WITHOUT any fanfare or celebratory farewell tours, one of Australia’s greatest rugby players has all but confirmed his international retirement.

Sixteen years after he made his Test debut at Twickenham before playing a game of Super Rugby, Matt Giteau is keen to slip away quietly.

The now 35-year-old played his last Test for Australia in 2016 but has never publicly called time on a glittering 103-game career in Wallaby gold.

“I haven’t officially retired,” Giteau told foxsports.com.au.

“I haven’t made a big song and dance and a big banner or anything that says, ‘I’m retired.’

“I don’t know if I see the need to do that.

“There are better players than me in my position in Australian rugby.

“When you’ve got that and you can recognise that, I think that’s a clear enough sign that your time is up, for me, internationally.”

NEW PODCAST! Former Wallabies captain Dean Mumm joins the crew en route to the North Pole and Reds fullback Aidan Toua jumps on the phone from Argentina

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes by CLICKING HERE

GITEAU ON QUADE COOPER: ‘A WASTE FOR AUSTRALIAN RUGBY’

He is still playing club rugby for Suntory Sungoliath in Japan.

So what if an injury crisis struck and coach Michael Cheika came calling?

“I’m just going to keep supporting him and helping out wherever I can, if there is an opportunity to help out,” Giteau said.

“But from a playing point of view, I’d think that’s it.”

Matt Giteau scores against England at Twickenham in the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Source: Getty Images

One of only eight Australians to reach the 100 Test milestone, Giteau is undoubtedly one of world rugby’s modern greats.

He played in three Rugby World Cup campaigns, reaching the final on two occasions.

The clever playmaker also won the Super Rugby title in 2004 with the Brumbies — the same year he was a finalist as World Rugby’s player of the year.

Even in his mid-30s, Giteau was matching it with the best playmakers in the world.

After six successful seasons in France with Toulon, Giteau spearheaded Suntory to Japanese Top League victory in January.

LIVE stream the 2018 Super Rugby Season on FOX SPORTS. Get your free 2-week Foxtel Now trial & start watching in minutes. SIGN UP NOW >

Matt Giteau with dad Ron back in 2001. Source: News Corp Australia

He will return to Japan for another season in May.

But his career hasn’t been all smooth sailing.

Giteau shocked Australian rugby when he signed with Toulon in 2011 after being controversially omitted from Robbie Deans’ World Cup squad.

But so desperate was Cheika to utilise his talents in the 2015 tournament, he rewrote the eligibility rules in what became known as the ‘Giteau law.’

He was instrumental in guiding the Wallabies to the final where he was cruelly concussed in a collision with Brodie Retallick and the All Blacks ran out winners.

Giteau has never watched a replay of that match.

New Wallabies Adam Freier and Matt Giteau in 2002. Source: News Corp Australia

“No regrets at all,” Giteau said when reflecting on his illustrious career.

“I had already made my decision (to move to France) at the start of 2011 because I’d been doing the same routine for a decade.

“You’d do Super Rugby, Tri Nations, little break, end of season tour, holidays.

“I’d been going through that constant cycle for 10 years, I needed something new, something refreshing and after the 2011 World Cup I thought that’d be a great opportunity to go.

“It had nothing to do with Robbie, it just was to do with myself and I wanted to experience a different culture, be able to play overseas.

Matt Giteau with Robbie Deans in 2009. Source: Getty Images

“I’d always been fascinated with France and wanted to play over there, so I don’t regret that.

“The money wasn’t a driving force.

“I went over there on a lot less than I was in Australian rugby, so that’s probably the misconception about going overseas, chasing money.

“I think a lot of players are going over there chasing an opportunity.

“It’s something different, that cultural experience.”

Drew Mitchell (L) and Matt Giteau celebrate winning the Heineken Cup Final between Toulon and Saracens in 2014. Source: Getty Images

And Giteau left an indelible mark at Toulon, where star foreign players come and go according to the whim of colourful owner Mourad Boudjellal.

Not Giteau, who became a favourite of demanding Toulon fans and his billionaire comic book mogul boss.

“The best advice I got before I went over there was, ‘Don’t compare this to Australian rugby, don’t compare it to Super Rugby, you’re in France now, this is how things are done.’

“Everything — whether it was good or bad — was an experience and I just went along with it, and I think that’s why I was able to last so long and why I really enjoyed my time over there.”

Matt Giteau in action for Toulon in 2015. Source: Getty Images

Giteau formed a lethal playmaking combination at Toulon with Jonny Wilkinson — the Englishman whose infamous right foot drop goal dashed his World Cup dreams in 2003.

Rather than being a painful daily reminder of that evening, Giteau said his relationship with Wilkinson proved cathartic.

“I wanted to hate him,” Giteau said.

“I even said that to him, I said, ‘I want to hate you.’

“But he’s too nice a guy.

“And I think playing with him, training with him, seeing how hard he works kind of eased the pain of losing the World Cup because you saw that it wasn’t a fluke.

“That kick, he would probably get 19 out of 20 times, so it wasn’t a lucky kick that he did.

“He’s just a guy that works hard and unfortunately for us it went against us.

Jonny Wilkinson and Matt Giteau after a Toulon match. Source: Getty Images

“But at least it gives me more peace of mind to know that it wasn’t a fluky, jammy kick.

“It’s actually something he worked really hard for, and he did that for us 1000 times at Toulon.

“He spent more time than anyone practicing.

“He was just meticulous in his prep and he felt if he didn’t do that he’d have doubts in a game.

“So he needed to do that much routine so that come game day he knew that he’d done it before and he was at ease.

“And in the big games it showed because he kicked well for us.”

Drew Mitchell, Jonny Wilkinson and Matt Giteau after Toulon won the 2014 Top 14 Final. Source: Getty Images

Relationships between Australian and Japanese rugby continue to grow with the introduction of the Sunwolves to the Australian Super Rugby conference ahead of the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle has said building closer relationships with Top League clubs will be beneficial, similar to New Zealand Rugby’s new alliance with London club Harlequins.

Giteau supported exploring that move.

Stephen Moore and Matt Giteau with their 100 Test caps, during the 2015 World Cup. Picture: ARU, Stuart Walmsley Source: Supplied

“The seasons are shorter, the game’s a lot faster, I really enjoy the expansive style that they try to play,” Giteau said.

“If that’s a way of keeping Australian rugby players in Australia, but also gives players an opportunity to experience a different culture and different tournament then possibly.

“The Japanese season makes sense because they don’t really overlap with Super Rugby.

“You look at someone like David Pocock, he played in the Japanese league and he’s able to play in Super Rugby.

“The only big concern is the player burnout.

“If you’re going back to back seasons you’re not actually having an off-season, so that would be my only concern.”