Australia’s Rugby World Cup campaign is in danger of being derailed by explosive allegations of a drunken fight between the Wallabies’ three most exciting backline stars in Paris last November.
On the day the Australian Rugby Union handed down a $10,000 fine and one-match ban which will rub James O’Connor out of Saturday night’s Tri-Nations decider against New Zealand, it is investigating a more damaging incident involving the 21-year-old.
According to the Nine Network, O’Connor and Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper ganged up on close friend and teammate Kurtley Beale in a late-night scuffle in the lead-up to the season-ending Test against France.
The reported fight did not seem to affect the Wallabies just days later at Stade Francais when they thrashed the French 59-16 in their biggest win of the year.
The three star backs are normally inseparable in Wallabies camp but the timing of the allegations could not be worse for Robbie Deans’ team.
This weekend’s match at Suncorp Stadium presents Australia with a chance to end a 10-year Tri Nations drought, while the World Cup kicks off in just 18 days in New Zealand.
The ARU began investigating the matter on the weekend following reports of an alcohol-fuelled Paris incident in the press.
A spokesman said all relevant parties had been questioned, but inquiries would continue on Tuesday.
It is a massive disruption as Deans will name his 22-man team in the afternoon at their Brisbane hotel.
“We will not be discussing players by name,” an ARU spokesman told AAP.
“As we said yesterday, allegations of an incident in Paris last year were brought to our attention by the media. They have not been brought to us by a third party.
“There have been no complaints made and we have not ascertained there was police involvement.
“These allegations, which appear to be widespread throughout the media community, have come to us and we have made inquiries into these allegations and we continue to make inquiries.”
The Nine Network also alleged Cooper and other players were on drinking bans following some misbehaviour at the start of the spring tour in Hong Kong.
O’Connor was on Monday stood down for a week for missing last Thursday morning’s World Cup squad announcement and team photo following a night out drinking in Sydney.
Beale was reportedly with him for much of the night but attended the squad announcement and 8am team photograph.
A remorseful O’Connor, who provided the ARU with an explanation on Monday, was also handed a $10,000 fine suspended until the end of next year.
In 2009, O’Connor was fined several thousand dollars for his involvement in a food fight in a Canberra team hotel.
© AAP 2012Recommend this story.
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August 23rd 2011 @ 6:52am
p.Tah said | August 23rd 2011 @ 6:52am | Report comment
No it’s being put in danger by moronic journalists who are aspiring to be Danny Weidler…
Good to see Aussie journalists supporting the team and not looking to sell newspapers. It shouldnt be swept under the carpet, but 3 weeks out from the cup campaign and their focus is trying to uncover indiscretions… Seriously..?
August 23rd 2011 @ 8:30am
AdamS said | August 23rd 2011 @ 8:30am | Report comment
I heard Horwill swore at his mother once.
Reliable sources also have confided that Genia once laughed when his elderly 3rd form english teacher tripped over in the quad.
Bastards.
August 23rd 2011 @ 7:14pm
jaysper said | August 23rd 2011 @ 7:14pm | Report comment
Hehe, lets ban them all for cussing
August 23rd 2011 @ 8:03pm
Chris K said | August 23rd 2011 @ 8:03pm | Report comment
Scott Higginbotham once crossed the street with the red man flashing, Radkie Samo got a parking fine once for not having his car parked rear to kerb
August 23rd 2011 @ 6:56am
bruski said | August 23rd 2011 @ 6:56am | Report comment
Come on, is this news worthy? This is a sports site not the Womens Weekly or ACA.
August 23rd 2011 @ 6:59am
aussie said | August 23rd 2011 @ 6:59am | Report comment
Exactly, this really is a joke… I bet you guys can’t wait to get old and tell your grandchildren of the great thngs you achieved in journalsm
August 23rd 2011 @ 7:03am
dudfarmer said | August 23rd 2011 @ 7:03am | Report comment
And Channel nine has the Tv rights to the WC. Come on Gynge lift your game, your old man would be rolling!
