6 Wallabies Banned for drinking

[nickdnz]

Six Wallabies, including starting wingers Adam Ashley-Cooper and Nick Cummins, have sensationally copped one-match suspensions for staying out late and drinking in the build-up to last weekend's win over Ireland.

The bans compromise team selections for Sunday morning's (AEDT) Test against Scotland at Murrayfield but coach Ewen McKenzie has taken a hard-line stance at improving team culture and behavioural standards.
Groups of players went out drinking into the early hours of Wednesday morning after having dinner in Dublin on Tuesday night, in a breach of team protocols.
McKenzie reviewed each individual circumstance and punishments varied depending on how late they stayed, how much alcohol players consumed and whether they were in the match-day 23.
Ashley-Cooper and Cummins, as well as forward reserves Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson, and Liam Gill, have been stood down from this weekend's Test against Scotland at Murrayfield.
Second-string prop Paddy Ryan also received a one-match ban but will serve the suspension in the final match on tour, against Wales next week in Cardiff, so Australia can supply a proper bench at Murrayfield.
Nine more squad members received disciplinary warnings for breaking sanctions.
Dave Dennis, Kane Douglas, Saia Fainga'a, Bernard Foley and Nick Phipps all received written warnings while starting flanker Scott Fardy, Mike Harris, Ben McCalman and reserve halfback Nic White were given verbal warnings.
Ironically several of those players will now get their chance to play Scotland due to the more severe punishment meted out to the banned five.
McKenzie stressed the punishments were to reinforce high cultural standards and not in response to any police investigations or public complaints.
The Wallabies have no curfew or drinking ban but the new coach said his players were well aware they needed to comply with high standards, on and off the field, to ensure top performance.
"Those standards were compromised in the lead-up to Saturday's victory over Ireland with a group of players making the decision to stay out late and consume inappropriate levels of alcohol," McKenzie said.
The punishments come as McKenzie looks to bring change to the team culture following growing unrest at the lack of action taken against James O'Connor and Kurtley Beale before and during the series loss to the British and Irish Lions.
One of McKenzie's first big calls as coach was to cut O'Connor free after he was escorted off a plane at Perth airport by Australian Federal Police.
"We've done this because we need to continually reinforce the need for our players to make smart decisions to benefit the team," he said.
"The worst thing you could do for the Wallabies in the long-term is do nothing because that would mean we would be ignoring poor culture and a significant performance issue.
"We will always take action in relation to examples of poor culture when it's warranted - doing nothing to address poor behaviour will never be an option.
"We've taken on the challenge of re-defining our team culture."
McKenzie denied the punishments would be used as an excuse for poor performance against Scotland, beaten 28-0 by South Africa on the weekend.
"For us, this is a great opportunity to circle the wagons and re-calibrate our behaviours to get back on track off the field," he said.

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/rugby/ne...8986623-ba77f9c1-e260-44ad-86cb-2029379d780e/

Hmm, interesting. Scotland may be in luck.

 

[Tony Manx]

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/rugby/ne...8986623-ba77f9c1-e260-44ad-86cb-2029379d780e/

Hmm, interesting. Scotland may be in luck.

Chapeau McKenzie!

 

[nickdnz]

Anyone else get the feeling Ewen McKenzie was the only person in the Wallabies setup not invited to drinks?

 

[Patchey]

Thats a hell of a list of players, fourteen guys getting some form of discipline over a night out is almost England 2011 levels!

Right move from McKenzue though.

 

[The big Kangaroo]

If we beat Scotland he will be hailed as a genius but if we lose he will be heading down the same path as deans. Thoa tbh they are not getting payed 12,000 a week as well as there ARU contract to go on a holiday around Europe. Good Call Ewen!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Mental!

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Seems he's trying to stamp out the drinking culture in the squad. Understand why he's done it. As long as he's consistent then it will work in the long run.

 

[TRF_heineken]

This is bizarre!

Why is there such a huge drinking and party problem with the aussies?? is it the Booze/women/bars/clubs that makes them act like this nearly every year??

Don't they have any pride for the national team and their own protocols?? If it was under HM or Graham Henry's watch, even under Stuart Lancaster's watch, these players would have had to go home and not be selected at all...

 

[Big Ewis]

...you have got to be kidding me....................
it seriously feels like the Wallabies just don't care anymore. The weirdest thing is, you'd imagine all this happening in a climate of depression caused by bad results, but their last 4 games the Wallabies have annihilated the Pumas in Argentina, should have had a draw in Twickenham in a fine performance, and beaten Italy and Ireland *badly* at home. And Cummins in particular has been awesome for Aus !...
There's no way they should be without O'Connor these days...this is perfectly ridiculous, no two ways about it.

Happy to see Quade Cooper isn't mentioned here...he played well in Ireland, he seems like maybe he's getting back on track.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

This is a joke from Link. If they were true sanctions, they wouldn't have played the Ireland game, but instead he suspends them for a game where he was likely to mix it up anyway. Allow me to be suspicious.

 

[The big Kangaroo]

I dont think its is the end of the world did not break and team rules or laws I don't think it warrants been sent home. Sacking JOC was the right call by the aru. with there money problems sacking a highly paid under performing player would not o being a hard decision.

 

[Jaguares]

WTF???!!!

What would be the lineup for the next game against Scotland??

 

[dasNdanger]

Well, this is just a shame. The Aussies really need to get their ***** together. They're not schoolboys anymore - they're representing their country in a sport that has some image problems already (particularly with drinking issues). They need to grow the hell up, and I'm glad they're starting to crack down on it.

@ heineken - I don't know much about the Australian system, and how club teams operate. But I'm guessing this is something that starts at the lower levels and instead of doing something about it, everyone just winks at it and covers over the problem. I can't help but think it's not so much a 'Wallabies' problem as it is an Australian rugby problem.

I might be wrong, though.


das

 

[Jaguares]

How long is the suspension? If it's just for the next game, well, Aussies can beat Scotland without those 6 players. But to face Wales in Cardiff, they require the presence of ALL their players.

 

[dasNdanger]

It's just a one-match suspension, I believe - will only affect the Scotland game. If they lose that game (which, honestly, I hope they do), I hope it'll teach them a lesson. And though you may think they can win without those players, the ban could - could - have a demoralizing effect on the team overall. Time will tell.



das

 

[Draggs]

Quade Cooper not involved then, good lad. Really turned it around.
So assuming kuridrani misses the next test due to injuries the backline could get interesting.

Tomane and Folau on the wings, Foley at fullback. CFS centre? Maybe Folau to OC and CFS or Betham out wide.

 

[Packman]

On a serious note, I'm not sure if Scotland will be that pleased about this. Their players need to take on Australia's best to measure themselves and improve. If Australia, Argentina and NZ had all put of weakened sides against England then win of lose, Robshaw and co would be questioning the point of the games, I'm sure the same goes for Scotland.

 

[Tony Manx]

Quade Cooper not involved then, good lad. Really turned it around...............

.......................or was not invited!!!

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

yes scotland will have a good chance now

 

[SelimNiai]

That would explain the picture I saw this morning, was one of Cummins from the Ireland game but a beer keg was photoshopped over the ball with the caption "Honey Badger doesn't give a f**k"