Friday’s rugby news has a rugby code of conduct shift, changes to the Rebels, the Reds with a new attitude and O’Driscoll concerned with the World Cup officiating.
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Rugby looks to NRL for discipline
The ARU is planning to institute vastly reformed disciplinary processes and is looking to rugby league as a surprising source of inspiration. The national body have been in talks with RUPA to draft a new code of conduct.
The RUPA proposal purports to introduce a new charge of “bringing the game into disrepute” along with spelling out clearly defined offences and potential penalties. The ARU, on the other hand, will seek to introduce an assumption of guilt until innocence is proven while giving itself full discretionary power in naming the penalties for transgression, both facets drawn from the NRL code of conduct.
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Rebels tinker with team
The Melbourne Rebels have made sweeping changes to their team to play the undefeated Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday night. Reacting to the side’s surprise loss to the Lions last week, coach Tony McGahan has dropped Wallaby Luke Burgess and lock Steve Cummins from the match-day team, while Dom Shipperley has been ruled out for up to six weeks because of a fractured hand.
Jack Debreczeni will also return to flyhalf after a knee injury, with Mike Harris moving to fullback. Back-rower Lopeti Timani will be rested with the Rebels concerned about some niggling injuries, allowing Cadeyrn Neville to start in the No.5 jersey while veteran utility forward Radike Samo comes on to the bench.
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No more excuses for Reds
Queensland Reds captain James Slipper says there can be “no more excuses” for his side in Friday’s home Super Rugby clash with the Lions. Slipper concedes fans’ expectation will rise due to the return from injury of playmaker Quade Cooper, fellow starting backs James O’Connor, Lachie Turner and Samu Kerevi and forwards Greg Holmes and Ben Daley.
Slipper also emphasised that the team must not depend too heavily on the influence of the new arrivals to the starting side. “It’s about everyone looking at their own game and making sure we come back a better outfit, individually, across the whole squad,” he said.
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BOD calls for refs to shape-up
Irish legend Brian O’Driscoll believes that the level of excitement at this year’s World Cup should depend on better officiating and not any changes to the laws of the game. All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said last week that rugby was turning “boring” as a result of the mystifying scope of the rulebook.
O’Driscoll disagreed, saying, “Part of the issue is that there’s different interpretations between the hemispheres. All the players want is consistency.” He also cited the amazing final day of the Six Nations competition as evidence that the current formation of rugby remains an impressive spectacle.
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