James O'Conor thrown out of Perth Airport - now he's been dropped

James O'Connor was removed from Perth Airport hours after Saturday's Test against Argentina.

The 44-Test winger was not allowed to board his scheduled flight and was escorted from the terminal by Australian Federal Police [AFP] officers.

A statement from the AFP alleged O'Connor was intoxicated, but it is understood O'Connor denies this.

"The AFP can confirm it spoke to a 23-year-old man at Perth International Airport in the early hours of the 15th of September (Sunday)," the statement reads.

"It is alleged the man was intoxicated. The airline the man was booked to travel with made a decision not to allow him to board the aircraft. The AFP subsequently escorted the man from the terminal."

It is understood O'Connor was boarding an Air Asia flight to Bali with his girlfriend.

When will burger boy learn?

He is just your average Aussie rugby union player. Most of them cant get through their careers without being really poor role models. Some like Campo continue to cause contraversy well into retirement. Its the Aussie way. There seem to have too strong a sense of entitlement.

GunsGerms wrote:He is just your average Aussie rugby union player. Most of them cant get through their careers without being really poor role models. Some like Campo continue to cause contraversy well into retirement. Its the Aussie way. There seem to have too strong a sense of entitlement.

Yes, it's entirely isolated to Australian rugby culture. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/15238395

Terrible isn't it

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/rugby-world-cup/all-blacks-pair-reprimanded-after-boozy-night-out-20111009-1lffk.html

We pretend like this is a new thing.... in the old days guys did things which wouldn't just make the newspapers, there would be calls for them to be banned for life.

The difference is the sport's rise in profile and professionalism.

Half of what these guys do and get into the papers for is nothing special and only newsworthy because they are in the public eye....  a guy like Kurtley Beale would probably be a local legend amongst most chaps friends group had he not been a rugby player.

These guys didn't ask to be role models and they are not paid to be so... they're paid to be rugby players, thats it.

On the other hand, they must accept that being in the public eye is part and parcel to the game at the highest level and they get generous sponsorship deals off the back of this.

The guy sounds like a bit of an idiot, bit of a big head..... typical sportsman then, it would happen to most of us if you were used to adulation from thousands upon thousands of people you've never met.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8515002.stm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-07-01/bastareaud-hospitalised-in-rugby-scandal/1337784

Exactly. Everyone is as guilty as everyone else.

"These guys didn't ask to be role models and they are not paid to be so... they're paid to be rugby players, thats it."

Spot on. Trying to make role models out of professional athletes is just a nonsense.

The truth is GE is that these guys are role models if they like it or not. Millions of young kids look up to these guys and some get paid very handsomely to be ambassadors of products, images etc. They can't simply say they never chose this life. They can't just take the best parts of being a sportsman and disgard those parts which they don't want... at least without it having a significant impact on their image/life etc.

They have a responsibility because of the position they are in especially when representing their country. Not only do they fall down on this they seem to think that the position they are in equates to some level of immunity from acting like an arse.

There are of course exceptions. Pocock has used his position as a famous rugby player to promote a number of charitable organisations etc.

The problem with guys like JO'C and others in the Aussie set up is it as a recoccuring theme and not a once off. Not only do they not learn from their mistakes they dont seem to care.

there certain seems to be an issue around young chaps in rugby in general and private lives being reported on for the wrong reasons

be it Henson, Cipriani, Care, Tuilagi, Basteraud, O'Connor, Beale, O'Connor, Cooper, Ioane, Guildford.

We're not expecting them to be saints but the old idea that a senior player/coach would give them a clip round the ear just doesn't seem to be preventing these things anymore.

fa0019 wrote:there certain seems to be an issue around young chaps in rugby in general and private lives being reported on for the wrong reasons

be it Henson, Cipriani, Care, Tuilagi, Basteraud, O'Connor, Beale, O'Connor, Cooper, Ioane, Guildford.

We're not expecting them to be saints but the old idea that a senior player/coach would give them a clip round the ear just doesn't seem to be preventing these things anymore.

Unless there is something I have forgotten about Tuilagi what he did was jump off a ferry and the bunny ears thing. Its worth pointing out that the public 'problems' involving everyone else on that list comes down to alcohol.

GunsGerms wrote:They have a responsibility because of the position they are in especially when representing their country. Not only do they fall down on this they seem to think that the position they are in equates to some level of immunity from acting like an arse.

There are of course exceptions. Pocock has used his position as a famous rugby player to promote a number of charitable organisations etc.

The problem with guys like JO'C and others in the Aussie set up is it as a recoccuring theme and not a once off. Not only do they not learn from their mistakes they dont seem to care.

Do you have any idea how many people get ejected from airports for being drunk every single day? It's not about rugby, it's about being human.

GloriousEmpire wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:They have a responsibility because of the position they are in especially when representing their country. Not only do they fall down on this they seem to think that the position they are in equates to some level of immunity from acting like an arse.

There are of course exceptions. Pocock has used his position as a famous rugby player to promote a number of charitable organisations etc.

The problem with guys like JO'C and others in the Aussie set up is it as a recoccuring theme and not a once off. Not only do they not learn from their mistakes they dont seem to care.

Do you have any idea how many people get ejected from airports for being drunk every single day? It's not about rugby, it's about being human.

Do you have any idea how many people representing their country get ejected from airports every day? Very few I'd say.

He wasn't representing his country at the airport, any more than anyone else is.

A lot of them would probably be much better players too if they got off the sauce

Whats a Qantas Wallaby doing flying Air Asia?

aucklandlaurie wrote:
Whats a Qantas Wallaby doing flying Air Asia?

