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Rugby’s $4.5 million man, Matt Giteau, is worth every cent the Western Force pay him, insists chief executive Peter O’Meara.
The world’s highest paid rugby union player started training with the Force yesterday for the Perth team’s first Super 14 match of the season, against the Highlanders of New Zealand, at Subiaco Oval on February 2.
Giteau, 24, was lured from the ACT Brumbies by a three-year deal in which a substantial sum from a Perth-based company supplemented the payments from the Australian Rugby Union and the Force.
There is no salary cap in the code and Giteau’s annual $1.5 million package is nearly double that of Australian rugby’s next highest earner, Wallabies captain George Gregan, who collects a salary of about $800,000.
“I don’t go into salary details but we certainly haven’t paid over the odds with the amount he gets from us,” O’Meara said yesterday. “We pay a portion of his package and his agent’s done a pretty good job in lining up a corporate top-up.
“He’s the Chris Judd of the Force. Giteau, wing Drew Mitchell and rugby league convert Ryan Cross, expected to play at outside centre.
Giteau confirmed yesterday that he would wear the No. 12 jersey, despite efforts by the Wallabies hierarchy to convert him to scrum-half.
“I know where I stand. I’ll play 12 “He’s got that star quality and players like him are not easy to come by.
“He’s very important to our future planning, on and off the field.”
The Force battled through much of their first season in 2006 with a back line too easily contained, hence the recruitment of inside centre and if needed, I can switch to 10 (flyhalf),” he said.
Giteau admitted his salary brought with it the pressure to perform.
“The big thing is not to try to justify it by doing too much,” he said. “I can’t overplay my hand. I’ve got to find where I fit in and develop backline combinations during training.”
Giteau indicated the Force had the depth to climb from 13th — they had one win and two draws last season — to the top six.
“We’ll have a finals spot in the back of our minds,” he said.
O’Meara also expects a considerable improvement this year.
“Matt’s got that individual brilliance that creates a lot more penetration that will hopefully lead to more wins and therefore more fans through the gate,” he said.
“He’ll bring people to rugby, for sure. It’s exciting when he touches the ball and he’ll attract a following among the kids especially.”
The Force will play an intrasquad match at Perry Lakes on Saturday and a friendly against the Crusaders in Melbourne on Friday week, but Giteau is likely to be saved for the team’s final pre-season game, against Western Samoa at Members Equity Stadium on January 25.
DAVE HUGHES
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