Rugby Digest

This week's rugby news in brief

Price not right for Tuqiri

LOTE TUQIRI’S shock sacking by the Australian Rugby Union was a “contract dispute” and a matter for his lawyers, the veteran winger said yesterday. The ARU terminated the player’s lucrative contract without explanation and refused to comment further on the matter, citing legal concerns. “It’s a legal matter, it’s with the lawyers,” Tuqiri said without elaborating. His sacking came days after the Wallabies said they were investigating player misconduct after three players – not including Tuqiri – were disciplined for a food fight at a team hotel.

Coach Deans rings the changes

AUSTRALIA COACH Robbie Deans has put his faith in fresh faces to take on New Zealand and South Africa in this summer’s Tri-Nations.

Flanker Phil Waugh, tipped to be a casualty of Deans’s youth-oriented direction, retained his place in the 30-man squad but it features 11 players with seven caps or less, including two uncapped players in Queensland Reds scrumhalf Will Genia and Western Force loose forward Matt Hodgson.

Outside backs Lachie Turner, Peter Hynes, Drew Mitchell and Adam Ashley-Cooper have retained their places after impressing in internationals last month.

Deans included the injured Rocky Elsom, though he will miss the opening match against New Zealand on July 18th. “Rocky Elsom has been named, but he’s not able to be considered for the first Test in Auckland against the All Blacks and is probably doubtful for the next outing as well,” said Deans.

"I am not a rugby thug," insists unrepentant Burger

SOUTH AFRICA forward Schalk Burger has reacted to his eight-week suspension by insisting: “I am not a rugby thug.” Burger was found guilty of making contact with the face in the eye area of Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald in last Saturday’s second Test.

Despite issuing a statement, though, he has not publicly apologised either to Fitzgerald or the Lions.

“I am not a rugby thug and will never intentionally engage in eye-gouging or similar illegal actions. This was also the case in the second Test against the Lions.

“I am therefore grateful that the judicial officer confirmed my stance with his conclusion that there was no deliberate eye-gouging as charged by the citing official.”

Consumer rugby show at RDS

IRELAND’S FIRST consumer rugby show will take place in the RDS on September 12th and 13th, promoters Exhibition Solution Ltd and sponsors Chorus ntl announced this week, writes Gavin Cummiskey.

“We already know that over 114,000 people play rugby in Ireland on a regular basis – this two-day event is a great opportunity for everyone to gain further insight into this exciting sport,” stated a press release from the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen.

The event’s creative director Brent Pope added: “Many of my rugby peers are lending their support because they can truly see the benefits, not only for the game, but to help increase popularity and participation in the sport. Over the coming weeks and months we will be unveiling more activities associated with the event.”

French apology for Bastareaud

FRENCH PRIME Minister François Fillon has written to his New Zealand counterpart John Key condemning the ‘unjustifiable’ lies of rugby player Mathieu Bastareaud, who claimed he had been attacked in Wellington.

“The tour to New Zealand of the France rugby team has been marked by the unjustifiable behaviour of one of the players,” Fillon wrote in the letter.

“Through his untruthful statements, which led you to intervene publicly, he seriously undermined the reputation of your country and its inhabitants. Please believe I deplore this incident,” he added in the letter.

Bastareaud, 20, said he had been assaulted after the second Test on June 20th but later admitted he had fallen in his bedroom because he was drunk.

Only Burger knows intent - Cullen

LEINSTER CAPTAIN Leo Cullen has refused to join the mass condemnation of South Africa’s Schalk Burger following the incident that saw the flanker banned for eight weeks for making contact with the eye area of the Lions’ Luke Fitzgerald.

Cullen was the victim in a similar incident that cost Alan Quinlan his place on the Lions tour but says that when it comes to that battle for physical supremacy between two packs, only the player himself can testify to his intentions.

Cullen attributed the comments of Springboks coach Peter de Villiers, defending Burger’s actions, to inexperience.

“He was obviously trying to protect his player, that was his logic” Cullen said. “There’s probably better ways of wording it, but he’s been caught a few times maybe not saying the right thing at the right time.

“I don’t know what intent Burger had, no one does. Guys are always pulling guys’ limbs out of the way to get them off the ball so only he knows what intent he has when he’s pulling some guy’s head, which is essentially what he was doing.

“Obviously no-one condones gouging. That and biting are the two worst things you can get involved in in sport.”