Matt Giteau tipped for Wallabies role
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Former Wallabies star Matt Giteau has been mentioned as a potential replacement for ex-club and country teammate Stephen Larkham as Australia’s attack coach ahead of the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Whispers of Giteau’s appointment have been surfacing ever since Larkham's departure in February with the process being delayed by the late arrival of new director of rugby Scott Johnson, who left his post at Scotland Rugby in late March.
Speaking on Fox Sports this weekend Giteau hinted at the possibility of joining the national set-up as the side’s attack coach.
“Nay,” Giteau responded following a long pause to the “yay, nay or hard to say” options.
“I’m available, but it won’t be from a paid employment point of view.”
With those comments coming after the panel pressured the former Brumby playmaker with the delayed response coming after he immediately shot back “nay” to the previous question where he said he wouldn’t come out of international retirement to play.
Giteau hasn't been employed as a full-time coach before, at a top level side, but was a player-coach for Toulon after Mike Ford abruptly left the coaching role in 2017. Reports have also suggested that he has done some coaching with the Brumbies this season too.
On Saturday, Cheika shed some insight into the person being targeted to fill Larkham’s void in an interview on Fox Sports and the role he envisions them to play.
“The person we bring in will be someone I think that will be with the players, on-field a lot, not build a lot of strategy, more getting players to embrace strategy and understand it so it’s automatic on the field.”
Cheika is also revealed that he had sought out a range of sporting minds for advice this year, including Giteau, Chris Latham, Phil Kearns, Charlotte Caslick and “some rugby league types.”
The Wallabies head coach played down the urgency to appoint someone in the vacant backs coaching role, pointing to the fact the Wallabies’ first Test isn’t until July 20.
“There is no major hurry,” said Cheika
“We’re not training yet, are we? There are a few things that I want to unfold first but I probably reckon May sometime.”
Giteau earned 103 caps for the Wallabies and last featured for the Wallabies as a player in 2016, and retired from test rugby last year.
He featured in three World Cups including the most recent tournament in 2015.
