Force players stood down for drinking

[Tazzmania]

Dissapointing especially with Ready having prior form but good to see the player group drawing a line in the sand and own and drive team standards and culture, and for the players involved taking responsibility:


Full Article

Two Super Rugby players have been banned and a third is facing disciplinary action after drinking two glasses of wine with dinner on a plane

The Western Force have stood down two players and will sanction another for drinking on the flight from Melbourne to Perth last weekend.

In a bold marker for the team culture, the senior leadership group led the decision to suspend hooker Andrew Ready and winger Byron Ralston from Friday’s game against Queensland Reds.

Veteran prop Greg Holmes was not stood down for the match because the Force have a shortage of options at tighthead, but a penalty for him will also be determined in the coming week.

The action was taken because the trio decided to drink wine with their meal on the flight from Melbourne to Perth last Sunday, after the Force had defeated the Rebels 28-3 in their round two Super Rugby clash, with a six-day turnaround for the Reds.

It means Ready and Ralston will miss the historic first match the Force plays in Perth this year, with 8000 spectators expected to attend in what will be the first sports event in Western Australia since their borders were opened to the other Australian states.

The Force’s general manager of rugby, Matt Hodgson, said there was no drunken behaviour by the three players on the flight, however their decision to drink alcohol was deemed unacceptable by teammates.

“They weren’t drunk or intoxicated on the plane, they each had one to two glasses of wine with their meals, but this was a player-led decision and it was determined that because we were wearing Force uniforms and with the short turnaround between games they shouldn’t have been drinking,” Hodgson said.


“This is very much part of setting the standards for the culture we’re trying to build here.

“And I can’t fault the reaction of the three players, they made the decision to stand themselves down from selection this week.

“They addressed the entire playing group on the first day back to training on Monday, apologised for their choices, and then ripped into training and really helped the guys who are stepping up to replace them.”

Ready and Ralston both came off the bench in last weekend’s emphatic win – Ralston scored a try on the bell to earn the Force a bonus point.

Their places on the bench will be taken by hooker Jack Winchester, and 21-year-old Kalgoorlie speedster Grason Makara, who will make his Super Rugby debut in front of his family members.

“It is a big honour to play for the Western Force, and this match is a huge occasion because it’s the 200th game for the club, and we are playing in front of the sea of blue,” Hodgson said.

Given the volatility around the Omicron outbreak, Force players left Perth last month and were unsure they’d get to play in their home city this season.

They moved their round one game from Perth to Canberra, and round four game against NSW Waratahs to Sydney.

But they’d kept the round three encounter against the Reds at home in the hope Covid would ease, and they’ll now get the chance to play in front of their local fans for the first time since hosting the Highlanders last May.

Hodgson said the team’s leadership group, led by captain Feleti Kaitu’u and experienced halfback Ian Prior, had been told by team management to “own and drive team standards and culture” in 2022..

[Kevin77]

Dissapointing especially with Ready having prior form but good to see the player group drawing a line in the sand and own and drive team standards and culture, and for the players involved taking responsibility:


Full Article

Two Super Rugby players have been banned and a third is facing disciplinary action after drinking two glasses of wine with dinner on a plane

The Western Force have stood down two players and will sanction another for drinking on the flight from Melbourne to Perth last weekend.

In a bold marker for the team culture, the senior leadership group led the decision to suspend hooker Andrew Ready and winger Byron Ralston from Friday’s game against Queensland Reds.

Veteran prop Greg Holmes was not stood down for the match because the Force have a shortage of options at tighthead, but a penalty for him will also be determined in the coming week.

The action was taken because the trio decided to drink wine with their meal on the flight from Melbourne to Perth last Sunday, after the Force had defeated the Rebels 28-3 in their round two Super Rugby clash, with a six-day turnaround for the Reds.

It means Ready and Ralston will miss the historic first match the Force plays in Perth this year, with 8000 spectators expected to attend in what will be the first sports event in Western Australia since their borders were opened to the other Australian states.

The Force’s general manager of rugby, Matt Hodgson, said there was no drunken behaviour by the three players on the flight, however their decision to drink alcohol was deemed unacceptable by teammates.

“They weren’t drunk or intoxicated on the plane, they each had one to two glasses of wine with their meals, but this was a player-led decision and it was determined that because we were wearing Force uniforms and with the short turnaround between games they shouldn’t have been drinking,” Hodgson said.


