Giteau back in LA for last hurrah at Giltinis

WALLABIES great Matt Giteau has ditched retirement plans and will play on in 2022 for the Los Angeles Giltinis in the US.

It is a coup for the club after all the polish, poise and direction that Giteau injected into the club’s Championship-winning triumph in 2021.

Giteau admitted that the whole rugby and life experience in Los Angeles had convinced him he wanted more and could play on at 39.

“The 2021 season with the Giltinis was such a really positive experience, both in terms of the rugby and my young family living in Los Angeles,” Giteau said.

“When you win it magnifies any type of experience you have.

“I was really content with the way things finished. It was such a super season to end up with a Championship.

“It was a month or two after last season that I started to entertain the idea of playing on. When the Giltinis showed interest in me coming back, it got serious.

“My wife Bianca has changed her life to suit me many times but when she was keen and the kids were pumped for more of LA, it made the decision an easy one.”

Giteau’s fitness work in his Australian home city of Canberra had him in good shape when he arrived for his first session with the Giltinis last week.

The 103-cap veteran has hunger to keep pushing himself, having won seven elite trophies in Australia (Brumbies), France (Toulon), Japan (Suntory) and the US (Giltinis).

He was named man-ofthe-match when the Giltinis beat Rugby ATL 31-17 in MLR Championship final last August and is excited about the playing squad the Giltinis have assembled.

He added: “I’m under no illusions about my age. Tas Smith, our new half-back, was born a year before I made my Test debut in 2002. My body feels great but there’s a lot of hard work for everyone ahead.”

The Giltinis kicked off their Championship defence against the Houston Sabercats last night.