Tuqiri to fight ARU sacking
By David Beniuk, 2 Jul 2009 David Beniuk is a Roar Pro
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Lote Tuqiri has engaged lawyers and will launch immediate legal action against the Australian Rugby Union following the shock termination of his lucrative contract.
Tuqiri’s agent Les Ross confirmed the former Wallabies winger would fight his sacking, which was announced late on Wednesday by an ARU email.
“All I can tell you is that Lote disputes that the ARU are entitled to terminate his contract and he has retained solicitor Mr Mark O’Brien and Mr Tony Marr, senior counsel, to immediately commence proceedings against the ARU,” Ross told AAP.
Mystery surrounds the reason for Tuqiri’s dismissal, but the ARU had been conducting an investigation into a possible breach of the players’ code of conduct.
The ARU statement read: “The employment contract of Lote Tuqiri has been terminated effective today.
“ARU has treated this issue as a standard employment matter.
“The ARU will not make any further comment on the matter as it may be the subject of legal proceedings.”
It is understood the “legal proceedings” referred to are Tuqiri’s action against the ARU and the winger has not broken the law.
It is also understood Tuqiri’s absence from Australia’s first four international matches this year was not related to the reason for his sacking.
One of Australia’s highest paid rugby players, Tuqiri was contracted to the ARU until 2012.
He was signed to a massive deal in 2007 as the ARU regime of Gary Flowers fought off an offer from NRL club South Sydney.
Speculation about the ARU investigation had pointed to a late night visit to the Crown Casino in Melbourne in the lead-up to last month’s Test against Italy, which also reportedly involved backs Adam Ashley-Cooper and Peter Hynes.
An internet report had also suggested four high-profile rugby players were involved in a serious off-field incident.
Another report said Tuqiri had been issued with a “final warning letter” after a late-night drinking session with Wallabies teammates in 2007.
An ARU spokesman refused to comment further but the body’s chief executive John O’Neill will front the media when the Wallabies Tri-Nations squad is announced on Thursday.
A spokesman for Tuqiri’s Super 14 team, the NSW Waratahs, said the franchise would be making no comment as the matter related to an ARU investigation.
Rugby Union Players Association boss Tony Dempsey was unaware of the situation when contacted by AAP.
“It certainly comes as a surprise,” he said.
“We always represent our members, we always look to provide them with advice and we always ensure that all dealings are fair and reasonable.”
Tuqiri, 29, has a far from squeaky clean off-field record since switching to union from NRL club Brisbane in 2003.
In 2005 he was involved in the infamous “ice-throwing” incident in Cape Town which resulted in Matt Henjak being sent home.
Tuqiri was fined $500 and given a suspended two-match ban following the incident.
He was sent home from a Wallabies training camp in January 2007 for failing a fitness test and months later apologised to teammate Sam Norton-Knight for shoving him and giving him a verbal spray during a match for NSW.
Later that year, he apologised to Wallabies selector Michael O’Connor for putting a conversation on speaker-phone as O’Connor was being critical of Waratahs teammate Peter Hewat.
And in July 2007 he was banned for two matches and fined $20,000 for failing to attend a team medical and registering an alcohol reading at a team breath test.
Speculation arose that the 67-Test veteran may consider a move back to rugby league when he was left out of Australia’s first four internationals of 2009, with Lachie Turner, Drew Mitchell and Hynes all preferred on the wings.
But Tuqiri denied he would quit rugby in his newspaper column last weekend, and would earn considerably less in the 13-man game.
The Gold Coast Titans have already expressed an interest in Tuqiri, while rebuilding Cronulla and St George Illawarra, the home of former clubmates Wendell Sailor and coach Wayne Bennett could also hold appeal.
© AAP 2012LOTE TUQIRI
Age: 29
Height: 191cm. Weight: 103kg.
Rugby Union
Test matches: 67.
Test tries: 30 (equal third most in Wallaby Test history).
Test debut: 2003, v Ireland, Perth.Rugby League
NRL games for Brisbane: 99 (for Brisbane)
State of Origin games: 6 (for Queensland)
Tests: 5 (for Australia – 3 games for Fiji)
NRL debut: 1999, v Cronulla, QE II Stadium, BrisbaneINDISCRETIONS
JULY 1, 2009: Contract terminated by Australian Rugby Union, who were conducting an investigation into a possible breach of the players’ code of conduct, although circumstances were unclear.
JULY 3, 2007: Banned for two matches and fined $20,000 for failing to attend a team medical.
MAY 14, 2007: Apologises to Wallabies selector Michael O’Connor for putting his phone on loudspeaker during personal conversation about teammate Peter Hewat.
