Payto & Panda: Matt Giteau happy and settled in France; Lingerie football star’s rugby switch

A muddy rugby field in grey New Zealand is a long way from the bright lights and astroturf of the Lingerie Football League in the US.

Chloe Butler (blonde), Hanna Sio, Nita Maynard (shortest), Alexandra Sulusi. Four women from Two Blues have made it into the Australia team to play at the World Cup.

HE’S the toast of Europe and has Jonny Wilkinson questioning why on earth Australia let him go.

But 92-Test Wallaby Matt Giteau has bid au revoir to his chance of becoming a Test centurion, saying he doesn’t expect to be picked from France and with friends dismissing the chance of him swan song season at home.

Giteau became the first Australian to win two Heineken Cups last weekend when he scored a try in Toulon’s win over Saracens.

Wilkinson sung his praises post-match, suggesting the Wallabies were mad to let him leave.

“It’s very flattering to hear comments from someone that you respect as highly as I do as Jonny …[but] the rules are the way they are,” Giteau said, referring to the ARU policy not to select overseas-based players.

“I‘ve had my opportunities in Australia, and I’ve really enjoyed them. It’s a huge honour to represent your country and if I was asked to play of course you’d put your hand up, but I think the future of Australian rugby is with the guys who are there at the moment.”

The only way Giteau would notch up eight more Tests is to return home for a season, and while he considered it a few years ago, friends say it won’t happen.

The 31-year-old would only ever play for the Brumbies, and part of the reason he left was to give Matt Toomua and Christian Lealiifano the chance to emerge. Both are now thriving, and his earning capacity in France is far better anyway.

Most importantly, however, Giteau is happy with life in France with his young family.

“He’s always been a family man but now he’s got his own, that’s first and foremost in his mind,” Giteau’s mate Drew Mitchell told us.

“Rugby is just something he does. It doesn’t define what he is, or who he is. He’s very competitive but when it does come down to footy, he is able to switch on very well. Straight after the game he grabs his little boy (Levi) and brings him on the field.

“I would hate to speak on behalf of him, but I just don’t think he’d be prepared to go through a Super Rugby season where he is away for so long.”

Mitchell said pressure from the French-language media pressure was easier to ignore too.

“With the sporting landscape in Australia, there’s so much expectation for success and when it doesn’t come, and especially for a guy in his position, the criticism usually comes on pretty thick. Here it’s not an issue.”

The Top 14 final between Toulon and Castres will be screened on Eurosport at 4.45am on Sunday (June 1), with replays at 11am and 4pm.

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STILL on Toulon, and Waratahs star Adam Ashley-Cooper is starting to see similarities between his team and the French giants.

Not in the salaries of each roster, but in how NSW have emerged from a mid-season slump, as Toulon did to win the European crown.

“I read that article and he (Drew Mitchell) said there was a point in the season where the coach said ‘We’ll have to think about next season because we’re not going to do it this year’, and they turned it around,” Ashley-Cooper said.

“We started off well, got in a patch of inconsistency and everyone started saying ‘I don’t think these guys can do it’. But within one or two games we’re back up the top. But we could be back down to seventh with a loss or two, it is a week-to-week proposition.”

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IT was the day Les Bleus had to wait for the Blues.

An advance party of the French rugby squad touched down in Brisbane yesterday but the jet-lagged tourists had to kill half a day given the victorious NSW Blues league side were yet to vacate their hotel.

The French are staying at the Sofitel in Brisbane but couldn’t get into until 1pm so they went to Mermaid Beach for a bit of soccer and a leisurely pub lunch.

Here’s hoping the Sofitel-Suncorp curse — which hit the Wallabies last year in the Lions series but was lifted briefly by Laurie Daley’s men — returns for next week’s first Test.

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There seems to be little sympathy in Canberra for the local rugby player banned for 56 weeks for wiping blood on a referee’s jersey and punching an opponent when sent off.

Though officially unnamed, fourth-grade Wests player “Dave” was banned by the ACT judiciary on Wednesday night after the bizarre incident against Queanbeyan last weekend.

Wests argued Dave was concussed when he wiped blood from a headwound on the ref — who happened to the Canberra refs president. A yellow card for a ruck infringement turned into a red one, and Dave allegedly king-hit Queanbeyan player Adam Res on the way off and broke his nose.

He was banned for 48 matches for a medium-range physical assault on a ref — which carries an IRB-mandated 48-match ban — and eight for the punch.

A police investigation was started but we understand Dave won’t face charges. According to unimpressed Canberra sources, he can consider himself lucky.

Wests coach Craig Robberds said the club was unlikely to appeal, and as an older player, Dave will look to move into coaching.

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Overlooked by the Wallabies and dumped by the Brumbies, don’t be surprised to see Jesse Mogg at the Canberra Dymocks buying a French phrasebook.

Mogg’s pace and long-kicking left boot are particularly admired by the French clubs, and there is talk the Moggster may look overseas for his next contract.

Jesse Mogg may take up an offer in France.

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A muddy rugby field in grey New Zealand is a long way from the bright lights and astroturf of the Lingerie Football League in the US.

But Chloe Butler will be looking to use her experience in the LFL for the Australian rugby cause next week when she debuts for the Wallaroos across the Tasman.

The model athlete, who is a rugby lock, was recently named in the Aussie girl’s 26-woman squad for a Tri-Nations tournament against the Kiwis and Canada.

The Wallaroos are preparing for the Women’s World Cup, which is to be played in August in Paris, and are hoping the matches next week will help them go two better than their third place in 2010.

Butler is one of 15 uncapped players in the squad, and one of four Parramatta players, including Hannah Sio (sister of Eel star Ken), Alexandra Sulusi and Nita Maynard.

Chloe Butler (L) and her Aussie Parramatta teammates.

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FIRST Grade rugby will return to Drummoyne Oval over the June long weekend (June 7-9) in a City of Canada Bay Rugby Festival.

The Dirty Reds are one of the oldest most famous rugby clubs in Sydney who moved down to subbies in the mid-90s.

The Rugby Festival will see state junior competitions across the weekend, with the feature games of Drummoyne playing Briars for the Ken Williams Cup at 3.30pm, and West Harbour and Gordon from 5.15pm.

Drummoyne Oval is now equipped with broadcast quality floodlighting.

Originally published as Payto & Panda: Matt Giteau happy and settled in France; Lingerie football star’s rugby switch