- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Ewen McKenzie has pulled no punches amid mixed reaction to his hardline decision to suspend six Wallabies including respected veterans Adam Ashley-Cooper, Benn Robinson and Tatafu Polota-Nau.
“They’ve been given the privilege of being a Wallaby,” said coach McKenzie from the Wallabies tour camp in Edinburgh.
“And with that becomes a responsibility.
“This business is about making sacrifices. It’s not about going on a Contiki tour of countries.
“This is not a pub trip.”
McKenzie has been unafraid to rattle cages in a tumultuous first three months in the job but he produced his biggest shock on Monday by dishing out one-Test bans on six players for late-night drinking in Dublin last week, while nine more were reprimanded.
It came after previous bombshells when McKenzie dumped James Horwill as captain, dropped Will Genia to the bench for two matches and elevated Ben Mowen and Quade Cooper to leadership positions.
But his latest move, designed to lift team standards and instil a strong culture, has left a sour taste in mouths.
Ashley-Cooper, Robinson and Polota-Nau were stood down as well as starting winger Nick Cummins and reserves Paddy Ryan and Liam Gill.
McKenzie conceded some players reacted negatively towards his stance while most accepted it and offered no excuses.
Ashley-Cooper’s mother has told a Brisbane radio station he was upset he’d been painted as a boozer when he’d been punished for staying out late and not setting a good enough example.
But McKenzie staunchly defended his sanctions, saying the players were handsomely paid to represent their country, better was expected and a strong message was needed.
“I’m not draconian and say you can’t drink forever,” said McKenzie.
“It’s never been any different. We play on Saturday night. You have a beer after the game and then you move on.
“The only variation from that is you can have a wine or two at the (Tuesday night) team dinner.
“Some guys are borderline but in the end it’s a strong message to say ‘understand where we’re going’.”
Because 15 players went out after midnight last Tuesday and consumed more alcohol, McKenzie has set a formal curfew for the rest of the end-of-season tour to Europe and alcohol won’t be allowed at the upcoming team dinners.
The hard-line stance is designed to turn the Wallabies, struggling in 2013 with a 5-8 record, into genuine contenders for the 2015 World Cup.
“I’m in the business to make the team that’s best as possible,” said McKenzie, a front-rower in Australia’s 1991 World Cup-winning side. “I’ve been there before.
“I want to help these players get there but you have to display championship behaviours; not behaviours that are consistent with some sort of club trip.”
In-form flyer Cummins has most to lose from his suspension as it opens the door to Joe Tomane to regain his place after he lost out in a 50-50 selection call at the start of the five-week tour.
“I look at both sides,” McKenzie said. “You can look at the one side of it but look at the other side, the guys doing the right thing.”
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.