The reason JOC (James O'Connor) was absent from the RWC squad announcement...

[rugbyskier]

This just appeared on SMH
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-new...orld-cup-plans-in-tatters-20110822-1j6lu.html

I noticed this error in the 'report'

The reported fight did not seem to affect the Wallabies just days later at Stade Francais when they thrashed the French 59-16 in their biggest win of the year.

Stade Francais is the rugby club, the writer was actually referring to Stade de France - the stadium in the Paris suburb of St Denis.

 

[Richo]

That Paris business sounds like absolute crap. Sounds like the kind of rough-housing that is par for the course at your average boarding school, student residence or boys weekend. Few blokes get smashed, bit of tamely homoerotic wrestling breaks out, one guy has a little tanty, incident over.

Move along, nothing to see here.

 

[tigerland12]

Agreed Richo, i've lost count the amount of times I've seen two of my mates have a spat then 5 minutes later best mates again.

Move along media fucks

 

[Skippy]

That Paris business sounds like absolute crap. Sounds like the kind of rough-housing that is par for the course at your average boarding school, student residence or boys weekend. Few blokes get smashed, bit of tamely homoerotic wrestling breaks out, one guy has a little tanty, incident over.

Move along, nothing to see here.

Spot on... I'm always up for a bit of testoterone fuelled homoerotic horse play after rugby. And Paris is the city of love and lights after all!

 

[RugbyReg]

he can't be too upset, he wanted to play at either the Reds (to play with Quade) or the Rebels (to play with Kurtley).

 

[Major Spliff Biggins]

It is staggering the amount of media attention gets devoted to off field issues.

Rumours of handbags at 5 paces and drinking allegations, and every part time, two-bit fucktard with a press badge gets a column. Danny Weidler, I'm looking at you. Rebecca Wilson will surely be popping up on the horizon next, shreiking like a harpie with her ill informed rumours and nonsense.

Frustrating that major press is making this the story rather than the World Cup, and our best chance to win the Tri Nations in a bloody good time. If I was being cynical, I would suggest that this is being done for maximum damage and disruption. FFS at least the mungoes get comprehensive coverage of their code, as well as the latest off field issues in these rags.

Latest Fox Sports headline "Wallabies in Turmoil" and then the link to the nothing article in Paris which apparently the ARU are now investigating. If the team are in turmoil, it's due to the press whipping up these stories. Do we really think any incident in Paris, 9 months ago, would have been in the forefront of players minds should it not have been reported now. Hell, if it gets us the same result, send them all out on the piss now!

 

[RedsHappy]

It is staggering the amount of media attention gets devoted to off field issues.....

Yes, it's frustrating MSB. But there's never much joy in blaming the media, they are what they are. The key is not feeding them bad-tasting raw meet before a banquet.

Part of the problem here is that, it must be remembered, the ARU has hammered the general media and key Aus rugby journalists with the message that, generally, 'the modern Wallabies are driven by the fantastic band of X-factor young players, impressively 'recruited' by Deans, and playing with dynamic style, flair etc, and this group will win us lots of prizes (someday) and hopefully the RWC.' Incontestably, this media line has grown more shrill and monolithic from the ARU the more the ARU's prior stated goals of multiple BC and 3N wins etc under Deans completely failed to materialise in 2009 and 2010.

The relentless promotion of this group dramatically ups their individual media profiles and, of course, risks over-boosting their individual sense of importance and the implicit notion that they are owed more by their employer than vice versa. The young age and general life inexperience of these guys turbocharges this risk.

I remember thinking to myself that it was ominous that QC (Quade Cooper) was getting literally double page spreads in the SMH just pre 2011 BC1 noting his huge talents, that he'd win us big games, genius for the Reds, the maestro at 10, etc. I observed when he played in 3N1 v SA in Sydney that he seemed to me to be playing with too much ego and excess 'flair' (unlike his 2011 Reds play where he'd learnt a lot of self-control). He then lost control completely with a dose of flair with mad cow disease when confronted with top competition that had the team's measure in Auckland, and, on cue, from his lofty heights of only a week or so before, the QC (Quade Cooper) doubters instantly reappeared in droves.

So, the rugby and RWC-following media posture was hard set early this season, and had built from 2010: these fabulous young Xes were going to drive the Wallabies to glory. Up on the media pedestal they went, hoisted there by their own skill but even more by the ARU's desperate need for positive spin as cover for deeper disappointments relative to their earlier own promises and stated goals. This was all kindling for a serious bush fire the moment either (a) the Xes started to disappoint on the field (which ironically is happening to a degree in the first 4 2011 Tests) and/or (b) one or more of them went delinquent and started to fuck up under the ARU's noses on the main stage. Enter stage right, JO'C and the scene is perfectly set for a negative media feeding frenzy of precisely the type we are seeing this week.

 

[Joe Blow]

I think standing him down for 1 test is a waste of time and nothing more than a token gesture.
We have Mitchell and Barnes coming back onto the scene.
For showing such disregard for the side so close to the RWC I would have removed him from the RWC squad.

Hard but fair.

