Giteau to join Toulon after the RWC

[elgringoborracho]

Sydney Morning Herald:

Veteran Wallabies playmaker Matt Giteau will join French club Toulon following this year's Rugby World Cup.

Giteau, capped 91 times for Australia, said he has settled terms for an 18-month contract with the Top 14 club, leaving the door ajar to return ahead of the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2013.

"Signed with Toulon for 18 month deal after world cup!" Giteau said on social network site Twitter on Tuesday.

"Love the brumbies and wanna make this yr as enjoyable as I can. Exciting times!!"

The 28-year-old will join English flyhalf Johnnie Wilkinson, former New Zealand prop Carl Hayman and former Western Force team-mate Matt Henjak at the side coached by Phillipe Saint-Andre.

George Smith, a former teammate of Giteau's at the Brumbies and Wallabies, joined Toulon following the 2010 Super Rugby season but the flanker will join Japanese club Suntory at the end of this season.

Toulon are currently placed fourth in the top French division and still in the running to qualify for the 2011-12 European Cup.

Giteau will captain the Brumbies in the side's first 2011 Super Rugby match against the Chiefs in Canberra on Saturday.

© 2011 AAP

Toulon's team next year will be unbelievable

 

[smartcooky]

Giteau does not see eye-to-eye with Robbie Deans.

Nuff said!

 

[Logorrhea]

Giteau is looking to earn four times what he earns down under.

Nuff said!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Odd signing, considering they just signed Henson who plays the same positions, and already have another 12/10 on the cards, and an established 10 (and a younger French guy not getting much game time)
It's like they see the name and go "BUY BUY BUY....wait, where the **** are we going to play him?!"

 

[Teh Mite]

I guess it depends who's getting paid the most out of him, Wilko, Henson and Contepomi.

I suspect Wilko will remain first choice 10 as his England career is over after the WC, Gites is a better 12 then Henson or Contepomi when on form (but he hasn't been for a couple of years now) and the little Argentine fellow is knocking on a bit but covers both.

10. Wilkinson
12. Giteau

20. Contepomi

Waterboy. Henson

Nice rotation options available however. I suppose this also means they've given up on bringing Sonny Bill "home".

 

[munstermuffin]

Henson is only there until summer isn't he. I doubt they will keep all of them on the books. When is the quota rule about amount of exports been introduced

 

[lynam1104]

Yea I don't get it they seem to have the same recruiting police as me in World league in rugby 06.

 

[Logorrhea]

Henson is only there until summer isn't he. I doubt they will keep all of them on the books. When is the quota rule about amount of exports been introduced

Henson was a 2 and a half year deal and the French rule on international players relates to a percentage of the entire squad I think. So they can have a squad of 60 (30 of which are school kids being paid €20 a week) with 30 overpaid Galacticos.

 

[elgringoborracho]

Odd signing, considering they just signed Henson who plays the same positions, and already have another 12/10 on the cards, and an established 10 (and a younger French guy not getting much game time)
It's like they see the name and go "BUY BUY BUY....wait, where the **** are we going to play him?!"

I agree! With Contepomi, Henson and Giteau they will have three of the best 10/12 in the world... What the f*** do they want to do with them? And with Wilko well established at 10, it's actually 3 players for 1 position! An example of their backline next year:

10 Wilkinson
11 Wulf
12 Giteau
13 Bastareaud
14 Sackey
15 Palisson

And this means the bench would contain the likes of Contepomi, Lamont, Kefu, May, ... And don't even get me started on their forwards. This is madness.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

The morale at the Brumbies must be great;

Giteau; "Boys, I'm heading to Toulon after I get through this f$^(#n season"
Brumbies management; "That's great, Gits. Good on ye, mate. Wanna be captain before you go?"
Giteau; "Why not. Besides, this will take my mind off my form slump and I'll be sure to get time no worries about my form. I'm sure Rocky, Hoiles and the other loyal senior players won't mind a bit. Such great blokes"

 

[D.C.]

The french dude must be rich and out of his mind... i don't think this Wilkinson, Giteau, Contepomi and Henson combination will work..

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Well, I guess the French season is exceptionally long and this depth in quality (for the 10/12 bracket) certainly couldn't be a bad thing if managed properly. Especially if one of them should get injured. What I don't agree with is that none of these players are French as I would expect at least the back-up players in a French club side to be local talent. But maybe that is not fashionable?

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Well, I guess the French season is exceptionally long and this depth in quality (for the 10/12 bracket) certainly couldn't be a bad thing if managed properly. Especially if one of them should get injured. What I don't agree with is that none of these players are French as I would expect at least the back-up players in a French club side to be local talent. But maybe that is not fashionable?

They have just signed

# Sebastien Tillous-Borde from Castres
# Julien Dumora from Pau
# Alexis Palisson from Brive

All of whom are French!

 

[gingergenius]

well that's bye bye henson..

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Well could mean Contemponi is off ...

 

[munstermuffin]

Are people sure Henson got 2 year deal I thought it was reviewed at end season

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If he kept Henson at the expense of Contempomi he wants his head checked!

 

[TVH11]

Bloody hell, Toulon are just buying everyone :O :O Looks like Toulon are beginning to transform into rugby version of Real or Chelsea :O :O Crazy stuff. This obviously should give Henson a kick up the bum.... o'r he'll move club in 5 weeks time

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Are people sure Henson got 2 year deal I thought it was reviewed at end season

Reviewed at the end of the season, but from what I am reading in the press it seems that Giteau would move to play 10 and not 12!

 

[munstermuffin]

And put Jonny to the curb