Top 14: Rumour and denial as Giteau is linked
with a £4.25m deal with Bayonne
29 November 2008
Australia fly-half Matt Giteau was the focus
of rumour and denial at the weekend following newspaper
reports of an alleged £4.25m offer from Top 14 club Bayonne.
Sydney’s Daily Telegraph reported the
lucrative four-year deal had been made after Giteau met with
club representatives, but Bayonne chairman Francis Salagoity
categorically denied the rumours.
“I have not had any contact with this player
or his agent,” he said. “What’s more, we couldn’t afford to
offer such an amount of money to any player. This whole
story is false,” he added.
The transfer reports emerged after Giteau had
admitted he wanted to play in France on a “sabbatical” deal
similar to the one the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) has
granted for Dan Carter to join Perpignan.
But The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) appear
less inclined to be flexible and said they would hold Giteau
to his national contract, which is not due to expire until
the World Cup in 2011.
An ARU spokesman denied the early release of
Ricky Elsom from his national contract had set a precedent,
adding that he had been granted “compassionate leave” to
join Leinster three months before his contract ran out.
“Matt is under contract with the ARU until 2011 and for him
to play overseas he would need a clearance from the ARU. Our
position is that we don’t entertain sabbaticals,” he
stressed.
The lure, however, of such vast earnings is
clearly worrying the ARU as it fears a player drain to
Europe.
“Obviously the figures
mentioned are extremely high but we have no indication as to
whether that is an accurate portrayal of what a French club
is putting on the table,” said the ARU spokesman.
“I think it’s evident that our players to
date have been satisfied with their levels of remuneration
because in the professional era we have not lost high
profile players to either rugby league or European rugby
while they’re at the height of their careers,” he added.
But Giteau is only 26 and his loss would be
massive to the Wallabies. Not only would it leave a huge
on-field gap, it could also prove to be the straw that broke
the camel’s back in terms of players seeking to cash in on
lucrative European club deals.
Australian rugby league has already seen the
departure of stars such as Sonny ‘Bill’ Williams (to Toulon)
and Mark Gasnier (to Stade Francais), while the All Blacks
have been hit by numerous departures.
Giteau is currently in dispute with his
Australian franchise the Western Force, but the Wallabies
rule of ineligibility for those playing outside the country
would mean the fly-half would have a tough decision to make
should a French club make him a serious offer.
One possible exit strategy could be to buy
himself out of his ARU contract, but for that to happen he
would surely need a lengthy club contract to make it worth
his while.
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