Matt Giteau: Everything you need to know about the Wallabies legend

Lawrence Nolan
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Wallabies centre Matt Giteau

You know you have something special when you actually get a selection rule named after you because you were the exception to the previous rule.

So when Giteau’s Law, as it became known in 2015, was introduced, it was an exception to selection criteria for the Wallabies to enable the coach to select experienced players based overseas.

Giteau was the main reason for the rule, as coach Michael Cheika deemed him too valuable not to be picked for the 2015 World Cup. He repaid that faith with some fine performances, a late show after the disappointment of being dropped for the 2011 World Cup.

A hugely talented player able to play across the backline, his preferred position was outside the fly-half, using his own playmaking skills to take the pressure off the number 10.

He remains one of the most accomplished centres there’s ever been.

Player background

Giteau was born in Sydney but schooled in Canberra at St. Edmund’s, where long-time Wallaby team-mate George Gregan was also a pupil. Rugby was a part of the family DNA, and by the time Giteau had left school he was already in the international set-up at age-grade level as well as the Australian Sevens side.

Club career

He debuted for the Brumbies as a teenager, nicknamed Kid Dynamite, in 2001 and played there for six seasons, including the Brumbies’ magnificent 2004 Super Rugby win, before joining the Force in a deal in 2007 that saw him become one of Australia’s highest-paid rugby players. He stayed in Perth for three years before heading back east to the Brumbies in 2010.

He signed for French club Toulon in 2011, winning three European Cups and a French Championship there, before heading to Suntory in Japan in 2017.

He finished his playing career playing for the LA Giltinis in the USA, winning one last championship before retiring.

He has won a championship in every country he has played.

International career

GIteau’s is a career with many peaks and troughs. Fast-tracked by Eddie Jones as a playmaker into the Wallabies set-up, he initially thrived, but after the move to the Force and increasing speculation that he could be tempted to follow money to the north, his form – and goal-kicking – became more patchy.

A renaissance season in 2009 earned him the John Eales Medal for Australian player of the year but the emergence of both Quade Cooper and Berrick Barnes as possible options put Giteau under increasing pressure and after an underwhelming 2011 he was omitted by coach Robbie Deans from the 2011 Rugby World Cup squad, having already announced his departure to Toulon.

He has acknowledged his time at Toulon to have been both relaxing and refreshing, and with Cheika seeking experienced players for his 2015 World Cup squad, both Giteau and best friend and Toulon team-mate Drew Mitchell were called up for the 2015 showpiece.

Giteau’s Test farewell was the 2015 World Cup Final but it was to be no fairy-tale as he departed with a head knock early on. A sad end to a fine international career.

Personal life

Giteau is very private, but he married long-time partner Bianca in late 2010 and they have two children, Kai and Levi. His father was a professional rugby league player and sister Kristy is a dual-code Wallaby in rugby.

Net worth

No information is publicly available.

READ MORE: George Smith: Everything you need to know about the Wallabies legend

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