Wallabies halfback Nick Phipps is adamant social drugs are “absolutely not” widespread in Australian rugby despite Queensland Reds star Karmichael Hunt on Thursday pleading guilty to cocaine possession.
Code-hopping Hunt, in his first season of Super Rugby after stints in the NRL and AFL, was fined $2500 in a Gold Coast court for purchasing a total of 12.5 grams of the drug on four occasions from September 1 to October 3 last year.
Several Gold Coast Titans players, as well as former NRL stars, have also been caught up in the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission’s investigation that netted Hunt.
Phipps, though, said he had never come across social drugs and vouched for every member of the reigning Super Rugby champions after NSW Waratahs training on Thursday.
Asked if social drugs were widespread in rugby circles, Phipps said: “Absolutely not”.
“It’s pretty evident by the people that keep getting dragged into it that it’s definitely not a rugby thing,” he said.
“That’s a testament to the sport that we have, and to some of the characters we have in our game. We’re quite lucky … that nothing like that has ever come across my desk.
“So I wouldn’t know about it and neither would any of the other players actually. I’m confident in saying that.
“So that’s a thing for another code and for us … to brush it under the rug and move on.”
Phipps said there had never been any need for his state and national coach Michael Cheika to address the Waratahs about the dangers of using social drugs because the ARU and the Players’ Association constantly held their own educational forums.
“We’ve done that many modules and presentations through various different doctors, police, members of the community; they all come in all the time and speak to us,” he said.
“To be honest, the kind of blokes we have (in our game), no one’s really interested in that stuff anyway … it’s great that that education program is working for our code.”
Phipps estimated that he and every other Waratahs player were drug-tested by ASADA, WADA and the ARU between 12 to 15 times a season.
“So we get people rocking up all the time to our club,” he said.
“We get people turning up to our house – we’ve got three players at our house so they come around a little bit and just walk in at any time of the day to drug test us.
“I’m fine with that. A lot of people would say it’s an invasion of privacy but I couldn’t care less. As long as it’s keeping our code clean and out of trouble.
“I’m happy to do a drug test whenever they want.
“It’s also good to be able to show that record and how many times that people have been tested and have that confidence that the code’s clean.
“I wouldn’t even care if they upped it. It’s not a problem for us.
The Battered Slav
Guest
The manner in which a player conducts themselves on the field can often be at odds with the way they conduct themselves off the field. I wouldn't discount what a man has to say because of his style of playing rugby.
PeterK
Roar Guru
Drugs are a far bigger problem in AFL and NRL
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
There is, like in general society an increase in the use of recreational drug use Some high profile young players have on occasion been sighted dabbling in the use of these drugs in social surrounding. Young men will always try things that are not all that good for them, its part of growing up. In my younger day I had a go at most things but that didn't make me an addict. While I say this I have an opinion that if you are being paid a lot of money to represent a sport or an organisation you have a responsibility to act in accordance with the moral standards that is set down by that organisation, thats why you get the big bucks. If you digress you should be penalised accordingly. Drugs are all around us, it is a matter of choice if we want to participate, and the choice is much easier to be made to have a go at them if you have a fairly hefty disposable income. It demands a certain strength of character to say no, some of us have that strength of character some of us do not, some of us gain that strength as we grow up. Hunt, to me should have known better he is not a young naive person he is a grown adult and knowingly went against the standards set by the organisation that employed him and subsequently the standards that the REds have. Drugs will be an ongoing problem in sport and society for the future, the same as alcohol and cigarettes, the difference being that the last two are legal and the first is not.
Bamboo
Guest
One of the nicer blokes I've met in rugby. He speaks well, so like his time down at the Rebels hes put in front of the media. Seen Digby Ioanes commentary attempt?
The Twins
Roar Rookie
it's a national TRAIT mate...!
MH01
Guest
Is Nick Phipps going to be doing a weekly column? Maybe its just me, but I really get annoyed by his yapping on the field, do we really need it off the field?