More was expected of “embarrassed” Test stalwarts Adam Ashley-Cooper, Benn Robinson and Tatafu Polota-Nau, who are among six Wallabies banned following a late night out in Dublin.
The trio have been among the first players picked for Australia in the past six seasons, but they have been rubbed out of this weekend’s clash with Scotland at Murrayfield for a rare off-field lapse.
All are well respected on and off the field but will take the fall following coach Ewen McKenzie’s hard-line stance in improving team culture and behaviour.
Ironically, the popular Ashley-Cooper, who has played 90 Tests since making his debut in 2005, was understood to be one of the senior players most critical of former coach Robbie Deans for forgiving treatment of wayward stars James O’Connor and Kurtley Beale.
A noted taskmaster, McKenzie was quick to banish O’Connor once he was escorted from Perth Airport by Australian Federal Police in September.
The new Test coach admitted he was disappointed that the senior trio were out beyond midnight in the build up to the Ireland Test.
“I don’t think I’ve lacked clarity. Since I’ve arrived we’ve dealt with situations succinctly,” McKenzie said in Edinburgh.
“I’ve made it quite clear to individuals about what’s acceptable so. In that space, I feel disappointment for sure.
“Within that group there’s some seniority there. You expect the senior players leading the way.”
McKenzie praised the 17 other players for returning to their hotel rooms at St Helen’s, 20 minutes south of Dublin city centre, before midnight on Tuesday.
“It was a bad night and a bunch of bad decisions were made, but on the whole the guys have been doing a good job (with team culture) and we’ve been moving in the right direction,” he said.
“To be fair to the players they’ve been very up front. They’ve all put their hands up and hence we got the volume of players we did.
“They all put their hands up and they were all very honest.
“We’re going to judge ourselves pretty harshly here if we want to get better.
“I want players to understand there are standards being a Wallaby.”
But McKenzie admitted there were “different reactions” from the banned six – also including winger Nick Cummins and reserve forwards Paddy Ryan and Liam Gill – to their punishment.
“The reactions for me were significant because it points to character,” he said.
“Pleasingly I would say on the whole they sucked it up and accepted they did wrong.
“There’s a lot of disappointment in themselves, which I what I wanted to see.
“I didn’t want to see excuses or people making up reasons.”
All trained professionally in a low-key session on Monday at University of Edinburgh fields without any outward signs of frustration.
“It’s a significant embarrassment for them that will miss the game,” McKenzie said.
Tissot Time
Guest
Adam Two Dads has been getting good support from his Mummy
Red Kev
Guest
I wasn't aware anyone had their mum on tour with them.
Buchan Brothers
Guest
The question now becomes, Link has axed the captain and vice captain, both of whom's form has gone significantly backwards, disciplined openly 15 players, almost half the squad, so would he consider in hindsight, that his first 4 months in the role taking in to account the on field results are progress, or is he and the team in a worse place than they were 6 months ago when they won the odd test against the top 3 nations (AB's excepted), and he only had 3 "troublesome" players to deal with. To me the jury is out, but i think the on field "improvement" is only against the weaker teams, and he will have lost a lot of the senior players
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Another article out of the Mckenzie party political machine!
jutsie
Guest
this just confirms to me more that JOC was on the outer with senior players more due to personality clashes than any discipline issues. I find it really disappointing that mitchell was such a harsh critic of the amigos but is now sticking up for AAC. i dont agree with the severity of the punishment or the PR speal from the ARU, but its a bit of double standards that these senior players were cracking it over beale/joc being at HJ's before a game but are now trying to defend going on the turps. In both instances i feel the crimes are quite minor and should have warranted a stern lecture and warning. JOC is a prat off the field but he is a real asset on it and I feel that he was ousted more due to his personality and not having the backing of the QRU/NSWRU like his two mates than any other matters.
Tissot Time
Guest
My children aways responded to positive direction (and distraction) and would always seem to want to do what I explicitly told them not to do. Telling children not to do something is like an invitiation to eat cake. Was it really wise for Link to have said this at all?
Matt
Roar Rookie
Yet in the same article he warned his players not to. That was his direction.
Tissot Time
Guest
Parenting 101 set a good example is still the same in 2013 as it was in 1991
Red Kev
Guest
1991 = amateur rugby. 2013 = professional rugby.
Tissot Time
Guest
1991
Tissot Time
Guest
Link is taking a hard line stance on improving team culture and behaviour....um.... he is he same person who bragged before the RWC semi in Dublin 2001: “I remember turning and looking to my right and there was Grizz Wyllie, the All Blacks coach, standing there thinking ‘here’s the Australian tight-forwards drinking, we should be right in this semi-final’. How can you expect your children to follow your direction if you brag about having done something they shouldn’t be doing? Goes to credibility. If I were a potential sponsor would I want to invest in this rabble? Australian rugby is like a scab being constantly pulled off a non healing wound.