News that the Australian Rugby Union has torn up the contract of Lote Tuqiri is bad news for the Wallabies players and their fans.

Tuqiri has been one of the best and most consistent performers for the Wallabies in what have been pretty lean times in recent years. It was only the year before last that the ARU saw fit to re-sign him on a $700,000 a year contract until 2012.

Great player with great hair

Yet we can’t really evaluate whether it was justified or not because the ARU isn’t saying why they sacked him.

With a series of recent crises enveloping the NRL and following John Elliot’s revelations about the AFL, the ARU will be super-sensitive to any bad publicity for its code. But the secrecy surrounding Tuqiri’s sacking only begs the question, what are they hiding?

Put simply, this stinks of the ARU wanting to protect its image as the gentleman’s code and not wanting to soil its reputation with details of why one its most highly paid players had been dumped mid-season.

Here’s a statement that ARU John O’Neil issued this morning:

“The employment contract of Lote Tuqiri has been terminated effective today.

“ARU has treated this issue as a standard employment matter.

“The ARU will not make any further comment on the matter as it may be the subject of legal proceedings.”

It’s obviously not a “standard employment matter” - the guy has just been sacked prior to the Wallabies’ biggest matches of the year, and with several years to run on his contract.

Yes he hasn’t been selected this year for the Wallabies, but this announcement has us viewing that decision in an entirely new light as well.

Furthermore, what legal proceedings is O’Neil talking about?

If Tuqiri is set to pursue the ARU in court it doesn’t really make sense as this possibility has never stopped them commenting on sacking other players in the past – Matt Henjak’s sacking being one example.

Further a basic public comment on the reasons for him being sacked would not affect a contract dispute in court that Tuqiri could pursue and the ARU defend. 

Or are we talking criminal legal proceedings?

The Australian today reported this statement from NSW Police on a possible investigation into Tuqiri:

“I have absolutely no idea about any ongoing police investigation into Mr Tuqiri, but that doesn’t mean to say there isn’t one.”

Who knows what that means and that’s what the ARU will put up with until they give an answer.

It has to be recognised that Tuqiri had a pretty bad Super 14 season and was already on a last warning after a series of incidents. These include getting into a punch-up with team mate Matt Henjak in South Africa and failing to turn up for a medical.

But as O’Neil said this morning the decision to cancel a contract mid-season is not taken lightly - so don’t the fans have a right to know why?

Having attended for some years one of Australia’s best rugby schools that produced the likes of George Gregan and Matt Giteau, I can say that there is a culture of discipline in union that doesn’t exist in league (even though it’s my preferred game).

Rugby was linked to our schooling and with that certain expectations of behaviour and I have very fond memories of junior rugby union.

Nor is it just a class thing as we’re often told. As a pretty basic Christian Brothers school its makeup was more working class than the public school I later went to in Canberra.

But it was also the same school that produced the aforementioned and troubled Matt Henjak. 

A talented player who had serious discipline problems throughout school but as long as he kept playing well it was, by in large, overlooked.

This was obviously an attitude that management took in senior football until all of the sudden he was on the world stage and continued to behave the same way. All of a sudden the ARU found that unacceptable.

The ARU’s “don’t you people worry about the details” line on the Tuqiri sacking is an extension of this attitude.

As disciplined and superior as rugby union likes to think itself to be, it also has to accept that their players’ behaviour can quite often be as bad as the “leagies”.

Pretending otherwise isn’t going to make this go away.

Most commented

10 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Andrew says:

      02:18pm | 02/07/09

      damn.. they’ve found out Lote’s not human.

    • Chris says:

      03:08pm | 02/07/09

      I heard he wanted a hot meal on the flight home from the last test and they only had cold sandwiches.

    • Andika says:

      03:22pm | 02/07/09

      there must be some scuttlebutt out there on why they sacked him?
      Or does the coach want to get rid of him??
      Finally a good story

    • Steve Shannon says:

      04:08pm | 02/07/09

      He scored 2 meat pies this year, that cost the ARU $500k per try.

