FIVE days before they tackle Scotland at Murrayfield, Australia have come down hard on a group of 15 players who stayed out drinking last week.
Ewen McKenzie, the Wallaby head coach, suspended five of them from this weekend's match, one from the game next week, and has issued formal warnings to the others.
After arriving in Edinburgh to prepare for Saturday's game, he was in no mood for compromise. He is clearly anxious to impose a high standard of team behaviour after a number of drink-related incidents before he took charge. "The worst thing you could do in the long term is do nothing, because that would mean we were ignoring a poor culture and a significant performance issue."
The crackdown came after a group of players stayed out late drinking following last Tuesday's team dinner. Team rules say they are allowed a "glass or two of wine" with their meal but demand they keep it sensible and go to bed at a reasonable time. McKenzie refused to go into details but there was no suggestion of any trouble involving members of the public.
It will have a significant effect on McKenzie's selection options for the weekend, though. Adam Ashley Cooper and Nick Cummins, the two wings in last weekend's match against Ireland, are among the group suspended for the Scotland game and, with Tevita Kuridrani, the centre, due in front of a disciplinary panel today after being sent off for a dangerous tackle, he could find he has run out of options.
The other four players facing suspension were all among the replacements last weekend, including the entire bench front row: Tatafu Polota-Nau, the hooker, plus Benn Robinson and Paddy Ryan, the props, as well as Liam Gill, the flanker.
Since Australia have only five fit props on tour and need four for the match-day squad, Ryan will serve his suspension next week when Australia play Wales.
The other nine players were all given either written or verbal warnings. Seven were not involved in the match-day 23 but the group did include Scott Fardy, the starting flanker, and Nic White, the replacement scrum-half, who both got verbal warnings.
"The job of the players, staff and everyone involved is to prepare to play against the best countries in world rugby. We are not in the business of anything that is counter-productive to that. We are a high-performance team and are trying to get back to the top of world rugby. That is a significant-enough challenge without making things difficult for ourselves," said McKenzie.
Scotland, meanwhile, do not appear to have picked up too many extra difficulties from their weekend match with the Springboks. Moray Low, the prop, who damaged a shoulder, and Tommy Seymour, the wing who tweaked a calf muscle, are giving the most concern but neither has been ruled out of contention.
Of the rest, Greig Laidlaw, the captain and scrum half, was being treated for a cut knee and dead leg, while Nick De Luca, the centre, had damaged a shoulder. Neither is giving too much cause for concern while another seven were being treated for the usual bumps and bruises. "Considering the physicality of the game, our initial examination would suggest the overall squad are in better physical health than might have been expected," was James Robson, the team doctor's, verdict.
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