Outspoken Australian fly-half Quade Cooper has been charged with bringing the game into disrepute for his critical comments of the Wallabies and coach Robbie Deans.
The disgruntled star made headlines last month when he lashed out at the Wallabies set-up, saying the environment within the Australian team was "destroying" him.
The Reds playmaker, currently sidelined with a knee injury, reiterated his grievances on a television rugby programme less than a week after first making his feelings known via social media.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said Cooper was due to appear at a code-of-conduct hearing on Wednesday in Sydney.
An Australian Rugby Union (ARU) spokesman said Saturday the ARU would not be making any official comment at this stage.
In interviews Cooper, 24, had expressed frustration about the defensive style of play favoured by Deans and said that he didn't want to be involved with the Wallabies under the current regime.
"I'm just trying here to be the best that I can be and that's why I said I didn't want to be involved in that kind of environment," Cooper said in a televised interview last month.
"For me to continue to improve as a player and as a person you want to be involved in the best possible environment and I feel that environment is sort of destroying me as a person and as a player."
ARU chief John O'Neill said at the time that the ARU was "utterly confused" by Cooper's outburst.
Comments
isthatrightref says...
D-Day for QC... the lapop incident cost him a $7500 fine plus the "undisclosed 5-figure" out-of-court settlement (or so says the Sydney Morning Herald), hard to see the fine being any less than that but what else can ARU do to him?
I doubt they can order the Reds to stand him down from S15 for any period & if he gets his mojo back dropping him from the wobblies would be problematic esp if the B&I Lions were to get up & win the 1st Test... fine him, downgrade his ARU top-up to that of a fringe player & move on (& see how committed he really is to the yellow jersey & getting back into one).
@ master baiter... yeap, Stu & Muzza are both so awful they could work for Foxtel, prob why they get dragged onto the Rugby Club to provide the token NZ "insight"
@ Trader2... Clarky used to be half-decent for TVNZ & Sky, still is when he hasn't got Kearns & Kafer in tow... as for Marto, he has a struggling radio show to worry about & it shows in just about everything he does be it radio, TV, print or internet-based.
Posted 21:53 30th October 2012
Trader2 says...
Trinats
You are losing it, what a pathetic riposte, you are sounding a bit tired old chum. On the commentators are you trying to tell me that Clark and McHardel (or whatever) actually played the game?
Posted 13:22 29th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
Trader2:
Very valid point, bit like you never really win a world cup unless you win it away from home, and without dodgy refs !!!
Posted 10:43 29th October 2012
Trader2 says...
Trinats
Small point, but to have an attacking game plan you have to be confident of getting some decent ball from your forwards. Hmmmmm Wannabie forward packs???
Posted 22:19 28th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
isthatrightref:
Maybe I should listen to the likes of Stu Wilson or even Murray Mexted. Might be OK if I was a Kiwi !!!
I'll stick with my Aussies and you stick with your kiwis.
Can I ask you, why do you have a cricketer calling rugby ??? can't find a decent ex rugby player to string a sentence together !!!
Posted 21:49 28th October 2012
paulynz says...
@Trinats2
Could that different coach possibly be someone like...
Ewen James Andrew McKenzie, current Queensland coach?
lol...
Posted 17:48 28th October 2012
isthatrightref says...
Fine him for his protocol-breaching Twitter & Rugby Club tantys then move on... no point making him make any public apologies 'cos most of the rugby-following public will either not believe them or feel he's not gone far enough, while a small minority e.g. the master baiter will think whatever Marto & Kearnsy say, in this case that he's done nothing he needs to apologise for.
After 2 knee ops in 2 years & not much game time in between he's now surely a bloke who has to play his way back into the wobblies, the QRU contract top-up offered by ARU should reflect this: do your rehab, have a good S15 & earn selection for the Lions series then come back & see us for a 2-year deal for the rest of your Reds contract.
Posted 01:20 28th October 2012
startledwombat says...
This is an employer // employee issue.
My employer has particular restrictions on my use of social media. I am obliged to follow those restrictions, even in my non-work hours, as part of my contract of employment. If I don't, my employer may decide to stop paying me // employing me.
Cooper's contract probably has similar conditions.
I would like my contract to be similar to Cooper's in relation to the salary figure.
Posted 23:08 27th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
paulynz:
Maybe Cooper has a point ? What if there was a different coach, a more attacking game plan, (even a plan B) not so many Tahs, and use their bench, Australia could be No1 !!!
Posted 23:03 27th October 2012
paulynz says...
Unless he does a complete and public about-face I think he should be de-registered and shown the door.
No player is bigger than the national team.
I've said before that I'm not Robbie Deans fan, never have been, never will be. But... Despite all their team issues this year, the Wallabies are still the number 2 ranked rugby team in the world. Surely the coach has something to do with that?
Posted 17:44 27th October 2012
sirtidychris says...
Another of the new breed of premaddona rugby stars. For me rugby is as much about character and personality as it is about what you do on the field. There are certain rules in rugby... you respect your coach, the team always comes first, you put your body on line, and you leave everything on the pitch including any fights, whatever happens come final whistle you shake everyones hand then sit down and have a pint with them. People like quade cooper, danny cipriani, Gavin henson are all ego, they want money, fame and the world to revolve them, rugby doesn't need them and shouldn't put up with them. I hope he goes to league and i don't have to listen to his nonesense anymore, he hasn't even been a good flyhalf for 2 years !!!
Posted 15:11 27th October 2012
melkdave says...
Personnally i feel this is the wrong charge for him to face.His entitled to his opinions rght or wrong as we all areA much better way to deal with him and his ego is to tell him he wont be considered for the national team for a minimum of 12 months ,as he obvisouly doesent have respect for his collegues the adminestration. or the jersey He can of course mitigate the ban by applogising in person on tv ,and maybe face the Lions next year .Making him eat his words and swallow his ego i feel iwould be a far better punishment ,and maybe just maybe make hima better team player and person.
Posted 15:04 27th October 2012
startledwombat says...
Part of the picture that ought not to intrude on the hearing, but will, is that the Queensland Rugby Union relies on a contribution from the national union to top up Cooper's salary.
Posted 12:23 27th October 2012