Wallabies winger James O'Connor facing Bledisloe Cup axing...

[James]

Rugby Brand my ass

I hope you don't intend 'brand' as a verb in that sentence.

[Darren]

That's what I was thinking

[Ecky]

That'd show commitment though.

Like that "Feel the Force" contestant with the big back tatt

[tic]

Danny has a new playmate at the Rabble.

[Elf1]

Ah the vodka king.

[travelling_gerry]

David Sygall
August 21, 2011


WAYWARD Wallabies star James O'Connor is due to face fans today and he has until the close of business tomorrow to explain why he should remain part of the squad for Saturday's Bledisloe Cup clash after he was absent from the World Cup squad announcement on Thursday.

He also has to face the music when he next confronts his teammates. It is understood his fellow players are getting sick of the 21-year-old utility back - who has long been viewed as the next big thing on the Australian scene - receiving preferential treatment from rugby officials.

The ARU was left red-faced and fuming at Sydney Airport on Thursday after O'Connor's no-show, which was explained to media as being for ''personal reasons''. The Sun-Herald left messages with O'Connor's manager Ben Hartman yesterday but did not receive a reply.

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Recently retired Waratahs captain Phil Waugh said O'Connor needed to respect team rules for the team to perform well at the World Cup.

''You always hope that a player of that talent abides by team protocols,'' Waugh said yesterday.

''Like any team, you want everyone to be on the same page. The team's far more likely to succeed if that's the case.''

Waugh and O'Connor nearly came to blows in a training session in 2009. Waugh said it was vital that O'Connor put everything in place to perform well for the Wallabies. ''That's the most important thing, for him to perform well, like he did in Africa. Hopefully, he keeps playing well.''

O'Connor's Wallabies teammate Drew Mitchell said the team hoped everything was OK with the young player. ''Our understanding was that he was just unable to make the announcement,'' he said yesterday.

''We hope for his sake and ours that everything's OK. Beyond that I'm not too sure. I don't know if it was just an honest mistake. That's for the powers that be to work out.''

The ARU is likely to fine and suspend O'Connor from the Bledisloe Cup match against the All Blacks in Brisbane on Saturday and perhaps the first match of next month's World Cup if he cannot provide a legitimate explanation for his whereabouts on Thursday.

It is believed O'Connor was drinking with several Wallabies teammates at the Eastern hotel in Bondi Junction on Wednesday night.

ARU officials tried to make contact with him on Thursday morning but they could not reach the Western Force star, who has signed with the Melbourne Rebels for 2012.

He will likely face a code of conduct hearing this week



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...#ixzz1Va4jlpjk

[Sheikh]

Sounds like we got rid of him at the right time.

Our back-line seemed to play better without him, too. Whenever we had a 'super-star' back (Gits or Rabbit) it seemed too often the game-plan was get him the ball and let him do something special. When Rabbit was injured this year the backs appeared to step up and take responsibility more.

[travelling_gerry]

Danny Weidler
August 21, 2011


JAMES O'CONNOR was not the only Wallaby who had a big night out last week - players have confirmed that Kurtley Beale was definitely under the weather at the World Cup team announcement at Sydney Airport on Thursday.

O'Connor was too hung-over to front and Beale somehow managed to show his face but was worse for wear. However, there is another twist to this story that has not been made public: O'Connor was among several Wallabies told not to drink after an incident that was hushed up on the spring tour last year. The matter was dealt with by then skipper Rocky Elsom.

The book was thrown at Lote Tuqiri and to a lesser extent Matt Dunning when they went out drinking in recent years. Tuqiri had a curfew placed on him and was stood down for a Bledisloe Cup decider.

Unfortunately for O'Connor, this incident - combined with the spring tour drama and a seemingly harmless food fight - means he is on the edge. It will be interesting to see how ARU chief executive John O'Neill handles one of the game's golden boys - he had no trouble hammering Tuqiri.

Beale also hasn't got a spotless record. Most recently he got in trouble for urinating outside a Brisbane nightspot and he has had other off-field issues. Beale completed all his commitments at the ARU function on Thursday.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...#ixzz1VcfmNXoK

[Darren]

ARU now have a get out of jail free ticket against JOC, hopefully they never need it!

[brokendown gunfighter]

when he referred to the brand,I didn't realise he meant Tooheys

[shasta]

Just goes to show; even if you pinch these kids very early and send them to an elite school, you just can't get the Mungo out of the little buggers, can you? Once a bogan always a bogan, I say.

[jono]

Danny Weidler
August 21, 2011


JAMES O'CONNOR was not the only Wallaby who had a big night out last week - players have confirmed that Kurtley Beale was definitely under the weather at the World Cup team announcement at Sydney Airport on Thursday.

O'Connor was too hung-over to front and Beale somehow managed to show his face but was worse for wear. However, there is another twist to this story that has not been made public: O'Connor was among several Wallabies told not to drink after an incident that was hushed up on the spring tour last year. The matter was dealt with by then skipper rocky elsom
]

This has started to get interesting

[Burgs]

"Waugh and O'Connor nearly came to blows in a training session in 2009."

You'd pay money to watch that!

A long standing saying that I am sure many of you have toured or gone to conferences observing, you play up, you show up. There is zero excuse to being in a self inflicted condition to not honour your commitments, your nation, your contract or your fuckin "brand".
The fact that Beale was under the weather doesn't make it better for O'Connor, it makes it worse, you play up, you show up. Well done Beale, harden up O'Connor.

[Tazzmania]

"Waugh and O'Connor nearly came to blows in a training session in 2009."

You'd pay money to watch that!

Now we probably know why the Warratahs were the only franchise not keen on signing him.

[Fullback]

Has there been any news on a JOC excuse? We have to consider that the journalists are the ones talking up the drinking. But as much as I have to admit it (journos being right that is ) I think they're on the right track.

It's amazing how one incident like this brings to the surface all those hidden stories about a player and players incidents. All fingers are pointing to JOC needing to think on an attitude adjustment... before players like Waugh force him to have one.