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ARU chairman Michael Hawker, CEO Bill Pulver and Wallaby coach Ewen McKenzie have no option but to turn James O’Connor’s contract into confetti.
The 23-year-old keeps himself in the unwanted headlines with a handful of stupid acts unbecoming an international.
The latest well-reported brain explosion was at Perth airport early Sunday morning, when he was refused permission to fly to Bali when airline officials rated him drunk.
It’s alleged Federal Police escorted O’Connor from the premises.
He also had a heated discussion with airline staff over the seating arrangements for himself and his girlfriend.
The bigger question is why did O’onnor chose to spend his week off preparing for the big double of playing the Boks at Newlands and the Pumas at Rosario by going to Bali?
Nobody goes to Bali to rest up, read the newspapers and watch television.
You go to Bali to party into the early hours, right in O’Connor’s wheelhouse.
At a time when O’Connor was believed to have curbed his poor behaviour off the field after a chat with McKenzie when he first took over as Wallaby coach, the Perth airport double was the last straw.
The alleged punch-up between the three amigos in Paris a couple of years ago after a drinking bout, missing the Wallaby farewell to the 2011 Rugby World Cup when he slept in, sharing burgers with Kurtley Beale at 4am before the series deciding Test against the Lions and being dumped by the Rebels have all combined to have O’Connor in deep trouble.
If his contract is shredded, he will be rugby homeless in Australia, forcing the utility back overseas, or switching to rugby league where he would be monstered.
If his contract isn’t shredded, the ARU runs the risk of losing the respect of the senior Wallabies, who have had a gutful of O’Connor’s shenanigans.
This is hardly the time for any unrest among the senior Wallabies, the side needs every plus it can muster, and O’Connor is no plus.
What I can’t comprehend is why O’Connor is so volcanic. He’s a highly intelligent young bloke, with obvious talent, so why, why, why?
The stakes are high now, O’Connor’s livelihood is on the line. But in the overall scheme of things, O’Connor has to pay the piper.
He has repeatedly said how much he loves playing for his country, and how much the jersey means to him – and promptly goes out out and blows it.
It is a coveted gold jersey, no argument.
The problem is O’Connor doesn’t covet the jersey enough.
The net result? The exit door, and a tragic waste of talent.
There’s only one person to blame, and that’s James O’Connor himself.