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**truebluefan** · 12-01-2007, 11:52 AM

Quokka shockers face axe

WESTERN Force Super 14 players have been questioned further about their wild night of terrorising protected native animals - the Rottnest Island quokkas - and face having their contracts torn up if serious misconduct is proved.

Evidence given to the Western Force club and Rottnest Island Authority by eyewitness Dan Andrews indicates that more than four players were involved in man-handling the quokkas around 10pm last Friday.

Andrews has already told authorities of the slam-dunk diving antics by one player using a milk crate to trap the animals, as well as a second player swinging one quokka by the tail and releasing it like a hammer-throw.

But Andrews told the Herald there were more than four players involved in handling the quokkas. He said they repeatedly picked up the marsupials by their tails and ran around the green area adjoining the accommodation barracks.

Rugby WA chairman Geoff Stooke said the club had received information from Andrews and had reactivated its own investigation in light of the allegations detailed in yesterday's Herald.

And the ARU - already displeased with the Perth franchise following a series of lurid headlines - said it was keeping a close eye on yet another controversial episode in the west.

"The ARU is aware of the further allegations made today to both RugbyWA and the Rottnest Island Authority about the mistreatment of quokkas last Friday," a statement to AAP said.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and await the outcome of Rugby WA's inquiries into the allegations."

Earlier this week the Western Force's misconduct committee found there had been "no mistreatment" of the quokkas after rangers found no evidence of dead or injured animals in that area. However, four Western Force players had admitting handling the quokkas on the night. A team official had said the players were just being "curious".

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**truebluefan** · 12-01-2007, 11:52 AM

The 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand will be confirmed as a 20-team tournament at the end of this week when the IRB's council meets in Woking, England.

After spending all week in discussions over the "integrated" global rugby season with an historic gathering of the game's key stake-holders, the IRB bigwigs will finally hit decision mode on Saturday when they get together to decide on the tournament format for 2011.

There had been some strong support prior to this year's tournament in France for reducing the number of teams taking part from 20 to 16.

New Zealand officials, in particular, had been keen on the idea as a way to avoid the pool mismatches that the All Blacks had to contend with in France where they emerged from their group unchallenged, only to be tipped up at the first knockout hurdle.

However, the overall success of the French tournament, the competitiveness of the so-called weaker nations such as Tonga and Georgia and the flavour added by the likes of Portugal have conspired to create almost unanimous support for the retention of the 20-team format.

A non-binding decision had actually been taken earlier this year to reduce the number of teams to 16, which would also have helped the logistics of staging the event in New Zealand. But that will be overturned when the vote takes place at the weekend.

It is to be hoped that the IRB will revisit its seeding system at the same time.

At present teams are seeded for World Cups based on their finishing position at the previous tournament four years earlier. There is widespread support for a fairer system to be introduced that takes into account more current form.

The IRB's world rankings could be the best determination, though the main question there is over when the cutoff point would be to allow for the draw to be made.

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**truebluefan** · 12-01-2007, 11:54 AM

Jono Gibbes will captain the Chiefs for the 2008 Super 14 season with the injury-prone lock saying he is rejuvenated for the coming campaign.

The 30-year-old former All Black gains the privilege ahead of Waikato skipper Tom Willis who shared the responsibilities last season with Steven Bates after Gibbes was ruled out early with a serious cal injury.

Gibbes has had a nightmare time with a series of leg injuries in recent times, restricting his Test career to eight appearances in 2004 and 2005.

A lengthy rehabilitation programme during this year's Air New Zealand Cup has Gibbes fizzing for the challenges ahead.

Chiefs coach Ian Foster had little hesitation in handing Gibbes the reigns again and the Mooloo stalwart is delighted.

"It is always a privilege to captain the Chiefs and I'm looking forward to another season in the role. The Chiefs are a proud and driven team - it is great to be part of that environment again," he said in a statement.

"It is fair to say that for most of 2007 injury hampered my playing time significantly. But now my body feels good and I'm confident I'll be able to stand up to the rigours of Super 14 rugby.

"I'm looking forward to working with all the new guys in the Chiefs squad and building on the positive gains we made last year."

The Chiefs had a superb second half to this year's Super 14 but just missed out on the play-offs.

The semifinals will be their goal once again but they will have to try to get there without some established stars who have moved offshore or retired - Byron Kelleher, Marty Holah, Bates, Roy Kinikinilau and Keith Robinson.

They have also lost the expertise of assistant coach Warren Gatland who has taken on the Welsh national job.

Gibbes will become the first captain to lead the Chiefs for six consecutive seasons.

The only other Chiefs captain to have led the side over consecutive years was Deon Muir in 2001 and 2002.

