DREW Mitchell admits his friendship with Matt Giteau is not your average bromance.

“Some people probably think I spend too much time at Matt’s house while he’s away,” Mitchell said.

The Toulon-based pair are just as comfortable sitting on Santa’s lap together as they are winning rugby trophies on the field.

“As we’ve grown and our circumstances have changed, our friendship has grown closer,” Mitchell said.

“Matt is married with kids, living in France, and our friendship has grown with that, and I’ve also developed my own friendship with his wife Bianca.

“I was best man at their wedding, I am godfather to their first son Levi.

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Drew Mitchell and Matt Giteau have collected plenty of silverware together. Source: Getty Images

“When Matt had surgery, I was over there helping Bianca around the house, bathing the kids.

“I am over at their place for dinner five nights a week.

“When we’re at training, Bianca will text us three options for dinner, Matt and I will then discuss it together and come up with a preference, text her back our choice, and by the time we get back she will have it prepared for us.

“That is a bit unique.”

The Wallaby stars have returned from France for another shot at winning back the Bledisloe Cup from the All Blacks, who have held the trophy since 2003.

Mitchell (L) and Giteau with the Heineken Cup. Source: Getty Images

But their returns have created a storm, with Mitchell, Giteau, and fellow French-based stars Adam Ashley-Cooper and Will Genia accused of holding back the development of the Wallabies squad’s next generation.

Fairfax columnist Spiro Zavos labelled them selfish, with Mitchell and Giteau returning serve on social media this week.

“I just think it was ill-informed, there was a negative intent to it,” Mitchell said.

“A lot of the things he said we were doing, holding players back, that it was selfish for us to be here and our response to it, it’s pretty wide of the mark.

“We’re here as much for the off-field stuff as the on-field. We want to help the younger guys and [coach Michael] Cheika has wanted that.

“We’re not going to be handed jerseys for free. If we don’t get a jersey, we will still around to hand out knowledge and support.

“If we can give the boys clarity or ease nerves, that’s a big part of the reason we’re back.

“We certainly didn’t pick ourselves to be here.

“Until the day the selectors don’t see us adding any value to the squad we will be putting our hands up to represent our country.

“We’ve gone through a lot of positive times in our careers, and a lot of negative times.

“We’ve been through things on and off the field, and we’ve been able to be there for one another.”

Mitchell, 32, and Giteau, 33, both intended to retire from international rugby after last year’s World Cup final loss to New Zealand.

“For a generation of supporters we’ve not held that cup,” Mitchell said. “This is another great opportunity to have a crack at it.”