Rugby to honour Tahu's suspension

[Burgs]

Rugby to honour Tahu's suspension

Margie McDonald | September 25, 2007

TIMANA TAHU will sit on the sidelines for his first two rugby union matches under an ARU rule that recognises a suspension from another football code.

The Parramatta centre was banned for a week for slamming Israel Folau's head into the Telstra Dome turf during Sunday's second preliminary final.

Tahu has carry-over points from a previous indiscretion resulting in two weeks, regardless of whether he pleads early or not.

Given that the Eels' season finished with a 26-10 loss to the Storm on Sunday and Tahu is leaving to join the NSW Waratahs, it seemed he would not serve the penalty.

But a spokesman for the ARU confirmed that in a rewrite of the ARU's player policy in February 2005, any penalty or suspension incurred through drugs or ill-discipline would be recognised.

Tahu, who played 11 Origin matches for NSW and five Tests for Australia, begins his rugby union contract on November 1 with the Western Sydney Rams.

But as the Australian Rugby Championship will be finished then, he will not serve his suspension until NSW plays trial games in January or the Super 14 season starts in February.

[hopep]

Hell, the Tah's bought a Mungo with an immediate suspension.
Cripes, thats like buying a second hand motor at the pub and not checking the rego.

Great start to the Tah's season!

Suppose it could only get better.

[Sagerian]

Probably good that he misses the trials. Win stadium ended our season before it began with all the injuries it caused and we have the trials against ACT there every year.

[jargan83]

Great start to the Tah's season!

Suppose it could only get better.

in theory.................. :p

[The InnFORCEr]

HTFU Sage

[Sagerian]

Pfft, I say that...


P.S. Plenty of other reasons our year sucked, let me have this one :p

[jargan83]

is that a case of irony??
the Waratahs playing at WIN stadium???

[Sagerian]

and we do tend to win there... Maybe we should play there more often.

[chook]

Tahu is 'ard. You gay Force supporters and softer players better heed this warning.

The next warning will involve Tahu smashing Giteau's head into some hard turf somewhere next S14 season.

[RuckNMaul]

chook chook chook?

have you been mixing your perscription and recreational drugs this week or what?

[Burgs]

Now that would be a farce, why bother saying they will "honour it" with that sham???

Tahu could serve his ban in rugby Sevens

September 28, 2007 - 11:19AM

Australian rugby's prize recruit Timana Tahu could serve out his two-match NRL suspension in two 14-minute Sevens matches.

The NSW Waratahs are considering how to get some rugby under Tahu's belt this year ahead of the 2008 Super 14 and one option is to offer him for selection in Australia's team on the international Sevens circuit.

First, however, Tahu must serve the two-match ban he copped for his head slam on Melbourne's Israel Folau in Parramatta's NRL preliminary loss on Sunday.

The defeat meant it was Australia and NSW representative Tahu's last game of rugby league but the ban carries across to rugby union.

The 26-year-old centre remains tied to Parramatta until the end of next month and isn't due to begin his NSW and Australian rugby union contract until November 1.

The Waratahs were keen for Tahu to play for the Western Sydney Rams in the inaugural Australian Rugby Championship, which concludes next month.

With the Rams certain to make the finals, Tahu could have served his suspension with that side over the next two weeks, had the Eels given him an early release.

However, Parramatta wanted financial compensation which NSW weren't prepared to pay.

"We said that was the only way we would give him an early release, but also said that he needs a bit of a break, like all the players do," Parramatta chief executive Denis Fitzgerald said.

NSW coach Ewen McKenzie acknowledged Tahu needed some rest, but was still hoping his prize recruit would play some rugby this year.

He was looking at some offshore options.

"There's a couple of seven a side tournaments which we intended to nominate him for," said McKenzie, referring to the first two legs of the annual IRB sevens World Series in Dubai on November 30 and South Africa the following week.

An ARU official confirmed Tahu could effectively serve his suspension by missing the first two games in a sevens tournament.

Tahu would still be able to get some game time at the tournament, as under the current format Australia would be guaranteed a minimum of four matches.

Another playing option is for Tahu to have a short stint with an overseas club.

McKenzie was philosophical and diplomatic about Parramatta's refusal to grant Tahu an early release.

"I understand the nature of contracts. That's just the way it is," McKenzie said.

"I think he's done a pretty good job by Parramatta. I think he's given Parramatta everything he possibly he can, particularly in the last period of time, so it would have been nice for him to move forward.

"He's obviously expressed his desire to move forward, but in the end we all know business is business."

McKenzie had no issues with the cross-code suspension agreement.

"If there are penalties you've got to honour those sorts of things," McKenzie said.

Tahu's first meeting with most of his new NSW team-mates is likely to be at a November 5 fitness test.