Oracle of DelphiNewsflash! Lote Tuqiri is not Steve Austin.
July 3rd 2007 16:29
the goose...steps...
Well, well, well. Looks like you can take the winger out if his code but he's still way out of his league...
Wallaby w(h)inger, Lote Tuqiri has been banned for 2 tests and fined A$20,000.
No. Not for having the the audacity to change codes.
That would be an in-fine-ite amount...
Tuqiri was punished for "breaching team protocol", which included
failing a breath test for alcohol on Monday after returning to Sydney the previous day, following Australia's 20-15 victory over the All Blacks in Melbourne.
Okay. Now you're probably thinking "hey come on, that's unfair, he should be allowed to celebrate the victory".
Well sure, if he actually contributed to it and instead of flailing around like dreadlocks without a head BUT...team protocol is team protocol and the Wallabies are in the middle of their 'work time' and if more deserving players managed to keep their need for 'celebration' under control, then he has no excuse.
For some reason, Tuqiri is considered a 'role model'. A bit like Paris Hilton.
....and....he gets paid a lot of money in exchange for a few weeks of abiding by "team protocol".
Tuqiri is on a $6million dollar contract (over a 5 year period) PLUS he would have received an additional $11,500 per (missed) test....meaning his little breach has cost him $43,000. And a few brain cells.
Weigh it up people.
Apparently, according to an ARU news report;
...the Wallabies' four-man disciplinary committee, which met over the issue for 90 minutes on Monday night, had recommended a one-match ban and a $20,000 fine. That would have left him available to take on the All Blacks.
However, ARU chief executive John O'Neill stepped in and ensured Tuqiri's suspension was extended to two Tests. Tuqiri was still under a two-year suspended two-match ban for a night-club incident at Cape Town on July 21 that led to Matt Henjak being sent home. Tuqiri was also fined $500 for that incident.
"No one would be keener than me to win the Bledisloe Cup back in a couple of weeks and to have our best team on the paddock," O'Neill said . "But it would send out a bad message if you didn't apply the rules."
However, ARU chief executive John O'Neill stepped in and ensured Tuqiri's suspension was extended to two Tests. Tuqiri was still under a two-year suspended two-match ban for a night-club incident at Cape Town on July 21 that led to Matt Henjak being sent home. Tuqiri was also fined $500 for that incident.
"No one would be keener than me to win the Bledisloe Cup back in a couple of weeks and to have our best team on the paddock," O'Neill said . "But it would send out a bad message if you didn't apply the rules."
I would like you all to know that the latest weather report says that the next winter Olympics will be held in Hell-sinki.
Why?
...because I actually agree with Ponce O'Neill.
Wallabies Coach, John Connelly agreed with this decision, saying iot was a shame from a Rugby point of view but from a long term view "it was an important decision". Which means he doesn't really give a shit as long as the wallabies continue to win.
Get this though...the ARU believe that Tuqiri's ban may not bode well for Rugby. In terms of match attendance and match win.
...the Australian Rugby Union and Wallabies could also pay for it. After helping beat the All Blacks last Saturday to get one hand on the Bledisloe Cup, Tuqiri would have been a key player in the July 21 decider in Auckland. His absence against the world No.1 ranked side may be the difference between the Wallabies winning or losing.
I have 2 words for all of that. What. Uttercrap.
...Tuqiri's absence from this Saturday's Test against the Springboks at Telstra Stadium may also hurt the ARU's coffers, which are in need of re-supply following poor crowds in the two Tests against Wales and one versus Fiji.
After the Wallabies' win over the All Blacks, this week had been pencilled in by the ARU as one for crowd-pulling publicity, with strong hopes that the side could secure first place on the Tri Nations ladder with a win. However, the Tuqiri case has thrown those expectations into disarray.
After the Wallabies' win over the All Blacks, this week had been pencilled in by the ARU as one for crowd-pulling publicity, with strong hopes that the side could secure first place on the Tri Nations ladder with a win. However, the Tuqiri case has thrown those expectations into disarray.
No. What has thrown those expectations into disarray (or dat array...!) is the ARU and their greed.
You could feed a family for a year on what it costs to watch a Wallabies test match live. (albeit the family will be eating chewing gum all year but still...chwing gum can get expensive).
The "poor crowds" are literally that. Poor. In wallet not just in numbers.
...and I'm sorry...people are far too fickle when it comes to parting with their hard earned cash. It wouldn't hurt as much to watch the Wallabies play badly, 'live' if the tickets cost $20/person instead of $150.
