Giteau's law

Giteau's law, or the Giteau law, is the name given to a practice by Rugby Australia (RA), formerly known as the Australian Rugby Union (ARU), introduced in 2015 to allow overseas-based Australian rugby union players to be eligible to play for the Australia national rugby union team. The policy change was colloquially named after Matt Giteau, as the rule was seen primarily to bring him into the Australian side for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.[1][2] The initial selection criteria was also dubbed the "60/7 Rule".[3]

Year(s) Criteria
Apr. 2015–Sep. 2020 Minimum 60 Test caps for Australia; and seven seasons at Super Rugby level.
Sep. 2020–Aug. 2021
  • Minimum 60 Test caps for Australia; and seven seasons at Super Rugby level.
  • Two extra overseas-based players (no criteria).
Aug. 2021–Feb. 2022 No criteria
Feb. 2022–present
  • Minimum 30 Test caps for Australia; and five seasons at Super Rugby level.
  • Only three overseas-based players can be selected per tournament/series.

Background

Australia's record overseas-based selections (2021 Spring Tour)[a][5]
Player Position Date of birth (age) Caps Club
Quade Cooper Fly-half 5 April 1988 (aged 33) 74 Kintetsu Liners
Marika Koroibete Wing 26 July 1992 (aged 29) 42 Saitama Wild Knights
Samu Kerevi Centre 27 September 1993 (aged 28) 38 Tokyo Sungoliath
Sean McMahon Back row 18 June 1994 (aged 27) 27 Tokyo Sungoliath
Rory Arnold Lock 1 July 1990 (aged 31) 26 Toulouse
Tolu Latu Hooker 23 February 1993 (aged 28) 19 Stade Français
Will Skelton Lock 3 May 1992 (aged 29) 18 La Rochelle

Before the policy change, players could play for the Australian national rugby union team only if they played for an Australian team in the Super Rugby competition.

Then-head coach Michael Cheika devised Giteau's Law to enable key overseas-based players to be eligible for selection for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. In April 2015, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) announced this new arrangement.[1] The rule also allowed players to return to Test duty immediately if they have signed with a Super Rugby club for the following two years.[6]

Amendments

In 2020, Rugby Australia approved an amendment to Giteau's Law that allowed up to two overseas-based players to be selected, regardless of the total overseas-based players in the squad, that did not meet the original criteria to be selected.[7][8]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RA relaxed selection eligibility in August 2021 ahead of the 2021 Rugby Championship and Spring Tour,[9] with plans to review the policy following their final fixture.[10] No quota was given as to how many players could be selected.[11] The overseas-based selections reach a record high since the introduction of Giteau's law during the 2021 Spring Tour.[12] Seven overseas-based players were called-up to the Wallabies squad ahead of their tour of Japan and Great Britain, with the 2020 amendments having continued through the following year despite originally being for 2020 only.[12] Four players were based in Japan (Quade Cooper, Marika Koroibete, Samu Kerevi, Sean McMahon), with the remaining three playing in France (Rory Arnold, Tolu Latu, Will Skelton).[5]

In February 2022 a final policy was made to the Giteau Law. The new amendment would lower the original rule (sixty Test caps for Australia and a minimum of seven seasons at Super rugby level) to thirty Test caps and five years at Super Rugby level, respectively. However, the new amendment only allowed for three overseas-based players to be selected per tournament or series.[13][14] Despite efforts to relax the law later in the year by coach Dave Rennie, Rugby Australia did not change the selection policy.[15][16]

2025–2026

In August 2025, Rugby Australia Director of High Performance Peter Horne stated that the "Giteau law" criteria for national selection was redundant and that the coach, Joe Schmidt, was free to select all eligible Australian players, domestic- or overseas-based.[17][18][19] However, the following year Horne reiterated that the 2022 policy changes were still in place.[20] "The current policy is basically exactly the same as it's been since [2022], so nothing's changed," Horne said in an interview with The Age,[20] adding: "If there was an absolute need to put a player [in], the case would have to go to the board, and it's not as likely as someone that's already got a Test decorated career like Will [Skelton] or Hoops [Tom Hooper], or if James O'Connor came up again. All those players overseas who have got a long-standing position with Australia [rugby] and are available for selection."[20]

Effect

Assistant national coach Stephen Larkham said the rule enabled the Australian world cup squad to benefit from more experienced players. He said "It's not just a team that's a little bit older and therefore more experienced (but) we've got the right number of experienced guys, the right number of older guys and the right number of younger enthusiastic guys."[21]

The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) Chief Executive Steve Tew said he would not implement such a rule for the New Zealand national team, stating: "[New Zealand] didn't often follow Australia".[22]

Following the 2015 Rugby World Cup, head coach Michael Cheika hoped as much as 85% of the squad would be available for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, including players available under Giteau's Law.[23]

Reception

Just over 12 months out from the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Australian forward Kane Douglas, who was playing for Irish club Leinster, praised the restrictive selection policy for the national team in place at the time, despite the potential of missing selection.[24] In an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Douglas stated, "they've [ARU] got to be strong on their stance and encourage boys to stay and play in Australia and for Australia."[24] In 2015, Douglas was released from his contract with Leinster,[25] signed a three-year contract with the Queensland Reds,[26] and was selected in the Australia squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.[27]