“This is very much part of setting the standards for the culture we’re trying to build here.

“And I can’t fault the reaction of the three players, they made the decision to stand themselves down from selection this week.

“They addressed the entire playing group on the first day back to training on Monday, apologised for their choices, and then ripped into training and really helped the guys who are stepping up to replace them.”

Ready and Ralston both came off the bench in last weekend’s emphatic win – Ralston scored a try on the bell to earn the Force a bonus point.

Their places on the bench will be taken by hooker Jack Winchester, and 21-year-old Kalgoorlie speedster Grason Makara, who will make his Super Rugby debut in front of his family members.

“It is a big honour to play for the Western Force, and this match is a huge occasion because it’s the 200th game for the club, and we are playing in front of the sea of blue,” Hodgson said.

Given the volatility around the Omicron outbreak, Force players left Perth last month and were unsure they’d get to play in their home city this season.

They moved their round one game from Perth to Canberra, and round four game against NSW Waratahs to Sydney.

But they’d kept the round three encounter against the Reds at home in the hope Covid would ease, and they’ll now get the chance to play in front of their local fans for the first time since hosting the Highlanders last May.

Hodgson said the team’s leadership group, led by captain Feleti Kaitu’u and experienced halfback Ian Prior, had been told by team management to “own and drive team standards and culture” in 2022..

I'm not sure I agree with the thinking but if that's the rules then fair enough.

Ready really doesn't help himself.

[fulvio sammut]

Not much common sense being shown here - mostly by management.

A glass of wine with a meal? Give me a break.

[GIGS20]

I mean standards are standards, but that's a pretty bloody high bar.

Good luck to Jack and Grayson, I hope they have a blinder

[shasta]

Seems an overreach, unless it was a wilful a breach of a standard.
Time was; senior players would have you in Coventry for NOT drinking on the bus. :

[AndyS]

Does seem OTT, but it is player led I suppose. Just hope there is a strong underlying reason and it isn't being driven by a few strong personalities. If not and players are going along too cautious to appear anything but willing in public, they may well be looking for the door in private.

[andrewg]

I have no issues with the player group setting high standards - they are well-paid professionals after all.
The team rules have been set by the player group - not the coaches or other team management.
Perhaps the player group too have looked at our Win/Loss record over the last 2 years of Super Rugby and are hoping for improvement.
I still remember the BS behaviour in Bloemfontein during Blood's first OS tour as coach.

[brokendown gunfighter]

Not much common sense being shown here - mostly by management.

A glass of wine with a meal? Give me a break.

thank God i was useless at rugby-had i been any good that decree would have done me in!

[AndyS]

Certainly won't be recruiting any French players, that's for sure

[GIGS20]

I have no issues with the player group setting high standards - they are well-paid professionals after all.
The team rules have been set by the player group - not the coaches or other team management.
Perhaps the player group too have looked at our Win/Loss record over the last 2 years of Super Rugby and are hoping for improvement.
I still remember the BS behaviour in Bloemfontein during Blood's first OS tour as coach.

I'm hoping that there is a performance based reasoning behind it though.

Most of the boys seem to be holding a can during the team song, so maybe it's nutritional, they have an allowance which is included in their diet plan and exceeding that makes it harder for S&C (just spitballing to find some way of making it reasonable)

I initially considered that it might have something to do with Lent, but then realised that no self-respecting Catholic would refuse wine during a meal

[shasta]

Catholics don't even get a swig on Sundays. That's why lots of us prefer Guinness or beer.

[GIGS20]

Catholics don't even get a swig on Sundays. That's why lots of us prefer Guinness or beer.

I work at an Irish Catholic school

maybe it's based upon nationality, but they're all pissheads here

[eleypinkbit]

If they were told prior there was to be no drinking on the plane, then this is reasonable. But if this wasn't communicated, I think it's a bit harsh. A couple of wines with dinner isn't a drunken binge out on the town the night before a game.

[.X.]

Does the punishment really fit the crime?

non-drinking Rugby players are giving us old players a bad name.

[shasta]

On a similar theme, I hope the Man Cave is well stocked. I just heard an the radio that your local has turned a bit lonesome, morbid & drear.
Bloody weather!