James O’Connor suspension rules him out of Wallabies weekend encounter against All Blacks - Rugby
The governing body of Rugby Union in Australia, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU), has handed over a one-match suspension to their young and talented international utility back player, James O’Connor. The ruling will force O’Connor out of the Wallabies home
2011 Tri Nations encounter against the All Blacks.
ARU officials have confirmed the one-game suspension for O’Connor in a statement released on their website on Monday, August 22.
O’Connor hit troubled water when during the last week he missed out on two team functions. He was found missing from the Wallabies 2011 Rugby World Cup squad photo session on Thursday morning on August 18. Later, on the evening of the same day, he was not
present during the official announcement of the Wallabies World Cup squad at Sydney Airport.
ARU has enforced the sanction until Sunday, August 28. The ban has ruled him out of selection from both Wallabies and Australian Barbarians weekend’s game against the All Blacks and Canada respectively.
In Addition to the ban, ARU has also handed over a A$10,000 fine, for not attending the official proceedings. He is liable to pay the fine until December 31. Earlier, ARU instructed O’Connor to explain the reasons which kept him out of participating the
official team events.
O’Connor replied with his statement, in which he expressed his disappointment on his actions and vowed to work hard to put a good show in Saturday’s home encounter against the All Blacks.
Commenting on his absence from the team’s official events, O’Connor stated, “I just want to express my regret as this is such an important event for the Wallabies and I would like to apologise to all the fans and my teammates.”
O’Connor further added, “I let myself down, I let the fans down and I guess all the Wallabies down and the ARU as well It's a massive event (World Cup squad naming) and one that only comes around every four years.”
O’Connor has already announced that he will comply by the ARU’s final decision in this regard.
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