That he would feel. I know he is a young bloke but he certainly is not indispensable to the Wobs.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

I think it should have been two games. keep him out for the italy game in the WC to really punish him (missing the opening world cup game would not be fun) and in the mean time make him play club rugby. that way you make him sweat a bit, as by then drew mitchell is probably in the team for the italy game and if drew's on form, he wouldn't be easy to take out of the squad.
the way it is now, he knows AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) isn't going to be winger of choice and drew won't have time to prove himself the better option. JOC (James O'Connor) knows he's missing one game but right back into the squad.

can't believe he missed that announcement. representing your country at the world cup. every rugby player and sportsmans dream. most never get the chance and those that do, it sometimes only comes once. such poor form
bloody good on kurtley for getting up, feeling like a sack of shit, but making it.
so soft.

 

[Cutter]

I think standing him down for 1 test is a waste of time and nothing more than a token gesture.
We have Mitchell and Barnes coming back onto the scene.
For showing such disregard for the side so close to the RWC I would have removed him from the RWC squad.

Hard but fair.

That he would feel. I know he is a young bloke but he certainly is not indispensable to the Wobs.

Agree completely. It might also make any of the others who don't have their heads in the right place wake up.

 

[Athilnaur]

Stand him down from the RWC? Did I miss the part where he was missing training sessions and dealing in roids?

 

[Groucho]

I think standing him down for 1 test is a waste of time and nothing more than a token gesture.
We have Mitchell and Barnes coming back onto the scene.
For showing such disregard for the side so close to the RWC I would have removed him from the RWC squad.

Hard but fair.

That he would feel. I know he is a young bloke but he certainly is not indispensable to the Wobs.

I presume that in the interests of 'fairness', this new punishment regime would then become the norm for any player missing any public relations event?

Or do we only do it when the player isn't important? Irreplaceable players get off with a slap on the wrist. Disposable players get dropped from the squad entirely.

 

[Groucho]

I hate to be blunt, but this thread is full of fucking idiots.

Here we are, building combinations on the eve of the World cup, and people are calling for a key player to be stood down for missing a fucking photo shoot!

As if correcting young James and making him 'take notice' is more important than the team, and the tournament.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

missing the whole world cup is extreme and would just make the ARU look stupid i think.
but i do think give him an extra game suspension and you wouldnt be wrong. that said, i'm happy he'll be missing this game as punishment and if that's as far as it goes, it's enough.

 

[Joe Blow]

I hate to be blunt, but this thread is full of fucking idiots.

Here we are, building combinations on the eve of the World cup, and people are calling for a key player to be stood down for missing a fucking photo shoot!

As if correcting young James and making him 'take notice' is more important than the team, and the tournament.

That's the point Groucho, no-one is more important than the team. I understand your your concept of "punishing" professional adults and as a result the team and supporters suffering, and agree to a point.
It is not a matter of correcting young James or even punishing him. It is more the ARU drawing a line in the sand as far as what they expect from their contracted players.

It is not about JOC (James O'Connor), it's about the Wallabies.

 

[What2040]

They crossed to him with "Danny Weidler has some breaking news about James O'Connor." Than Weidler went on with this crap about O'Connor's Wallaby career now being in jeopardy after it was revealed he was in a fight with Kurtly Beale and Quade Cooper on last year's EOYT. Apparently the problem was that O'Connor was the "third man in" to the fight.

They were truing to make out it was a new issue that Weidler has uncovered.

I have always loathed watching Weidler. He thinks that he is the star of the story, not just a reporter.

Heard Beale came a distant second to Cooper in the fisticuffs department

 

[Groucho]

That's the point Groucho, no-one is more important than the team. I understand your your concept of "punishing" professional adults and as a result the team and supporters suffering, and agree to a point.
It is not a matter of correcting young James or even punishing him. It is more the ARU drawing a line in the sand as far as what they expect from their contracted players.

It is not about JOC (James O'Connor), it's about the Wallabies.

Then why punish the Wallabies?

By suspending a key player we materially reduce our chances of winning the Tri-Nations for the first time in years.

There are plenty of punishments available that don't impact the team.

It's just stupid. But what is more stupid are all the draconian overloads on that punishment that are being dribbled about here. Drop him from the World Cup? Pur-leeze.

 

[barbarian]

I heard Luke Burgess cut in front of Pat McCabe in the line for lunch today. Burgess needs to be set straight, and taught that he is not bigger than the team. He must wait his turn for lunch.

I would suspend him for the RWC, and maybe the Spring Tour as well. If you can't trust your mate in the queue for lunch, can you truly trust him on the field?

 

[matty_k]

It is quite simple. JOC (James O'Connor) has let the team down. He deserves to be left out.
If you let him get away with it then it sets a precedent and he will push his boundaries further next time.
The rules have been set, the players have agreed to them and they know the consequences. You can't make exceptions even if the next weekend is the RWC final.

Also.
From what I have read most people are saying to drop him from the Italy match and not the whole tournament.
Lote received a two match ban why is JOC (James O'Connor) receiving less?

 

[Bullrush]

Then why punish the Wallabies?

By suspending a key player we materially reduce our chances of winning the Tri-Nations for the first time in years.

There are plenty of punishments available that don't impact the team.

It's just stupid. But what is more stupid are all the draconian overloads on that punishment that are being dribbled about here. Drop him from the World Cup? Pur-leeze.

The only way it is possibly punishing the Wallbies is on the field for this one game. (And if the Wallabies win without him, what then?)

In every other respect, the Wallabies and the game of rugby in general wins.