Upon the announcement of Giteau's law, Australian Rugby Union chief executive Bill Pulver stated: "This is a pivotal moment for Rugby in Australia, where for the first time in its professional history, the ARU will allow overseas-based players who have made a significant contribution to Australian Rugby to become eligible for the Wallabies."[28]

Since its introduction in 2015, the policy has attracted both support and opposition from former Australian Test players. Matt To'omua,[29] Will Genia,[30] David Campese,[31] James Horwill,[32] Quade Cooper,[33] and Matt Giteau,[34] the policy's namesake, have all called for its abolition. Conversely, Ben Darwin and Stirling Mortlock have publicly supported its retention.[30]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Caps and ages are as of 23 October 2021, Australia's first Test of the Spring Tour.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Winners and losers under Giteau's Law". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. 24 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "ARU relaxes Wallabies eligibility rules, opens door to Matt Giteau for World Cup". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. 22 April 2015. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015.
  3. ↑ Zavos, Spiro (1 May 2015). "Spin is king for Bill Pulver and the ARU as they go about running the game". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 14 February 2019.
  4. ↑ "Australia make it five wins in a row with 32–23 victory in Japan". BBC Sport. 23 October 2021.
  5. 1 2 Williamson, Nathan (8 October 2021). "Overseas trio called up as Wallabies name squad for Spring Tour". Rugby.com.au.
  6. ↑ "Matt Giteau Cost Himself 250,000 By Pursuing Rugby World Cup Dream". Fox Sports Australia. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  7. ↑ "Wallabies relax Matt Giteau Law criteria for 2020". ESPN. 10 September 2020.
  8. ↑ Decent, Tom (10 September 2022). "Rugby Australia loosens Wallabies selection policy via Giteau Law amendment". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  9. ↑ Doran, Christy (15 August 2021). "Australian rugby's 'Giteau Law' to be axed in seismic shift for Wallabies". Fox Sports Australia. News Corp Australia.
  10. ↑ Phillips, Sam (6 October 2021). "Rugby Australia to cap Giteau Law exemptions". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
  11. ↑ Harris, Bret (28 October 2021). "Rugby Australia left with mess to clear up after withdrawal of Wallabies trio". The Guardian.
  12. 1 2 Harris, Bret (14 October 2021). "Careful management required with Rugby Australia's Giteau Law now effectively defunct". The Guardian.
  13. ↑ Payten, Iain (25 February 2022). "Wallabies stars to miss World Cup as Giteau Law gets drastic makeover". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  14. ↑ Bruce, Sam (25 February 2022). "Caps cut, but spots limited in RA's new overseas selection policy". ESPN.
  15. ↑ Payten, Iain (21 July 2022). "Four into three won't go: Rennie flags increase in Giteau Law limit". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  16. ↑ "Wallabies boss Dave Rennie calls for further tweaks to Giteau Law". RugbyPass. 22 July 2022.
  17. ↑ Henson, Mike (5 August 2025). "Wallabies scrap rule limiting foreign-based players". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  18. ↑ Drennan, Jonathan (5 August 2025). "Giteau Law 'redundant' as Wallabies look to build on Lions success". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  19. ↑ Grey, Lachie (5 August 2025). "Giteau Law 'redundant' as RA confirms all overseas players available for Test selection". Rugby.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 August 2025. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
  20. 1 2 3 Drennan, Jonathan (8 April 2026). "Why Nawaqanitawase could face World Cup selection squeeze". The Age. Nine Entertainment.
  21. ↑ "Giteau's Law is More Valuable Than Creating Wallabies Milestones". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  22. ↑ "If Giteau's Law Backfires Look Out for Backflip from Bill Pulver". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  23. ↑ "Motorsport Video |Motorsport Highlights, Replays, News, Clips".
  24. 1 2 "Kane Douglas praises Australian Rugby Union for tough stance on Wallabies' eligibility". ABC News. 8 July 2014. Archived from the original on 9 July 2014.
  25. ↑ "Leinster releases lock Kane Douglas giving him opportunity to bid for Wallabies World Cup squad". ABC News. 24 July 2015. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016.
  26. ↑ Stannard, Damien (1 August 2015). "Kane Douglas signs three-year contract with Wallabies and Reds". News.com.au. News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016.
  27. ↑ "Rugby World Cup 2015 squads". BBC Sport. BBC. 8 September 2015. Archived from the original on 16 December 2017.
  28. ↑ "Wallabies to select overseas players". Radio New Zealand. 22 April 2015. Archived from the original on 1 August 2025.
  29. ↑ Coetzee, Dylan (11 August 2022). "Matt Toomua: Wallabies should 'cut the cord' on Giteau's Law". Planet Rugby.
  30. 1 2 "Former Wallabies at odds over potential changes to Giteau Law". ESPN. 17 August 2021.
  31. ↑ Jones, Chris (15 August 2021). "Wallaby great Campese wants 'stupid' Giteau Law scrapped immediately". RugbyPass.
  32. ↑ Doran, Christy (1 June 2019). "'Pick your best players': Former Wallabies captain calls for 'Giteau Law' change". Fox Sports Australia. News Corp Australia.
  33. ↑ Cooper, Quade (1 August 2025). "Giteau Law is hindering Wallabies chances of winning World Cup and must be scrapped". The Courier-Mail. News Corp Australia.
  34. ↑ Phillips, Sam (16 August 2021). "'Pick your best team': Giteau backs moves to change rule named after him". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment.
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