**truebluefan** · 12-01-2007, 11:55 AM

BRISTOL hooker Mark Regan has never ducked a challenge during his long career and had no intention of bowing to pressure to withdraw from the Barbarians side to face South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday, so putting himself into contractual conflict with his club.

A disciplinary process will swing into action now that Regan has been confirmed as captain. A binding agreement among the 12 premiership clubs decreed that no player should be made available for a fixture that clashes with the EDF Energy Cup, a competition that brings substantial revenue.

Bristol will decide if there has been a breach of contract and what sanctions, if any, should be imposed. A Premier Rugby board meeting on December 11 will then review the matter.

The high-powered Baa-Baas outfit features six past and present All Blacks, and Australians Matt Giteau, Justin Harrison and Rocky Elsom, retired Welsh international Martyn Williams on the flank and uncapped Australian Salesi Ma'afu at prop.

Regan was persuaded to shirk a face-off with the media on Wednesday as the Barbarians did not want to be seen to inflame the situation. Regan, however, did read out a statement. "It will be a massive honour to lead out a star-studded team at Twickenham, my home ground," he said. "My two children, Daniela, nine on Monday, and Alexandra, six, are mascots so it will make for a nice enjoyable family day to walk out with them."

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**truebluefan** · 12-01-2007, 11:56 AM

World Cup-winning Springbok centre Japie Mulder has admitted indecently assaulting a young girl.

He was fined R120,000 ($A19,600) or faces three years in prison in the terms of a plea bargain agreement with the prosecutor in the Germiston Regional Court.

He pleaded guilty to indecent assault and soliciting a minor after being charged with eight counts of indecent assault and one of attempted rape.

The girl was believed to have been about 14 or 15 at the time of the offences which were reported to police in 2005. Mulder was eventually arrested in March this year.

The 37-year-old Mulder, who helped the Boks win the 1995 World Cup final against New Zealand, reached the plea agreement with the prosecutor in the Germiston Regional Court.

Mulder faces another three years jail-time, suspended for five years, on condition that he is not convicted again of indecent assault.

He also faces continued psychological counselling with reports to be submitted to the court every six months.

Mulder has been married for five years and has two children.

Mulder did not want to comment telling the Beeld newspaper, "I just want to wait until things settle; this is a difficult matter," he said.

**truebluefan** · 12-01-2007, 12:04 PM

Bismarck Du Plessis will replace John Smit in the South Africa line-up against the Barbarians at Twickenham on Saturday after the hooker's French rugby club Clermont Auvergne refused to let him play.

Lock Johann Muller will take over the captaincy in Smit's absence. Clermont have a match at Bourgoin-Jallieu on Saturday.

England hooker Mark Regan, however, was confirmed on Wednesday as captain of the Barbarians despite being told by his club Bristol to rest for their Heineken Cup match on Dec. 8.

Jake White, taking charge of the world champions for the last time before stepping down after four years as coach, named his team on Thursday with three changes from the one that beat Wales 34-12 in Cardiff last weekend.

Second row Johan Ackermann replaces Bakkies Botha, who injured his ankle at the Millennium Stadium, while winger JP Pietersen makes way for Akona Ndungane.

South Africa: 15-Ruan Pienaar, 14-Akona Ndungane, 13-Jaque Fourie, 12-Francois Steyn, 11-Bryan Habana, 10-Andre Pretorius, 9-Enrico Januarie, 8-Ryan Kankowski, 7-Juan Smith, 6-Schalk Burger, 5-Johan Ackermann, 4-Johann Muller, 3-Jannie Du Plessis, 2-Bismarck Du Plessis, 1-CJ Van der Linde.

Replacements: 16-Tiaan Liebenberg, 17-Heinke Van Der Merwe, 18-Albert Van Den Berg, 19-Barend Pieterse, 20-Wynand Olivier, 21-Wayne Julies, 22-Conrad Jantjes.

**truebluefan** · 12-01-2007, 12:05 PM

Ben Cohen said Thursday he was close to signing a new contract that would end his spell in the rugby wilderness and revive his England ambitions.

Cohen left Northampton in September after being overlooked for the captaincy, only for his proposed move to Leicester to then break down for salary cap reasons.

The 29-year-old winger, who bought himself out of his contract at Saints, was stuck in limbo as he considered options to move to rugby league or accept overtures from both English and French clubs.

But while the cross-code switch intrigued him - Wigan and Harlequins were suitors - he decided to stay in the Premiership and hinted that Leicester remains a possible destination after revealing he would not be required to move from his east midlands base.

"I'm sorting out a club now," said Cohen, who has been named on the bench for the Barbarians' clash with South Africa on Saturday.

"I hope to be playing within the next few weeks - before the new year.

