The Brumbies have effectively told Matt Giteau that he should pack his bags at the end of the season. They regard Adam Ashley-Cooper as far more valuable.

This is the gist of the message from Brumbies boss Andrew Fagan, who made it clear that they will be working very hard on retaining Ashley-Cooper.

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The Brumbies have accepted that Giteau will move on after the World Cup, with French clubs Bayonne and Toulon leading the race for his signature.

“By the time he [Giteau] leaves, he will have played about 100 Tests and 100 Super rugby games,” Fagan told The Australian.

“He has played in a World Cup final, won a Super Rugby title and achieved virtually everything there is to achieve.

“So like George Gregan and Steve Larkham and George Smith before him, he has reached the point when the time is right to go.
 
“I’m not going to change his mind when he has reached his decision.”

However, Fagan has placed a much higher premium on the head of Adam Ashley-Cooper and will be working hard to get him to re-commit, predicting he can become one of the greats of Australian rugby.

The Brumbies also placed a high priority on retaining Matt Toomua and Christian Lealiifano, as well as recruiting Australian sevens star Robbie Coleman.

“It is a very different matter where Adam Ashley-Cooper is concerned. He has a lot more to achieve,” Fagan told The Australian.

The rampaging Wallabies outside centre brought up his 50 Tests in Florence, Italy, in November and one week later produced a man-of-the-match performance in Australia’s crushing defeat of France in Paris.

“He appears to be at the peak of his powers, but he’s still improving,” said Fagan.

“But there is a big difference between someone who has played 40-50 Tests and someone who has played over 100 in terms of status in the game. And that’s something he needs to keep in mind because Adam has the ability to become one of the greats of the game.”

Toulon are also in hot pursuit of Ashley-Cooper, but he is by no means the only mid-career Wallaby in demand in Europe.

With the four-year World Cup cycle drawing to an end this year, British and European clubs have declared an open season on Wallabies with Leicester chasing Drew Mitchell, Sale Berrick Barnes and Stephen Moore in the sights of at least three clubs.

Reds coach Ewen McKenzie remains confident Queensland will be able to retain Quade Cooper, who re-signed last year on a one-year deal only, while Test captain Rocky Elsom, still the toast of Dublin after spearheading Leinster to the 2009 Heineken Cup, has committed to sit down with Fagan to discuss his future.