August 23rd 2011 @ 7:08am
Atawhai Drive said | August 23rd 2011 @ 7:08am | Report comment
Since when have journalists been obliged to “support” the Wallabies, or any other team? If they do, they get accused of bias. The trouble with cover-ups is that the truth always emerges eventually. Better to deal with any dramas publicly, at the time, and starve them of oxygen.
August 23rd 2011 @ 7:19am
bruski said | August 23rd 2011 @ 7:19am | Report comment
Deal with drama’s publicly at the time? This happened in November!
August 23rd 2011 @ 7:56am
Atawhai Drive said | August 23rd 2011 @ 7:56am | Report comment
That’s exactly what I mean, bruski. If they’d dealt with it publicly in November, we’d scarcely remember it now. Covering things up ensures the story runs and runs.
August 23rd 2011 @ 12:15pm
vaguely said | August 23rd 2011 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
It wasn’t covered up at the time because nothing happened. As you can see by the line “The reported fight did not seem to affect the Wallabies just days later at Stade Francais when they thrashed the French 59-16 in their biggest win of the year.”
An obvious non-event that people are blowing out of proportion trying to sell.
August 23rd 2011 @ 7:23am
Damo said | August 23rd 2011 @ 7:23am | Report comment
Attawal exactly ‘at the time’ this is a lifetime away frommParis so should not be reported on now -and hardly neutral reporting this week. I suspect moles at work. But even if not – this is scandalous journalism – pretty soon the team will need a media curfew as well as an alcohol one. Starve them, I say – the vultures with typewriters, that is.
How is this story in the public interest?
August 23rd 2011 @ 7:58am
Atawhai Drive said | August 23rd 2011 @ 7:58am | Report comment
Damo, see my response to bruski. The initial incident was trivial, to say the least. But covering it up has only given it oxygen.
August 23rd 2011 @ 12:17pm
vaguely said | August 23rd 2011 @ 12:17pm | Report comment
How was it covered up? Do the Wallabies need to inform the media every time there is a bit of a blue at training as well?
There’s a large group of highly strung professional athletes all full of testosterone all living close together on a tour. I would be surprised if this was the only fight that happened – we don’t need to hear about it, it’s not in the public interest.
August 23rd 2011 @ 7:20am
Rough Conduct said | August 23rd 2011 @ 7:20am | Report comment
In tatters? Bahahah, who writes this rubbish?
August 23rd 2011 @ 7:23am
Davo said | August 23rd 2011 @ 7:23am | Report comment
Absolute garbage….yeah Rugby already has Greg Growden we don’t need Danny Weidler.
August 23rd 2011 @ 7:34am
Davo said | August 23rd 2011 @ 7:34am | Report comment
Having said that rugby league has thrived over the last decade in this country through an endless cycle of sensationalist media reporting of drunken antics, public urination, negligent unlicensed driving, sexual misconduct, tasteless twitter and facebook exposes and nightclub based atrocities. Perhaps Quade and the rest of gen xyz realize that before you can be embraced by the mass populace you first have to outrage and disgust them.
August 23rd 2011 @ 8:51am
KiwiDave said | August 23rd 2011 @ 8:51am | Report comment
Good point, the ARU should really employ someone to coordinate this sort of thing for maximum publicity. Surely Warney can give them a few pointers.
August 23rd 2011 @ 12:20pm
vaguely said | August 23rd 2011 @ 12:20pm | Report comment
Quade already tried that by stealing laptops.
Media didn’t care too much at the time, but as the WC is coming up they think there might be a bit more interest in a non story now (as opposed to a real story – laptops).
Apparently everyone in the media knew about this. Why did it only come out now? Because it’s not a big enough thing on its own, but with JOC issues they can link it in a blow it up.
Meh.
August 23rd 2011 @ 7:49am
Geoff Brisbane said | August 23rd 2011 @ 7:49am | Report comment
Come on guys I thought this team thrived on the media about themselves. So busy watching themselves and less about playing with pride perhaps???