Back to Lote.
Obviously he is not feeling very happy.
"Obviously I'm not happy.
See?I have let the boys down, family and friends and everyone else," he said. "But I understand where they are coming from."
Tuqiri also conceded he might have to address his use of alcohol. "I guess that is something I have to look at. There are other issues, too. I have time management issues and everything as well," he said.
...expect a Lote Blog anytime soon...As for his "use of alcohol"....
Lote? Mate? You drink it. Not bathe in it.
Those days are over...when people were drinking players with a Rugby problem...in those days...these people played Rugby just for the love of it.
So what did he do?
He missed Monday's team medical appointment at 10am and a midday recovery session after spending Sunday night drinking with teammates and "other mates".
At this time it is not clear if these other mates had tits.
Lote's defense is that he "misunderstood his diary and had slept in", to be eventually woken up bya team staff member who realised he had not attended either session.
Misunderstood his diary?
Misunderstood. His. Diary.
"Dear Diary...we're both so misunderstood..."
Coach Connolly says that Lote looked rather "shabby" when he woke up...because Connolly of course, is a supermodel....anyway, Lote was ordered to take a breath test, which he did at 1.30pm in the room of team doctor Martin Raftery.
His reading exceeded the team limit of 0.05.
Connolly also revealed that another player was breath tested, but his reading was within the limit allowed.
This has not been a good year for Lote.
Look...he's a good enough player and has been responsiblel for some great and worthy moments but just because he can play Rugby does not make him a Rugby player.
Being a Rugby player is all in the attitude.
And one thing you do not do is turn against your team mate, in public and because you're frustrated with your own inability to make something happen.
I'm referring to that incident with Play It Again Sam but Nor' tonight...(link provided).
Let me break it down for you:
July 3: Two-match ban, fined $20,000 for disciplinary reasons.
June: 2 match 'enforced benching' for "reconditioning and speed'
May 14: Apologises to Wallabies selector Michael O'Connor for putting phone on loudspeaker during conversation about teammate Peter Hewat.
March 2: Apologises for shoving NSW teammate Sam Norton-Knight on field.
January 4: Sent home from Wallabies' training camp after failing fitness test.
August: 11 week ban for spear tackling All Blacks Captain richie McCaw. Despite what you may think, I do not feel this is a good thing. Spear tackling is the equivalent of anonymous hate comments.
July 2005: Nightclub spat with Matt Henjak in Cape Town; suspended two-match ban and $500 fine.
2002: Switched codes...from thugby league to Rugby...and this was the biggest mistake of them all.
6 million dollar man?
I don't think so.
excerpts courtesy of Rugby Heaven
image courtesy of Fiji Live
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Comment by David
I thought you'd get a big of mileage out of this incident, but you've milked it for even more than it was worth. It's funny as, this post.
...expect a Lote Blog anytime soon...
I hope he doesn't plan to write mock posts about doing himself in over this.
On a serious note, this is where Rugby does differ from the other codes, in that, they're prepared to suspend players for off-field misdemeanours even when vital/crucial matches are coming up.
(In Aussie Rules, you can get absolutely smashed, drive around with a hit man on the weekend, go to tittie shows at 6am, shoot up warehouse for target practice, and still play the next game).
David ...
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
I'm thinking about writing a post about you.
And then writing about how I don't want people to visit nor vote because I only blog "for myself".
...because my diary is so misunderstood....
Anyway....
Such is life.
Do the crime.
Pay the fine.
hugs sugah...
Dusk
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Great post!!
You're spot on. If other players, who actually helped the team win the game managed to control themselves, then why the hell couldn't he?
Kylie
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
That's what gets me...this guy gets paid to be a role model. Kids love him.
He knows the rules, he knows that even Gregan and Larkham (and even Eales) had/have to follow the rules.
He gets paid a lot of money in exchange for some simple rules.
When at work, stay on the job.
...But despite the fact that he comes from a Rugby culture...and I'm not talking about the asshole Boys Club, I mean his country - Fiji...it's not ingrained within him that Rugby folk are not flashy folk.
It's because he played league.
much warmth hon..
Dusk
Comment by Andrea
V8 Supercar Pitstop
"Obviously I'm not happy.
See?
hahahahaha giggle snort
Coming back from the pub maybe?
I think Lote needs to get himself sorted out a bit. Maybe he could get some advice from Ben Cousins since he's done such a great job at cleaning up his act.
Then again ...?
xxxx
Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
Mis