Worried players prompt RUPA investigation
By AAP, 9 Jul 2009 AAP is a Roar Pro
The Rugby Union Player’s Association (RUPA) says some Wallabies are feeling fearful and intimidated in the wake of winger Lote Tuqiri’s sacking.
The RUPA on Wednesday announced they were launching an investigation – headed by an unnamed “high-profile” retired judge – into the reasons why the dual international had his contract worth up to $1 million a year ripped up by the Australian Rugby Union (ARU).
On the same day, Tuqiri’s manager Les Ross released a statement confirming the superstar’s lawyer Mark O’Brien had commenced proceedings in the NSW Supreme Court against the ARU for breach of contract.
The statement said due to the court proceedings, Tuqiri could have no involvement in the inquiry announced by the RUPA into his termination.
“As the matter is now before the courts there will be no further comment,” the statement said.
RUPA chief executive Tony Dempsey said several Wallabies, including captain Stirling Mortlock, were supporting the Association’s action as they seek answers over Tuqiri’s dismissal.
Announcing the sacking last week, the ARU cited an alleged breach of the player code of conduct but declined to give any detail of the offence because of possible legal action from Tuqiri challenging the decision.
The former rugby league star was reportedly on his final warning following some off-field indiscretions, including being fined $20,000 and banned for two matches for failing to attend a team medical in July 2007 and being fined and suspended after a nightclub spat with teammate Matt Henjak in South Africa in July 2005.
Dempsey said players were fearful about the security of their own contracts as a result of the sacking.
“There is a feeling of fear and intimidation (from) a number of players and they want to understand whether or not they are also walking on broken glass here and are they subjecting themselves to summary termination,” Dempsey told reporters.
“Players are uncertain where they’re standing and we need to create that certainty. We need to create some clarity around what constitutes a termination of a contract and what doesn’t.”
Dempsey said the RUPA had decided to initiate the investigation after uncovering information relating to Tuqiri’s sacking which he said raised concerns over the ARU and NSW Rugby Union’s conduct, but refused to reveal that information.
“I don’t want to steal Lote’s thunder,” Dempsey said.
“I don’t want to play out what is inevitably going to rise out in the court action that Lote’s running against the ARU.
“I want to stick to the focus of our investigation. We have information enough to arouse our suspicions that there may be a possible breach of the collective bargaining agreement and it’s important for the players that we take the action we are.
“We want answers as to the process, we want answers as to the reasons and we want to make sure that there has been no personal vendetta by anyone within the ARU against Lote.”
The ARU said in a statement they were confident the issue had been dealt with correctly.
“ARU appreciates that RUPA represents players interests. Let them be assured this matter has been dealt with in a proper manner,” the ARU said.
“ARU has also consistently stated we will not be going into details of the Lote Tuqiri termination due to the threat of legal proceedings.”
Dempsey said that if the investigation revealed a breach of the collective bargaining agreement they would launch their own legal action against the ARU or NSWRU.
Despite the player concerns, Dempsey said industrial action had not been discussed and was unlikely to become an issue in the future.
“That’s premature and hasn’t been discussed at all,” he said.
“I would be very surprised if the players were to take that position.”
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johnny-boy said | July 9th 2009 @ 6:21am | Report comment
Ha Ha – what a laugh – players feel fearful and intimidated. Ha Ha Ha. What a punch of soft c……
This is how it should be. John O’Neill is right on track. He’ll be chuckling in his neck brace. Look out Blacks & Boks !
D.I.S.C.I.P.L.I.N.E spells winners.
What the players are really saying is – hey come on – we want to be able to do whatever we like, whenever we like and nobody is gonna tell us what to do – because we get paid hundreds of thousands you know – to play sport – which is just sooooooo important – and we have different rules than the second class community who pays our salaries.
Wake up boyos – it’s step up or move out. Only the hungry and fully committed will remain. Yippeee. Go the Gynaecologist !
pothale said | July 9th 2009 @ 8:14am | Report comment
I’m so tempted to ask you to explain your very last sentence/exhortation.
But I suspect the response is not suitable for family viewing.
Yikes said | July 9th 2009 @ 1:07pm | Report comment
Sensational. Everybody relax! Tony Dempsey is starting an investigation!
I bet O’Neill is shaking in his boots.
What, exactly, are they going to investigate? RUPA doesn’t actually know anything. In this article Demo implies he knows what’s going on. In the original story by Ed Jackson it said:
“Dempsey wouldn’t reveal what evidence RUPA had been made aware of but denied he knew the full story behind Tuqiri’s sacking. He said the association had contacted the ARU to make them aware of the investigation but had been unable to speak to ARU chief executive John O’Neill.”
I note that bit’s been subsequently removed from the story.
Brett McKay said | July 9th 2009 @ 1:19pm | Report comment
Yikes, I said this in another thread this week, you’d imagine Dempsey will get to the key details (assuming there’s some truth in the rumours we’ve all heard), and go “oh, right…”, and promptly issue yet another statement, this one saying “The RUPA has concluded it’s investigation and found that the ARU were within its rights in this case…”
As an aside, if you re-read the article above and substitute “Players Association” of “player managers” for “players”, it actually sounds more realistic…
AndyS said | July 9th 2009 @ 1:27pm | Report comment
I wonder what they’ll do when the ARU says “Sorry, due to the court proceedings we can have no involvement in the inquiry”? Will they have it anyway relying on rumour, or will they do the obvious and wait until there are actually some established facts to talk about?
One way or the other, let’s hope they live up to their own statements about the need for clarity and transparency.
Chris Beck said | July 10th 2009 @ 10:47am | Report comment
I would challenge Tony Dempsey to publicly name the players who are presumably currently cowering on their bathroom floors because they are “fearful” and “intimidated” by the revocation of Tuqiri’s contract.
He won’t, of course, but if he did, it would quite ironically give us more information than the Tuqiri camp is currently providing.
How stupid. Total political posturing.
Mike said | July 11th 2009 @ 8:19pm | Report comment
The issue is whether there has been a breach of the collective bargaining agreement, which is a separate issue to Tuqiri’s sacking, even though it derives from it.
I don’t know what the rights or wrongs of this are, but the termination of a contract is a serious matter and will raise concerns in the mind of every player.
“I would challenge Tony Dempsey to publicly name the players who are presumably currently cowering on their bathroom floors because they are “fearful” and “intimidated” by the revocation of Tuqiri’s contract.” – Doesn’t that depend on whether they really are fearful and intimidated? If they are not, then as you say it is posturing and Dempsey merits a shellacking. But if they *are*, then the ARU has a very serious problem of player morale on its hands, and by definition one of its own creation – careful management will fix the problem, but only if it is recognised.