Agents warned - don't do a Sonny Bill

Agents warned - don't do a Sonny Bill
By Iain Payten

August 06, 2008 12:00am

RUGBY union agents have been told they will be stripped of their licences in Australia - and face legal action - if they help one of their stars do a Sonny Bill Williams and flee to France.

At a Rugby Union Players Association briefing on Monday, a gathering of 35 player managers were informed of the consequences for a client breaking a rugby contract to chase big cash in French or British competitions.

Not only would agents be personally liable to legal action over a Williams-style walkout, they would also face losing the RUPA accreditation needed to represent Super 14 and Wallabies talent in Australia.

"If an agent who was accredited by us encouraged and promoted a player to breach his contract and go overseas in similar circumstances to Sonny Bill, we'd probably..

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Bullshit, did the mungoes ever do this?

Do they want our code to be marginalised further in Australia?

so you advocate people walking out on their contracts?? Regardless of the code they play. It doesn't even mention the mungoes, it says if a player agent assists a player to go play in Europe, although you could draw a line and assume that.

So your all for, eg Matt Giteau just walking out on the Force to go play in France next year, or walking out to go play League in England (its not gonna happen but i am using it as an example)
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Well I for one and am all for this move to dis-bar agents.
It might sound harsh but if it keeps our players in our country playing our game, then I dont see the harm. I guess it will hold keep players to their contracts, which cant be a bad thing.

I wonder whats the go for players who dont have an agent. Using Jargs' example, Gits doesn't have an agent. Does this mean that players will become more inclined to not even bother with agents anymore and sort out their own contracts and finances? :S

ah forgot about that little piece of info. But Laura raises an interesting point herself, will players not appoint managers to keep their options open? Having said that i think this move is just to stop players breaking their contracts, nothing to do when they are actually off contract
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