Wallabies five-eighth Matt Giteau has been offered a staggering $NZ18 million dollars to play club rugby in France.
Bayonne, the club that lured Craig Gower from NRL club Penrith, has approached Giteau with a four-year deal that would make him the highest-paid player across either rugby code, News Limited reported today.
The Wallabies star met with billionaire club powerbroker Alain Afflelou before Australia's victory over France in Paris last weekend, the report said.
Giteau is keen on pursuing a short-term release to play in France, similar to the deal All Black Daniel Carter struck with the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to sign with Perpignan.
An Australian Rugby Union (ARU) spokesman said on Friday Giteau had not requested a temporary release from his contract.
"Matt is under contract with the ARU until 2011 and for him to play overseas he would need a clearance from the ARU," the spokesman said.
The ARU refused to comment on whether Giteau would be granted a release should he formally request one.
Giteau will be a key figure as the Wallabies take on Wales in Cardiff on Sunday morning (0130AEDT) in the final Test of their spring tour.