MARCH 2, 2007: Apologises for shoving NSW Waratahs teammate Sam Norton-Knight and giving him a verbal spray for an on-field mistake.
JANUARY 4, 2007: Sent home from a Wallabies training camp after failing a fitness test.
JULY, 2005: Involved in night club spat with teammate Matt Henjak in Cape Town and is fined $500 and given a two-match suspended sentence.
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The Answer said | July 2nd 2009 @ 4:23am | Report comment
yet another smoke screen. I’ll be expecting the rugby union media to be all over this, surely the ARU can’t just shut up shop.
The Bulldogs case was subject to legal proceedings and that didn’t stop the press from being camped out in Belmore.
Time to get out from behind the desk boys and give us the truth!
Bailey said | July 2nd 2009 @ 4:57am | Report comment
WOAH i knew they were doing an investigation and were ready to sack someone from the waratahs but…damn! Well i hope the ARU have a really good reason for doing this its a shame to lose someone like Tuqiri but whatever he did must of been pretty bad (?).
Just wondering also whether Deans had any idea about this? Im sure he commented not long ago about Tuqiri being an important part to his wallabies squad, wonder what he thinks of all of this fiasco. Knowing how he operates this is probably the last thing he would want going into the tri-nations!
Sharminator said | July 2nd 2009 @ 4:59am | Report comment
Exactly. I understand that there may be disclosure issues if there are legal proceedings .. but come on .. we´ve seen rugby union (and league and AFL) try and cover up things for too long.
As the Basteraud incident showed last week … the truth usually always come out, no matter how many lies people tell.
It would be better for the ARU to come clean now and tell everyone why the contract was ripped up, or at least give some details. Obviously the media are going to chase the story until they have answers so there is no point staying quiet.
Sharminator said | July 2nd 2009 @ 5:01am | Report comment
Im sure the lack of explanation is also very disquietening for the players. Come out, tell the truth and get it over with. Imagine if in the lead up to a test against the All Blacks all the focus is on a wrangle in the courts between LT and the ARU. Its exactly what rugby dosnt need.
By coming clean now rugby could also show that it is different to the AFL and league attempts at coverups.
Had Enough of Oz Sport said | July 2nd 2009 @ 5:32am | Report comment
Another situation handled well by the ARU. Backward thinking of the highest order as the game and the players continue to treat all around them like idiots.
The Answer said | July 2nd 2009 @ 6:03am | Report comment
At the moment that are showing that they lead the field in cover ups.
matt said | July 2nd 2009 @ 6:28am | Report comment
Who cares. Rugby has just lost one of the most feared sideways runners in the modern game!
Let’s see….. would that be 5 new super players the ARU could develop, or perhaps 35 club level ones.
He was a decent talent once, but his star was on the wane, I imagine the ARU took a get of jail free card on his contract by ‘finding’ a reason to sack him.
Vincent said | July 2nd 2009 @ 6:55am | Report comment
it could be looked at in a number of ways…either the ARU is so confident about its stance (and Lotes actions) that they can afford to sack him as opposed to fining him or suspending him OR the breach is something so serious it warrants sacking (rumour has it that the victorian police are involved) . The ARU for sure would not have made this decision lightly without legal advice considering the legal ramifications if they got it wrong. As David Campese wrote in his article, this is not something the ARU and rugby union fans need at the moment.
El Capitan said | July 2nd 2009 @ 7:09am | Report comment
I’d say its the coffers running dry, and they saw a get out clause in the contact to end his massive pay.
Will all come out in the wash in the end.
Crosscoder said | July 2nd 2009 @ 7:13am | Report comment
The ARU showing their true colours.They waited conveniently(don’t harm ticket sales)until after the French test to slap a couple of Wallabies on the wrist ,for a minor food fight,(although the childishness required extra cleaning at a Canberra hotel).The code dragged its heels over a Brumbies incident in Sth Africa a few years ago.
They now use the legal excuse for not disclosing the reason for Lote’s sacking.Yet you can go to any media outlet ,and get the details of acts that resulted in sackings/bannings on RL/AFL/NBL/A League players over the years.Any discretion minor or major.Ask Seymour given the see you later.Some involved legal action.
No phone cameras around for Lote.
Greg Growden in the Herald a couple of years ago ,indicated much was swept under the carpet by ru.How about a little openness for the public fellas.As someone before stated get it out .The quicker that is done fans can get on with life.It starting to look like fort fumble in action again.Has the ARU ever heard of the word “allegation”,to avoid legal problems.