Test coach Ewen McKenzie has challenged exiled Wallaby James O’Connor to fight for his playing career in Australia following his national contract release.
The former golden boy will have to take massive pay cut to play rugby in Australia with the ARU withdrawing any top-up funds until at least 2015.
The 44-Test back will not be considered for the Wallabies’ November tour to Europe and will only receive match payments next year if he makes it back into the Test side, taking a hit of up to $400,000.
The heavy penalties come after an ARU investigation into O’Connor’s behaviour when escorted from Perth airport by Federal police over a dispute with airline staff last month however are the response to a culmination of incidents.
He was initially stood down from Wallabies’ final two Rugby Championship Tests against South Africa and Argentina, who they play in Rosario on Saturday.
McKenzie encouraged the 23-year-old to remain in Australia and play for the Western Force rather than look for a lucrative deal in Europe or Japan.
“He can run and go and do something else or he can stay and fight his way back into the Australian rugby scene,” McKenzie said from Rosario.
“I’m not closing the door on him but he has to obviously fulfil the criteria in terms of playing Super Rugby but also he has to modify behaviour.”
McKenzie said the tough call had to be made for the good of the team.
“I’m responsible for the Wallaby environment and culture and Im not going to tolerate things that are going to be counter-productive.
“It’s hard enough as it is without actually having to do this sort of stuff every second week. We’ve got to be quite definite about what we want.”
ARU chief executive Bill Pulver said there had been too many incidents for a “player of his stature”.
“In many ways a lot of those incidents are not life threatening incidents by any stretch of the imagination but there has been a consistent feedback provided to James around the issues relating to his behaviour and in our view not a sufficient response on his part,” Pulver said.
“This is a very important step in holding him accountable for his behaviour and I’m confident he will respond positively.”
Pulver acknowledged that the ARU hadn’t dealt with O’Connor firmly enough in the past.
“It’s fair to say we should have responded more firmly historically and maybe we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
O’Connor, who is spending time with his family on the Gold Coast, contacted both men to apologise before he issued a statement.
“”I recognise that given my actions and the circumstances it is best for the team and myself to go in different directions in the short term,” he said.
“I remain focused on earning my place back with the Wallabies and will be looking for the right opportunity to do this.
“I realise I need to earn back a lot of respect, and that is exactly what I plan to do both on and off the field.”
O’Connor’s rap sheet includes a one game ban after missing the Wallabies’ 2011 World Cup squad announcement, an alleged public scuffle in Paris in 2010 with teammates, being photographed on a 4am burger run with Kurtley Beale days before the second Test against the Lions in June missing then coach Robbie Deans’ final team meeting.
Justin3
Guest
Its very likely that part of his family is part of the problem.
roardog
Guest
Nigel as usual you make a lot of valid comments ,it,s good to see that he is spending time with his family, lets not forget he is only 23 .
gaffa
Guest
All the players you mentioned where all signed before the season started not in the last week bar rocky who is injury cover and will be playing for peanuts like i said.
chann wee
Guest
yeah, grow up he certainly will.... in size :) look at the likes of Masoe Mccallister Sivivatu even Jhonny (not mentioning he likes of basteraud ) must be the French food and the wine that goes with it. Am sure JOC would take to France like a duck to water LOL :D
chann wee
Guest
Rocky went as the MEDICAL JOKER :) its a concept that allows a replacement for player out due to serious injury. but need not be a like-for-like replacement (say like Latimer replacing Todd in MIB). it seems Nalaga is out for long at Clearmont so......
Tane Mahuta
Guest
The salary cap in France is 14 million Aus dollars and the season has about 8 months to go.
Tane Mahuta
Guest
Gaffa doesnt know what hes talking about. "Rosters are full" Mate, their rosters are massive and they have had players starting at the start of the season, a few weeks ago (Habana) , last weekend (Mitchell), in a few weeks, after the ITM, after the eoyt and after the rugby championship. Your use of capitals when you obviously dont know what you are talking about is a little annoying too. ROCKY ELSOM JOINED TOULON 3/4 OF THE WAY THROUGH LAST SEASON. WERE THEIR ROSTERS NOT FULL? WAS THEIR MONEY NOT ALLOCATED?
Justin3
Guest
He hasn't been cut adrift completely at all. If he negotiates his Firce contract he can still play for Aus next. The ball is in his court. Money? I don't think he will need help there...
Nigel Imrie
Guest
EM you are responsible for the behavior of your charges, you and the so called middle managers, you should be able to identify problems within your camp or at least have an idea if there is trouble brewing within your close enviroment, surely after all these years being involved with young men you would have had enough experience to have been able to identify shifts in behaviour. I firmtly believe that it is your (ARU) system that has let young JOC down, we all understand that when you took charge you came up with your zero tolerance stand however when JOC failed to live up to these high standards you and Pulver should have handled it somewhat differently, a little compassion goes a long way in this life gents, to just cut his financial lifeline, thought that suspending him from the remaining Championship fixtures would have sufficed, perhaps from the spring Tour as well but to cut him adrift completely was out of order. Perhaps this financial arrangement is a good thing for the ARU who is apparently broke and the failure to top up Mowens contract are all savings for the ailing ARU. This hard stand against a young man who has served us the Rugby Public and put many bums on seats does not deserve this treatment, what is he? a scapegoat for a team that is under performing, perhaps those involved should put all their energies into playing rugby rather than be distracted by a minor incident in the early hours of the morning at a Perth airport. There are many out here in the real world that perhaps dopn't condone what he did but we can easily forgive his actions, it is dull listening to these senior Wallabies rave on about being a Wallaby 24 7 and how we must protect the brand, I for one don't mind having a larakin in the team to distract from that private schoolboys stuffed shirt image that they want to betray, if we want a support base we have to appeal to everyone, not just a small group, wake up and smell the roses chaps, it's not the end of the world!
Justin3
Guest
Pride mania, even for you...
Justin3
Guest
Agreed, and he can play for the Wallabies next year, theyre called match payments...
Hambone
Guest
Called national pride.. Best thing about a train wreck... U can't fall to much further and sooner or later that train starts to chuff along again quite nicely...
Gaffa
Guest
I love how everyone is saying he should and will go to France or Japan and make the big $$$....THEIR SEASONS HAVE ALREADY STARTED, ROSTERS ARE FULL MONEY HAS BEEN ALLOCATED HE WOULD ONLY BE ABLE TO GO OVER AS INJURY COVER AND BE ON SFA $. He has stated he wants to play for the Wobs and will do all he can to do that. He will be at the Force next year.
Chivas
Guest
Wish he was responsible for putting a decent game on the park.or responsible for nurturing confidence in the team not just responsible for making big statements...
Bazza Allblack Supporter
Roar Rookie
Got to agree. Invariably in our professionals services firms, the people that take a longer term secondment overseas come back more mature and capable...
TembaVJ
Roar Guru
“I’m responsible for the Wallaby environment and culture and Im not going to tolerate things that are going to be counter-productive" Wow you said it Ewen...
Tugboat
Guest
-- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Tugboat
Guest
Best call ARU has made since having an afternoon test match at the SFS. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Aussie Rugby
Guest
He should go and play in France and grow up and come back a better player and man!
mania
Guest
why would anyone want to play for the WBs? JOC can go overseas and get more $$$ and distance himself from the self destructive car wreck that is the WBs