ACT Brumbies head coach Andy Friend met with reportedly disgruntled Western Force flyhalf Matt Giteau at a recent Wallabies camp fuelling ongoing speculation Giteau could return to Canberra.

Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan confirmed the meeting yesterday, although Friend said it was largely a social catch-up.

The Brumbies are aiming to lure Giteau back to the club for 2010 and their hopes appear to have been raised by a reported rift between Giteau and his Force coach John Mitchell.

An unnamed Force source told New Zealand's The Sunday News skipper Nathan Sharpe and Giteau were behind a rumoured player revolt against the former All Blacks coach. Fagan said speculation over whether Giteau would walk out of the club before next season was to be expected after the demise of his third-party sponsor Firepower.

But he maintained the Brumbies' hopes rested on snaring the star playmaker's services once he came off contract.

"As far as we're concerned he's on contract until 2009 in the west," Fagan said.

"We've never shied away from making it clear that we would like to bring him back at the conclusion of that contract and we've made representations to him to express that."

Fagan said Friend and Giteau had a brief meeting when the new Brumbies mentor travelled to the Wallabies camp to meet Australian coach Robbie Deans and the ACT's Test players.

The last time Fagan met with Giteau was in June when the pair discussed the club's new coaching staff and the direction it was headed. Formal discussions will resume after Giteau's international duties.

"I said closer to the timeline when he'd be making that decision we'd re-engage with him but at the moment we've just left him to play for the Wallabies and when he turns his attention back to the Super 14 we'll seek to sit down and have a chat with him."

Giteau yesterday refused to comment on rumours of a falling out with Mitchell, but others from the club slammed the reports.

Sharpe, in Brisbane with the Test squad preparing for Saturday night's Tri Nations decider against New Zealand, said they were wrong and "scandalous".

"The first I heard of that article that I was considering leaving, I'd just signed a three-year deal over there," the 70-Test lock said after Wallabies training at Ballymore. "I can tell you I wouldn't consider re-signing if I was unhappy in a certain area so it's complete rubbish."

The unnamed source was reported as saying "Giteau hates Mitchell" and there was "quite an anti-Mitchell sentiment among some of the players, they're sick of him".

It is no secret the demise of Giteau's major third-party sponsor, fuel technology company Firepower, has left a bitter taste in his mouth.

It has been suggested the major factor in his playing future beyond 2009 will be whether the Wallabies five-eighth can attract a similar third-party deal.

Sharpe said he thought Giteau had no problems with Mitchell."I know for a fact that Gits's problem, or what he wants to get sorted out, is the contractual things off the field, certainly he doesn't have any problems with Mitch and he gets on really well with him," he said.

Rugby WA chief executive Greg Harris also rejected claims of a rift after speaking to both Mitchell and the high-profile duo.

Meanwhile, Sharpe yesterday described his feelings after being left out of the original 24-man tour squad sent to South Africa following the thumping 39-10 loss to the All Blacks on August 3.

"It hurt, it hurt a lot," Sharpe said. "I guess that has made me more determined to get back into the team and be it this weekend, be it the spring tour or be it next year, I'll set myself that goal. There's no point lying around and feeling sorry for yourself."Sharpe could be one of a handful of changes, directly replacing lock Hugh McMeniman against the All Blacks at Suncorp Stadium. Sharpe was cut by coach Robbie Deans when Dan Vickerman returned from injury to partner rising 22-year-old James Horwill. Vickerman's injury in the 27-15 victory over the Springboks in Durban saw Sharpe recalled into the tour squad but he remained a spectatorand had to endure the 53-8 Johannesburg massacre as a frustratedspectator.

The All Blacks will name a near full-strength side tomorrow, with fringe winger Anthony Tuitavake (facial fracture) the only player unavailable.