Western Force skipper Pek Cowan stripped of captaincy after drunken hotel incident

[The InnFORCEr]

by JAMIE PANDARAM|
Source: The Daily Telegraph


DRUNKEN Western Force players including Wallaby stars Dane Haylett-Petty, Adam Coleman and Pek Cowan were involved in ugly incidents including fighting in the lobby and urinating in the hallway of their South African hotel last weekend.

Cowan has been stripped of the Force captaincy this weekend, while natural successor Haylett-Petty was overlooked for breaching leadership standards, with winger Luke Morahan to skipper the side against the Stormers in Perth on Saturday.

The Telegraph can reveal that during a play-fight between brothers Dane and Ross Haylett-Petty in the foyer of the southern Sun Bloemfontein, a vase was broken as the scuffle grew heated. Haylett-Petty paid to replace the vase the next morning.

Coleman had a loud argument with prop Francois Van Wyk, though that did not turn physical.

One player then urinated in the hotel hallway. It’s understood he was locked out of their room and too drunk to control himself.

Those players and Cowan all breached the team’s 1am curfew, hence the punishment for Cowan.



In announcing their team today, the Force said in a media release: “Luke Morahan will captain the side after Pek Cowan and Dane Haylett-Petty were deemed to have breached the club’s leadership standards while on tour in South Africa”.

Dane Haylett-Petty was also overlooked for the captaincyDane Haylett-Petty was also overlooked for the captaincy Source:

However, they gave no further details, while Cowan and Haylett-Petty were still named to play in the match. Ross Haylett-Petty has been named to start at lock.

This is in contrast to Kiwi side the Hurricanes, who stood down five players after they breached curfew by 18 minutes in South Africa earlier this season.

The latest controversy continues a disastrous year for the Force.

They are last in the Australian conference with just two wins all year — after claiming the wooden spoon in 2015 — and their finances are so shaky that the ARU had to step in to take over the running of the club.

Players have steadily been signing deals overseas or with rival clubs throughout the year, with up to 13 set to leave at the end of the season.

Then Foley was sacked after his poor record was deemed unsustainable.

It has also recently emerged that Perth-raised Wallaby Kyle Godwin is set to leave the club for the Brumbies.

The drunken saga has also soured the good news the Force have received this week, with Queensland prop Ben Daley signing for next year and Australian-born centre Bill Meakes also joining the franchise.

The incident is particularly disappointing for the ARU in light of Dane Haylett-Petty and Coleman making their Test debuts for the Wallabies last month.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/su...0e045dbf9fb303

[The InnFORCEr]

Cowan cut from top job as Force take action

Nick Taylor
The West Australian on July 7, 2016, 1:06 pm




Western Force prop Pek Cowan has been stripped of the captaincy for Saturday night’s clash with the Stormers at nib Stadium after breaching the club’s leadership standards while on tour in South Africa.

Full-back Dane Haylett-Petty was also involved in the breach of standards. The Force were in Johannesburg before flying to Bloemfontein where he scored two tries in a man-of-the-match performance in the 30-29 loss to the Cheetahs.

Foundation member Cowan led the side in the absence of the injured Matt Hodgson. Winger Luke Morahan, who has re-signed with the club for next season, will captain the team on Saturday.

The club has not yet commented further on the breach of standards but it is believed to be a breach of curfew.

Meanwhile Future Force academy member Richard Hardwick will make his run-on Super Rugby debut against the Stormers at nib Stadium on Saturday tonight.

His promotion from the bench to blindside flanker is one of five changes made by interim coach Dave Wessels.
Centre Ben Tapuai returns at No.13 replacing Junior Rasolea, tighthead prop Guy Millar comes into the starting line-up for Tetera Faulkner who suffered an achilles tendon injury against the Cheetahs, Ryan Louwrens gets the nod at scrum-half and front-rower Jermaine Ainsley comes onto the bench.

There is still no place for second-rower Adam Coleman who missed the Cheetahs match after injuring his neck in his Wallabies debut in the third Test against England.

Wessels said the team was determined to finish strongly in the last home game of the season.

“We were disappointed not to win in Bloemfontein but felt, particularly in the second half, that we played some good attacking rugby,” Wessels said.

“The Stormers are a quality side with a strong set piece and are trying to lock in a home final.

“We know they will come out really hard but we are focusing on what we can do to improve on the good things we did in South Africa.”

Cowan will start at loosehead with hooker Harry Scoble and Millar who gets his sixth start of the season at tighthead.

Ross Haylett-Petty and Rory Walton make up the second row and Hardwick joins openside flanker Chris Alcock and No.8 Angus Cottrell in the back row.

Louwrens will pair with Jono Lance in the halves, Kyle Godwin links with Tapuai in midfield and the back three of Luke Morahan, Marcel Brache and Dane Haylett-Petty complete the starting side.

Western Force: Pek Cowan, Harry Scoble, Guy Millar, Ross Haylett-Petty, Rory Walton, Richard Hardwick, Chris Alcock, Angus Cottrell, Ryan Louwrens, Jono Lance, Luke Morahan (capt), Kyle Godwin, Ben Tapuai, Marcel Brache, Dane Haylett-Petty. Reserves: Anaru Rangi, Francois van Wyk, Jermaine Ainsley, Matt Philips, Byrnard Stander, Ian Prior, Peter Grant, Semisi Masirewa.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...e-take-action/

[SNOB]

Farking dick heads! Just what we need atm with everyone watching and hoping the Force fuck up.
If it was a bunch of mungos I'd expect it but....

[Tazzmania]

Not acceptable, but look at the two articles one from the eastern states and one local

Just proves the point we keep saying, even if this one was of our own making

[jargan83]

Utterly disgraceful behaviour regardless of who reports it.

Don't act like drunken dickheads and there will be nothing to base a report on.

[yungfen]

Very poor and unacceptable behaviour by those involved. Wonder if this would have happened under Foley?

[Mr X]

Very poor and unacceptable behaviour by those involved. Wonder if this would have happened under Foley?

Not a matter of "if" as it never did. I guess if you no longer want to be somewhere any more, this is one way of getting out!

[jono]

Not a matter of "if" as it never did. I guess if you no longer want to be somewhere any more, this is one way of getting out!

Well apart from Alfie Mafi.
But he did get sacked

[yungfen]

Not a matter of "if" as it never did. I guess if you no longer want to be somewhere any more, this is one way of getting out!

I agree with you that it most probably would not have happened, but completely disagree with your second point.
I think it is just poor decision making by adults.

[Moono74]

Nice to see a return to traditional rugby values. It may be an opportunity to line up 'Huggies' nappies as a naming rights sponsor.

The Huggies Western Force.....don't take the pi55, because we don't give a sh1t!

[Mr X]

I agree with you that it most probably would not have happened, but completely disagree with your second point.
I think it is just poor decision making by adults.

Not saying it was smart, but lets be honest only one of those issues (peeing in the hall way) is a problem and the player in question is no longer in the match day 23!
Poor decisions is what the force is all about in 2016. A disgrace on the field and even more so off it!

[The InnFORCEr]

Not saying it was smart, but lets be honest only one of those issues (peeing in the hall way) is a problem and the player in question is no longer in the match day 23!
Poor decisions is what the force is all about in 2016. A disgrace on the field and even more so off it!

So who was it, name the name, nobody knows who you are so you have nothing to hide.......

[travelling_gerry]

Reading between the lines.......Wallaby stars.....etc etc...

[fulvio sammut]

It wasn't me, Gerry.

[brokendown gunfighter]

not this time