Australia international Matt Giteau has signed for Toulon, the club announced on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old will join the French outfit after this autumn’s World Cup and has signed a deal for three years, one of which is optional.
He joins from ACT Brumbies, the club where he began his career before a spell with Western Force.
Giteau will captain the Brumbies in their Super 15 opener against the Chiefs on Saturday and will play out the entire campaign for the Canberra franchise before moving to Europe.
In addition to his Super Rugby experience, Giteau has 91 caps for Australia, having played in both the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups.
Giteau brings valuable versatility to Toulon, as he is able to play fly-half, centre or scrum-half.
The 28-year-old is set to link up with England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, former New Zealand prop Carl Hayman and former Western Force team-mate Matt Henjak at Toulon, who are coached by Phillipe Saint-Andre.
Courtesy of Sportinglife.com
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Awesome talent but bad influence on a team IMO.
Best days are sadly behind him.
Think he and Henjak together could face many a disciplinary hearing.
What happend to matt rodgers? Is he still playing rugga?
Matt Giteau says his 18-month sabbatical to France is part of a plan to come back to Australia refreshed and ready to extend his rugby career.
The Brumbies playmaker said yesterday he had signed a post-World Cup deal with French club Toulon that will keep him overseas until midway through 2013. It is understood his Toulon contract is worth more than the estimated $1.1 million-a-year deal he has with the ARU and third-party sponsors in Australia.
”The intention is just to refresh myself,” Giteau said.
”It’s to get away from the same old routines which you can get caught up in. If I’m still playing some great football, I’d love to come back to the Brumbies. You do need a break. You can get caught in the same routine year after year. But for me, even just training at the moment is exciting because I’ve known that I was going to go.”
28 Now so he will be 30 when he comes back. Close to being done by them IMO.
@Ben (Comment 4) :
Rogers moved back to Rugby league..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 6) : Okay cool thanks.
@Ben (Comment 7) :
I picked it up while following the NRL last year on SuperBru.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 8) : cool. He just disappeared from the scene was wondering what happened to him. But he’s been gone for long now. Its a shame though the guy could play some.