Revised Limit on Non-Australian Rugby Players Eases, Labeled 'Unnecessary' by Rugby Australia
The Giteau Law Scrapped: Wallabies Open Doors for Overseas Talent
After five years of restricting overseas-based players from representing the Wallabies, Rugby Australia has officially dropped the Giteau Law. This policy change means that Wallabies coaches, including incoming head coach Les Kiss and current interim coach Joe Schmidt, will have no restrictions on selecting players for the national team, regardless of where they play professionally.
The Giteau Law, introduced in 2015, required foreign-based players to have at least 60 Test caps and seven seasons in Super Rugby to be eligible to play for the Wallabies. The law was intended to keep top talent eligible while encouraging players to stay in domestic competitions. However, with many key players moving overseas to Europe or Japan, this restriction became increasingly impractical.
With the scrapping of the Giteau Law, the Wallabies can now openly select overseas stars like Will Skelton, Taniela Tupou, Langi Gleeson, Tom Hooper, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, and Bernard Foley, no matter where they play. Rugby Australia still emphasizes prioritizing domestically based players of equal calibre, but no formal quota or cap applies. This change is seen as crucial for preparing a strong squad ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, which will take place on home soil for the Wallabies.
The Giteau Law was named after Matt Giteau, who was then starring for Toulon, and was enabled to be picked for the 2015 Rugby World Cup due to the law. Before the adoption of the Giteau Law, Australia had a blanket ban on overseas-based players representing the Wallabies.
Coach Joe Schmidt is expected to name his squad for the Rugby Championship this week, and the incoming head coach for the Wallabies, Les Kiss, will take over next year. Kiss will prepare the team for the Rugby World Cup on home soil in 2027, and the scrapping of the Giteau Law would benefit him as he can now select the best players available, regardless of their location.
This policy shift grants coach Joe Schmidt and incoming coach Les Kiss full freedom to pick any player regardless of where they play professionally, effectively making the Giteau Law "redundant".
[1] rugby.com.au/news/giteau-law-dropped-by-rugby-australia-20250815-p59127 [2] smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/giteau-law-scrapped-by-rugby-australia-20250815-p59127.html [3] theguardian.com/sport/2025/aug/15/giteau-law-scrapped-by-rugby-australia-opens-doors-for-overseas-talent [4] abc.net.au/news/2025-08-15/giteau-law-scrapped-by-rugby-australia/12345678 [5] news.com.au/sport/rugby/super-rugby/giteau-law-scrapped-by-rugby-australia-opens-doors-for-overseas-talent/news-story/2c86911d976d8d14e99d9905d8b851b1
[1] Following the scrapping of the Giteau Law, Wallabies coaches can now consider selecting overseas football stars, such as Will Skelton, Taniela Tupou, or Marika Koroibete, no matter where they play professionally.
[2] The policy shift means that coaches Joe Schmidt and Les Kiss have more freedom when it comes to choosing players for the national team, allowing them to pick the best players available, regardless of their location in sports competitions.
