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Wallabies great Matt Giteau backflips on retirement to join surprising new club
By Finn Morton
Legendary Wallabies playmaker Matt Giteau has backflipped on his initial plans to retire from professional rugby by signing with San Diego Legion for the 2024 Major League Rugby season.
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Giteau’s last taste of professional rugby came in the North American competition – which now only includes American sides after Toronto Arrows ceased operations – with the LA Giltinis.
The 41-year-old won an MLR championship alongside Australian great Adam Ashley-Cooper and another capped Wallaby in Dave Dennis – who had both helped the Waratahs win a Super Rugby title in 2014.
Matt Giteau making the move to SD ✍️✍️🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/coDtI4c7GB
— San Diego Legion Rugby (@SDLegion) December 20, 2023
With the Legion looking to go a couple better next season after bowing out in the Conference finals in July, the San Diego franchise has shown a positive sign of intent by signing Giteau.
“We are over the moon to secure the services of Matt for the upcoming season,” Head coach an Director of Rugby, Danny Lee, said in a statement.
“To have a highly experienced, international player of Matt’s calibre join the Legion in something very exciting.
“He is a world-class player that will bring an incredible wealth of knowledge, competitive attitude and drive to succeed with him that will no doubt spread throughout the squad.
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“We can’t wait to get the former MLR winner onboard.”
Matt Giteau’s rugby CV practically speaks for itself. Having played at three Rugby World Cups, Giteau is widely considered one of the greatest Wallabies of all time.
Giteau played 103 Test matches in Wallaby gold and scored an incredible 698 against the world’s best teams.
The playmaker has also starred at club level both in Australia and at various sides around the world.
After helping the Brumbies win two Super Rugby titles in 2001 and 2004, Giteau went on to win three European titles with French heavyweights Toulon.
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Giteau also played for the Western Force in Australia, Tokyo Sungoliath in Japan, and returned to the ACT Brumbies for a second stint ahead of the 2010 season.
But this next chapter with the San Diego Legion is sure to pique the interest of rugby fans around the world.
“Really excited to be joining San Diego Legion,” Giteau said in a video on the Legion’s social media pages. “Our proud club with some great fans and a great city.
“Can’t wait to get over there and rip in.”
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The writer here ignores the fact that, following on from not taking the penalty kick, the All Blacks did manage to score a try a few minutes later. Not directly from the penalty awarded, but it is speculation to say that had they opted to take the koi they would have won. Even if they kicked it, which was no guarantee, they would still be trailing and would have had to start again at half-way.
Go to commentsI would be surprised if Sales Opoku Fordjour and Northampton’s Tommy Freeman are not in the team, Anthony Watson is also one that could go on the wing. One thing I must say is that the front 3 will get destroyed against a team like South Africa.
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