August 23rd 2011 @ 7:52am
Seiran said | August 23rd 2011 @ 7:52am | Report comment
This type of story is up there with the rubbish being written two weeks ago about the Wallabies disrespecting the AB’s in the lead up to the last Bledisloe. In the end it turned out the Wallabies hadn’t said a thing and everything about disrespect was coming out of the AB’s coaches.
This time around it’s just another journalistic W**K off to see who can cause the biggest upset out of nothing.
The guy went out on the turps, he’s been punished, end of story.
If anything, the Wallabies just need to be put on a total alcohol ban for the WC, which I bet they already are as they play so much rugby thoughout the tournament.
August 23rd 2011 @ 8:35am
AdamS said | August 23rd 2011 @ 8:35am | Report comment
“If anything, the Wallabies just need to be put on a total alcohol ban for the WC, which I bet they already are as they play so much rugby thoughout the tournament.”
Wrong approach Seiran, don’t deny them relaxation and release. It just needs to be supervsed.
August 23rd 2011 @ 9:10am
jeremy said | August 23rd 2011 @ 9:10am | Report comment
In the end it turned out the Wallabies hadn’t said a thing and everything about disrespect was coming out of the AB’s coaches.
Correction: Steve Hansen, when asked by journalists whether opposition teams were in awe of Eden Park or the All Blacks, said the following:
“The team I coached were certainly in awe of them (the All Blacks). I’m not sure if that’s the case now, they have been around a fair bit that (Welsh) team. Australians aren’t in awe of us; they probably don’t even respect us.”
When questioned about that supposed lack of respect, he explained: “You only have to read what they have got to say.”
So what was it that Australians (not Wallabies) had said in that week?
Beale – “There’s certainly a lot of confidence with the boys…we know we have the ability to actually go out there and tear any team apart.”
Quade Cooper – “For us as the Wallabies, the goal is the Tri Nations, the Bledisloe and this weekend the All Blacks.” (wrong order, Quade!)
Ex-Wallabies:
Owen Finegan ”I probably rate David Pocock above him [McCaw]”
Toutai Kefu: “Some of the [All Blacks] key players, their stars, are starting to wane a bit”
I’ll give credit to Genia, Pocock, Moore and Elsom, all of whom were polite and deferent about the Wallabies chances before the match, and *were* reported on widely, but Cooper and Beale need to get back into media training for a weekend – you can kind of understand Hansen’s point, especially when the All Blacks had been at pains to be polite about the match.
McCaw: “Up until that Hong Kong test we’d had a fair few in a row. The key for us is to make sure just because we’ve had some success over the last few years, we don’t think it’s just going to happen.”
Piri Weepu on Will Genia: “He’s got a lot of skills, he’s quick, and I’ve got to keep my eye on him. ”
Carter on Genia: “He’s [Genia] a world-class player and any opportunities they get they make the most of no matter what part of the field they’re in. It’s important we cut down time and space and their opportunities.”
And Carter on Cooper + Genia: “I’m looking forward to coming up against Will and Quade again,” Carter said. “They really complement each other. Quade is a very free-flowing player and plays off the cuff quite a lot. He’s got all the skills to get away with it and do it well. But I think what helps him is the guy inside. Will Genia reads the game so well, he’s got great vision and picks his times well. He’s the real mastermind of that Australian side and particularly that backline.”
August 23rd 2011 @ 11:20am
WQ said | August 23rd 2011 @ 11:20am | Report comment
Well said jeremy!
I think the Wallabies watch to much of the Rugby Club. If you listen to their commentary and their weekly reporting of just how good the current crop of Wallabies are, I can’t believe there has ever been a Team that could possibly challenge them!
Funny how they don’t continually beat opposition Teams though!!!!
August 23rd 2011 @ 1:26pm
Mark W said | August 23rd 2011 @ 1:26pm | Report comment
Jeremy – where is the disrepect in those comments? Maybe some misplaced confidence, amplified by patriotism, but thats about it. I, and most Wallaby fans, would be disappointed if they said “the All Blacks are so good, we will be lucky to beat them”.
