Matt Giteau better than Dan Carter - French coach

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Wallaby star Matt Giteau (left) is considered the best number 10 in world rugby, heading off the All Blacks Dan Carter, according to French rugby coach Marc Lievremont.

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Wallabies playmaker Matt Giteau has eclipsed All Blacks star Dan Carter as the best No 10 in world rugby.

That's the view of French coach Marc Lievremont as his team gets set to play Australia in Sydney tomorrow night.

The injured Carter wasn't involved in France's two tests against the All Blacks over the past two weekends but that doesn't affect Lievremont's thinking.

To his mind Giteau has been the king for some time.

"For me he is the best playmaker in the world - he has perfected the position," Lievremont told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"Everyone speaks about Carter. Bon ... Carter has been injured. It has already been a bit of time, about 18 months that he has been less good. He was not so good even for the 2007 World Cup.

"Giteau is totally exceptional. They are two players who are exceptional. Voila ... Carter has been injured, but [Giteau] is at least of the same level. He is really at the summit of the world, one would say, as a No.10."

Carter has returned to New Zealand form his disappointing sabbatical with French club Perpignan where he ruptured an Achilles tendon in early February.

He is on course to return to club and Air New Zealand Cup rugby in Canterbury in August and hopes to push for an All Blacks recall on their end of year tour.

The Wallabies will have Giteau at their helm for the Tri-Nations campaign which opens with a July 18 clash with the All Blacks at Auckland's Eden Park.

Stephen Donald and Luke McAlister are in a tussle to take over from Carter.

- © Fairfax NZ News