australian people of French descent
- Australian expatriate rugby union players in France
- Commonwealth Games rugby sevens players for Australia
- LA Giltinis players
- Tokyo Sungoliath players
- Australia international rugby sevens players
- Rugby union players from Sydney
- 2003 Rugby World Cup players
- 2015 Rugby World Cup players
- People educated at St Edmund's College, Canberra
- San Diego Legion players
- Australian expatriate rugby union players in Japan
- Australian expatriate rugby union players in the United States