"There is nothing signed and sealed. I've had plenty of offers and I weighed up my options. But I've decided on the club it will be.

"We're just crossing Ts and dotting the Is. I won't be moving house.

"Going to league was an interesting choice. Wigan approached me and I was interested. The option is still there.

"Not many people go from union to league any more. It would have been exciting but it wasn't to be.

"There's a rugby league World Cup next year but I've already decided what's going to happen next.

"I'm feeling happier. I'm enjoying life but now it's time to get back to work. Since I've been out I've been training every day - running, swimming and staying trim."

Cohen has no regrets making himself unavailable for England's summer tour to South Africa and the World Cup, a decision prompted by the desire to spend time with his pregnant wife Abby.

The birth of their twins has consumed Cohen's time since, but the 2003 World Cup winner insisted he now has his heart set on adding to his 53 caps.

"I don't think you can ever retire from international rugby," he said.

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**truebluefan** · 12-01-2007, 12:11 PM

All Black tighthead prop Carl Hayman, set to make his debut for Newcastle in England this weekend, sees no let up in the player drain out of New Zealand and says he wouldn't be surprised to see Dan Carter joining him in the northern hemisphere before too long.

Hayman arrived at Newcastle this week and has already participated in his first training session with his new club. He is being lined up to see game time off the bench in this weekend's EDF Energy Cup away clash to London Wasps, when Jonny Wilkinson will also make his first appearance since the World Cup after shaking off an ankle injury.

The British media are speculating that Hayman is earning £1 million over the two and a-half seasons he is contracted with Newcastle, making him one of the highest paid players in professional rugby.

And after speaking to reporters for the first time since his arrival in Newcastle, Hayman made itg more than clear that he wouldn't be surprised at all to see Carter collecting similar riches playing somewhere in the lucrative European market before too long.

The star All Black first five raised the prospect in interviews with British media recently while in London promoting his Jockey underwear brand. He said when his contract with the NZRU ends next year he would think very seriously about heading north for a season or two.

Hayman made it clear that Carter wasn't just teasing British rugby writers keen to land world rugby's most gifted No 10.

"I think there is every chance," Hayman told The Times about the prospect of Carter joining him in the north. "If you look at the numbers over here now it could have an effect on New Zealand, but at the same time there are a lot of young players coming through."

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**truebluefan** · 12-01-2007, 12:12 PM

The crisis at Western Force Super 14 club escalated yesterday when a Rottnest Island witness, who says a friend was hit in the face by a player swinging a quokka, gave alarming new evidence of player nudity and harassment.

The beleaguered club, which had vehemently denied any player wrongdoing early in the week, yesterday fined two players a total of $16,000 as a result of Herald reports detailing a night of mayhem on November 23, in which quokkas were terrorised for more than a hour.

In developments yesterday, Western Force chairman Geoff Stooke revealed:

- A club binge-drinking culture where a player drinks "six months' worth of alcohol in two hours"; - Former vice-captain Scott Fava threw a quokka two to five metres; - Player Richard Brown ran naked with a quokka, urinated in front of four female tourists and was diving with a milk crate to try to trap the marsupials.

Stooke said he was not comfortable with the penalties imposed, which were restricted to a percentage of the players' contract income under a collective bargaining agreement with the Rugby Union Players Association. He said he would rip up their contracts if further evidence of quokka mistreatment emerged.

"I am a quokka lover, I am disgusted, if we had substantial evidence of any player hammer-throwing a quokka I would not hesitate to tear up the contract," he told the Herald.

Fava was fined $11,000, to be paid to the Rottnest Island Conservation Foundation, and ordered to undertake seven days of community service and undergo counselling for alcohol abuse. Fava said he apologised for abusing quokkas after admitting to swinging one by the tail and throwing it "two to five metres".

Brown was fined $5000 and ordered to do seven days' community service.

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**truebluefan** · 12-01-2007, 12:16 PM

Argentina have been rewarded for their third place at the Rugby World Cup with an IRB plan for their inclusion in top-level southern hemisphere competition.

"The full integration of Argentina into the senior international calendar and the basis of a four-year transition program to achieve that aim" was among key agreements at an IRB workshop, the world body said today.

Argentina's transition programme would involve development of a professional structure to the national union (UAR) and gradual integration of the Pumas into the southern hemisphere's competition, currently the Tri-Nations.

The Pumas' plight as the only tier one nation not in a major annual international tournament appears to have taken up a good part of discussions among some 90 world delegates at the three-day workshop in Woking, England, that ended on Thursday.

Argentina had a remarkable run in the World Cup in France that ended on October 20 despite representing the amateur UAR and playing fewer than half the Tests a year of the othernations in the top 10.

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