The LA Giltinis has announced a signing coup with rugby superstar Matt Giteau bringing his trophy-winning ways to Los Angeles. Thiss unveiling is the biggest recruitment news of the off-season for both the go-ahead Giltinis and Major League Rugby’s fourth season. Wooing Australia’s three-time World Cup star on a one-season deal adds a huge marquee name to the Giltinis’ already-impressive roster of players from seven countries. It took a fresh, bold rugby vision in LA to hook the Wallabies great.
Giteau had all but decided to retire when his final season for Suntory Sungoliath ended suddenly in March last year once Japan’s 2020 Top League season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Giteau’s polished skills at five-eighth and inside center, as one of the most influential backs of the 21st century, has generated six elite trophies in Australia (Brumbies), France (Toulon) and Japan (Suntory). At 38, Giteau is excited about his final frontier in rugby.
“I felt a bit unfulfilled with the way things ended in Japan, it made me think that just retiring because of ‘age’ was selling myself a bit short, so I got excited with the LA offer.” Giteau said.
Giteau’s skillful sparkle earned him the first of his 103 Test caps for the Wallabies in 2002.
He would go on to score 30 tries and 698 points in Tests and live up to his early nickname as “Kid Dynamite” with his silky ball-playing, sharp footwork and smart organizing skills.
He was controversially left out of the Wallabies’ 2011 Rugby World Cup squad but so enduring were his talents that the Australian Rugby Union changed their own rules by drafting the so-called “Giteau Law” to select players from outside Australia who had played 60 or more Tests. He was playing in France when recalled for a stirring comeback at the 2015 World Cup after winning a hat-trick of European Rugby Champions Cups (2013-15) with Toulon.
Giteau’s close friendship with former Wallaby Adam Ashley-Cooper was a factor too when they both decided to jump into this adventure. The pair share a business partnership in Backline Wines with retired Wallaby, Drew Mitchell.
“He’s renowned as always being fiercely competitive as a player and trainer and I’m really excited he’s coming to Los Angeles with a fire in his belly to help make the club successful,” Coleman said.
The Giltinis kick off their inaugural MLR campaign at home against the New England Free Jacks on March 20th.
—
Photo Credit: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock.com