August 23rd 2011 @ 9:49pm
jeremy said | August 23rd 2011 @ 9:49pm | Report comment
Look I don’t disagree with you on this, the thing missing in these comments is context and I’m absolutely sure that there was far more said by Cooper and Beale.
I’ll give you some context and observations – other Roarers (Jiggles I think?) also have some insight into this.
I have a background in comms and have spent several years on both sides of the ditch working in comms roles. My observations of Australian interpersonal communication is that Aussies are far more likely and far happier to ‘wear’ their identity, opinions, etc on the outside, and they value outspokenness, even if it’s bollocks and blunder. As a general rule, Kiwis are quieter, more reserved and hold the ideal that one’s actions should speak for oneself (or as the Maori put it, ‘other people should speak [up / out] for you’)
There are *always* exceptions to this; I’m talking in broad generalities and commenting on my own experiences, which will undoubtedly differ from other peoples.
This creates a cultural divide as Aussies who are speaking their mind – or just having a bit of fun – are interpreted as being loud-mouthed, arrogant, overconfident, cocky etc. Aussies…well I can’t put my finger on it, but I get the impression that Aussies think Kiwis are a bit quiet, usually surly and stroppy, overreacting to inocuous comments.
So when Kurtley Beale speaks his mind (Australia: directness; good thing) and says he’s confident that the Wallabies can tear the other teams apart (Australia: confidence; good thing), the New Zealanders hear him speaking his mind (NZ: headstrong / impolite; bad thing) and saying he’s confident their team can tear New Zealand’s team apart (NZ: cocky / arrogant; bad thing).
The approach a Kiwi would have used would be far more along the lines of ‘Well, we’re playing really well together at the moment, and we’re hopeful that we can come away with a good result on the weekend’. I don’t think this approach would occur to Beale, he’s doing what comes naturally, speaking his mind. I also don’t think it would resonate with some of the Wallabies fanbase, who’d interpret it as wishy-washy and defeatist.
So…is there a problem with Beales comments, and where does it lie? is it with the message sender (Beale) or the message recipient (his audience)? Interesting question. In a role where any significant part of income comes from ‘the public’ (sponsorships, appearance fees, endorsement, etc) I personally believe the responsibility for managing the message in such a way that it doesn’t cause controversy ultimately rests with the message sender. Beale was speaking to a specific audience, the Australian fanbase, and presumably tailored his message to them. What he or his managers didn’t take into account was how other audiences, namely the All Blacks fanbase, reacted. Does he (or his management) care? Probably not; their audience and target market are in Australia, as is the Wallabies brand. And to be honest I suspect the All Blacks aren’t overly worried about the furore either as it helped fill Eden Park. So really, the only people offended were the ABs supporters who think he’s a cocky loudmouth, and they’re not the sort to buy a #15 BEALE Wallabies jersey. So…was he wrong? Not really…
But to return to the earlier discussion, Hansen has a point – from his perspective, Beale hadn’t shown the level of respect that the All Blacks had been handing the Wallabies, and neither did Finegan or Kefu. It’s a two-way street, right? Would you be comfortable with the ABs constantly talking *up* their dominance of the Wallabies and world rugby? They do have the right to, after all it’s confidence amplified by patriotism…
August 23rd 2011 @ 1:46pm
NickF said | August 23rd 2011 @ 1:46pm | Report comment
Jeremy,
What?
I see no disrespect there. I see confidence, certainly, I see Owen Finigan’s opinion, and is “wane” a disrespectful word now?
And why is Cooper’s order of importance wrong? He stated the Tri Nations Bedisloe Cup and the All Blacks test as ALL being goals.
Do you want the Wallbies to go out on hands and knees grovelling to the mighty All Blacks? Talk about sensitive.
August 23rd 2011 @ 9:51pm
jeremy said | August 23rd 2011 @ 9:51pm | Report comment
Hey Nick,
I wrote a massive tome in response to Mark above, it pretty much covers your points….
Grovelling’s not necessary but an acknowledgement of their success might be a nice touch.