    • Ben says:

      04:09pm | 02/07/09

      I’m sure the truth is out there if people knew where to look. My bet is the Richard Wilkins will come up with the scoop via Twitter any time now.

    • realto says:

      04:36pm | 02/07/09

      Tuquiri’s been one of the consistent performers, yes, but certainly not one of the best. He consistently fails to make much impact on a game. ARU made a big mistake re-signing him for a fat cheque and did so for his supposed promotional value. Tuquiri’s scoring drought this year sealed his fate. They found an excuse to cut him loose and make the saving. No doubt the ARU think their case is strong against Tuquiri’s claim for damages. He’ll be at the NRL for a lot less hoot next year.

    • MR says:

      04:45pm | 02/07/09

      This boofhead gets $700k a year to play a game?

    • Martin says:

      01:57am | 03/07/09

      Why are some sportsmen crucified and others not? Lote: who knows? Sailor: sacked for allegedly(?) using non-performance enhancing cocaine. Alan Didak: still playing after allegedly sleeping while a murderer associate (Hudson) shoots at police and is later implicit while a team mate lies about drink driving. Brendan Fevola: still playing after allegedly violently assaulting an Irish barmen while representing Australia. Ben Cousins: sacked by Eagles after a series of allegedly but self confessed drug related events. Wayne Carey: in some countries he would be shot, if he was a she. Are the public really so fragile that they can’t separate sportsmen from role models? Or do the media such as ‘The Punch’ preach to those who delight in schadenfreude.

    • Sam says:

      12:47pm | 03/07/09

      Leo, having attended a rival rugby school of yours in Canberra, you can hardly take the high moral ground. I recall several years of many fellow students who were expelled from my school only to end up at yours, solely due to their rugby prowess (how many times did they do Yr 12?). Their own behaviour at my school was glossed over when they were welcomed with open arms at your school. I have many friedns from both schools and it is a running joke between us all.

    • RAKEEF says:

      01:14am | 10/07/09

      They pay him 700k a year…Mr K I don’t think he’s a boofhead…I think the ARU are boofheads for making the commitment to resign him. We’ll see whose laughing all the way to the bank and I’m sure it wont be the ARU regardless of the outcome.

 

Facebook Recommendations

Read all about it

Punch live

Up to the minute Twitter chatter

Malcolm Farr

RT @CrawfordFund: @farrm51 u may like 2 help spread word of our #foodsecurity journo award http://t.co/FwbMWwJmLf

Daniel Piotrowski

RT @adamroy37: Just received a phone call from a young girl apologizing for her actions. Lets support her please #racismitstopswithme#Indi

tory_maguire

RT @adamroy37: Just received a phone call from a young girl apologizing for her actions. Lets support her please #racismitstopswithme#Indi

Daniel Piotrowski

Australia. Where you die for your country and get a rest area named after you http://t.co/hO6LpfwDvI

Recent posts

The latest and greatest

The Punch is moving house

The Punch is moving house

Good morning Punchers. After four years of excellent fun and great conversation, this is the final post…

Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this?

Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this?

I have had some close calls, one that involved what looked to me like an AK47 pointed my way, followed…

Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming”

Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming”

In a world in which there are still people who subscribe to the vile notion that certain victims of sexual…

Nosebleed Section

choice ringside rantings

From: Hasbro, go straight to gaol, do not pass go

Tim says:

They should update other things in the game too. Instead of a get out of jail free card, they should have a Dodgy Lawyer card that not only gets you out of jail straight away but also gives you a fat payout in compensation for daring to arrest you in the first place. Instead of getting a hotel when you… [read more]

From: A guide to summer festivals especially if you wouldn’t go

Kel says:

If you want a festival for older people or for families alike, get amongst the respectable punters at Bluesfest. A truly amazing festival experience to be had of ALL AGES. And all the young "festivalgoers" usually write themselves off on the first night, only to never hear from them again the rest of… [read more]

Gentle jabs to the ribs

Superman needs saving

Superman needs saving

Can somebody please save Superman? He seems to be going through a bit of a crisis. Eighteen months ago,… Read more

28 comments

Newsletter

Read all about it

Sign up to the free News.com.au newsletter