Of Aussies, booze and handbags

Ah, so those Aussies are at it again. With the Rugby World Cup just around the corner, Matt Dunning and Lote Tuqiri have managed to earn themselves Cup curfews after yet another episode of booze-filled shenanigans. When will they learn?

It’s pretty obvious that most rugby players get down to some serious drinking after a match, but the regularity with which the Aussies get nicked is incredible.

In July Tuqiri earned a two himself a two-match ban for flouting team discipline when he succumbed to an alcohol breath test. This was after he failed to attend a team recovery session on the Monday following an Aussie victory over the All Blacks on the Saturday — nearly a full two days after the match.

And lest we forget, the self-same Tuqiri was involved in a barroom scuffle with teammate Matt Henjak in South Africa a few years back. Henjak was sent home in disgrace as result.

Remember Wendell Sailor? He, too, didn’t toe the right line, in a manner of speaking, and was shunted into oblivion following a two-year ban for cocaine use.

And what of the famous All Black handbag incident? Pretty embarrassing as booze-fuelled stories go, an All Black captain trying to keep a teammate in line by smacking him over the head with a lady’s handbag following some sketchy barroom incident.

Let’s just hope the Boks can keep in the news for the right reasons this World Cup, and stay away from such Aussie-like incidents.

Wednesday night marks the last home Test for Os Du Randt, the beginning of the end of an era in South African rugby.

Here’s hoping that the big man can cap off a great career in the next few weeks. Widely regarded as one of the best of all time, he has some work to do to persuade a few doubters who have questioned his longevity this season.

Let’s hope Os silences his detractors on the biggest stage of all.