Former Wallabies playmaker Matt Giteau can cap a stellar debut season for Toulon with an upset victory over heavyweights Toulouse in the French rugby championship final at Stade de France on Saturday (Sunday AEST).
Unwanted by Australia coach Robbie Deans for last year’s World Cup, Giteau has been a key member of the Toulon team while playing at inside centre outside England great Jonny Wilkinson.
He’s one of three Australians amid the foreign contingent in the Top 14 title decider, alongside teammate Luke Rooney and Toulouse’s former Wallabies halfback Luke Burgess.
Giteau and Rooney get their second crack at some silverware after being denied when beaten 21-18 by fellow French club Biarritz last month in the final of the European Challenge Cup, rugby’s equivalent of soccer’s Europa League.
With Wilkinson misfiring at times with the boot, Giteau’s goalkicking, often the subject of conjecture during his 92-Test international career, has been a key factor in Toulon’s charge to their first French championship final since 1992.
Toulon, who won the title in 1931, 1987 and 1992, will be up against a Toulouse side led by national captain Thierry Dusautoir which is hunting for an unrivalled 19th title.
“Gonna b massive game,” said Giteau on Twitter (sic).
“Training well but u never know til the day…”
Wilkinson, who kicked England to World Cup glory in 2003 over an Australian side that included Giteau, said he was looking forward to another pressure final.
“I am astonished to be going back to the Stade de France for the final, it is somewhere I haven’t been for a while!” said the 33-year-old, who retired from international rugby after last year’s World Cup.
“It’s going to be an extraordinary experience. I can’t wait for it.”
Jutsie
Guest
Thats the feeling I got from watching him play the QF ans SF's. He seems to still crab across the field for about 30m without crossing the advantage line too.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
Interesting that you would only mention Deans. Giteau hasn't played good rugby under anyone for the last three years not just Deans.
Ben S
Roar Guru
Pretty spot on assessment.
Parisien
Guest
This is a beat-up. Giteau is playing alright, no better. He is at 12 outside Wilkinson, who kicks a fair bit, and behind a decent scalping Toulon pack giving them more time and space. Toulon are also playing a very defensive conservative style of rugby (thanks to Laporte). Giteau seems to wave his arms a lot organizing team-mates where to tackle and run ... He doesn't seem to be in any kind of special form but has slotted a few penalties when Wilko is having a bad day.
Ben S
Roar Guru
'(i’ll probably get flamed by a few of our NH friends for saying this)' Not form me you won't. The Top 14 is dross.
mudskipper
Guest
Deans didn't want to be challenged... he just wanted to challenge others... Matt Giteau's problem for Deans was he'd played under too many international coaches... to coach... Nice to hear Gits it back to playing great rugby, I wish him the best on Saturday to take out the championship.... A nice add to his resume...
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
top14 isnt as entertaining as SR, thats for sure, but its what you get when you have a promotion/relegation system, when only the top teams qualify for the lucrative heineken cup etc... Winning is so vital that most sides have a 'winning at all costs' mentality. The Blues, Force, Rebels, Tahs etc know they will be back next year and dont have much pressure. Thats why they have been having a laugh in the last few weeks. Big teams like Biarritz or Perpignan have been fighting against relegation all year. True that winning ugly is all that matters in these circumstances. Hard to say what the Crusaders or Stormers would do in such competition but i dont think they would win all their matches 50-0. Agree that it was hard to watch the 2 try-less semis after Crusaders-Highlanders or Lions-Sharks though.
Jiggles
Roar Guru
The Top 14 is just an all in brawl at the breakdown, but I reall enjoy the H-Cup. that is the premier rugby comp in the world outside of tests.
Jutsie
Guest
RK nothing to fear I watched a few of the top 14 games on euro sport and its not very high standard IMO (i'll probably get flamed by a few of our NH friends for saying this) there wasnt a try scored in either semi final last weekend. And you'll also see that he is back playing at 12. It was he who demanded to play at 10 at the force/brumbies and wallabies
Red Kev
Guest
So Giteau is playing spectacularly this year but couldn't for the Wallabies under Deans for the last three years ... interesting.
Albo
Guest
I still would have liked to have seen Gits at fullback at some stage. He really wasn't a 10.