Cooper, Kerevi, McMahon pull out of Australia tour

[Puja]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/59075606

I would be fuming if I were an Australian fan. Saying, "Thanks, but no thanks," to playing for your country is unacceptable and should be taken as permanent international retirement unless there's a bloody good reason for it.

Rennie doesn't sound too impressed either, so I suspect the short second international career of Quade Cooper is now over. McMahon is also replaceable, but Kerevi might be a bit more of a difficult one to take a principled stand on.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Feels like there must be more to that?

I thought Kerevi was talking about how he wants to be an Aus great and the best 12 in the world, and now just can’t be arsed?

[Puja]

Feels like there must be more to that?

I thought Kerevi was talking about how he wants to be an Aus great and the best 12 in the world, and now just can’t be arsed?

Have done a bit more digging and found this quote from the head of the ARU, when it was just Kerevi and McMahon that had pulled out: “Samu has cited the fact he has been on the road for a long time, from the sevens, through to the Olympics, through to where he is. He has cited his physical and mental wellbeing. Obviously, they’re going to go into another hard-ish bubble overseas. Sean just made the decision that he would rather withdraw himself from the tour.”

Sounds a bit better than the original quotes which suggested it was just about the money of staying in Japan. If it is a mental health issue, then that's fair enough - it's an injury like any other.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

Sounds a bit better than the original quotes which suggested it was just about the money of staying in Japan. If it is a mental health issue, then that's fair enough - it's an injury like any other.

Yup, I'm not going to criticise anyone for looking after their health - and yes, hard bubbles for a tour is going to be mentally tough, especially on someone who hasn't had a break in a couple of years.


I'm still annoyed that PRL backtracked on their 10 week break for Lions players.

[Cameo]

McMahon and Cooper seem stranger. They have only just got back involved and seem to have left the decision very late.

There's no way Cooper would have played against Japan if this had been known.

There are also some hints about the Japanese clubs discouraging them from going.

[Puja]

Cooper and Kerevi with comments on social media that do imply they've been strong-armed into dropping out:




I don't see how the Japanese clubs have this power. Surely Regulation 9 takes precedence over everything, even if they signed contracts on the basis that they wouldn't play international rugby? Sure, there's the likelihood that they might get sacked, but Cooper and Kerevi could easily get equally big money in France if they wanted that (and, given his importance, I'm willing to bet the ARU would break the bank to bring Kerevi back home). It's a bad look all the way around.

Hope Quade Cooper's got his Australian citizenship sorted out already, otherwise this might put a spanner in the works.

Puja

[Digby]

Reg 9 does ensure the player's release providing it's in a test window. What it might not ensure is the club paying a player, and so a player might reasonably choose the money, and if a player comes under pressure they can freely state it's for their mental health