The same as NZ yachtsmen sailing an Air Emirates yacht I'd say.

GloriousEmpire wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:He is just your average Aussie rugby union player. Most of them cant get through their careers without being really poor role models. Some like Campo continue to cause contraversy well into retirement. Its the Aussie way. There seem to have too strong a sense of entitlement.

Yes, it's entirely isolated to Australian rugby culture. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/15238395

greyghost in an england slur shocker!

Curious how the house fell on Davd Warner after his tiff with Joe Root, arguably ruining the Aussies chances of regaining the Ashes. Their Board seemed to go nuts on it.

lostinwales wrote:

fa0019 wrote:there certain seems to be an issue around young chaps in rugby in general and private lives being reported on for the wrong reasons

be it Henson, Cipriani, Care, Tuilagi, Basteraud, O'Connor, Beale, O'Connor, Cooper, Ioane, Guildford.

We're not expecting them to be saints but the old idea that a senior player/coach would give them a clip round the ear just doesn't seem to be preventing these things anymore.

Unless there is something I have forgotten about Tuilagi what he did was jump off a ferry and the bunny ears thing. Its worth pointing out that the public 'problems' involving everyone else on that list comes down to alcohol.

Agree, all the others act the idiot when drunk, Tuilagi does it sober! Hopefully will grow out of it!

Will be interesting to see the reaction of McKenzie. He wiped the slate clean after taking over from Deans but now he needs to reprimand JOC. The problem is he has a game against SA at home and not a lot of game breakers to pull into the side. Will he be able to make the strong decision for the team when he knows a narrow win against Argentina hasn't done all that much to alleviate any pressure over him.

The short term suggests JOC needs to play but the long term letting this kind of behaviour slip will be more detrimental. Easy enough said when the team you've taken over appears to be at their lowest ebb.

Dontheman wrote:Curious how the house fell on Davd Warner after his tiff with Joe Root, arguably ruining the Aussies chances of regaining the Ashes. Their Board seemed to go nuts on it.

Funnily enough, Warner was actually one of the better performing Aussies in the series. He actually reacted really well to the criticism he got and ended up having good banter with the England fans.

Sorry is it just me but James o'connor doesn't actually seem that good ? He sucked at flyhalf for the lions and Cooper is better, at 12 lealifano is much better, 13 AAC is great, on the wings Folau and Ioane are world beaters with Beale good at full back. i know some of these guys are injured but even in reserves there are more specialist players better suited to the team. There was alot of fan fare with O'connor a few years back because of his talent for his age  but he can't nail down one position he's a usefull bench player at best but cause of his massive attitude problems and the way every squad he's in seems to hate him I'd kick him to touch and let him play in Japan for France. He's not even that good at club level whenever he played for the rebels ( when they were the worst team in Oz) he stunk, the team has got rid of him cause his attitude and skills aren't worth it, perhaps he could go join his old team mate Cips playing for the Sale A team.

It's one thing to look like Justin Bieber but now JOC is acting like him. Except he looks in some pics like he has the same haircut as Miley Cyrus...

Talent doesn't make you the best in the world. He's far from it-nowhere near good enough to think he can act like that. Those who are good enough don't anyway-they let their actions speak for themselves.

Got a mental picture of him in the ending scene of Dodgeball as Ben Stiller eating BK and whingeing about being hard done by.

F**kin Chuck Norris.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Will be interesting to see the reaction of McKenzie. He wiped the slate clean after taking over from Deans but now he needs to reprimand JOC. The problem is he has a game against SA at home and not a lot of game breakers to pull into the side. Will he be able to make the strong decision for the team when he knows a narrow win against Argentina hasn't done all that much to alleviate any pressure over him.

The short term suggests JOC needs to play but the long term letting this kind of behaviour slip will be more detrimental. Easy enough said when the team you've taken over appears to be at their lowest ebb.

As expected O'Connor has been dropped indefinitely. Many people criticised Deans for alienating certain players but he and McKensie are doing the right thing. If you want to represent your country you should be prepared to shoulder the responsibility and behave accordingly.

Everyone makes mistakes but if you dont learn from them then you should be cut loose. Simple as that. I would expect the same for Irish players too. There are obviously bigger dicipline issues in Australian rugby and its time to clean things up.

The Wallabies have finally dropped him! They've seen the light.


JOC sounds like a spoilt brat to me. He was probably promoted too quickly to international rugby and got a big head from it. Hopefully dropping him will make him see the error of his ways.

Key factor in the Lions series loss as well. Needs to take time out and have a long good look at himself. To think his parents could have had him here instead of brissy...whew...perhaps should have been brought up in South Auckland to have that sH*&&T kicked out of him. Has genuine talent thats undeniable but another flawed genius for sure...heads bigger than the heart.

Nice one Mckenzie/ARU, just what wallabies need before away matches against boks and pumas. Especially when cummins is out injured too. O'connor has been one of the few player who has been performing well for the wallabies and now he's out. 

I am more surprised that he was going to Bali with his gf. What sort of schedule are the wallabies working on? Is it okay for players to be taking short holidays between games? Seems pretty bloody stupid to me. 

So while being drunk in an international airport and getting kicked off a plane is also pretty stupid, why would he even be allowed to get into a situation like that anyway? Surely the whole squad should of been flying to SA after the game in Perth to acclimatise and prepare for a very tough match?

Above comments suggesting JOC was bumped up to international stage too early are untrue in my opinion. He deserved his early caps and has always been a hugely talented player.

why bali? Same reason as the 4am burger boys the week where between them they managed to lose the test.

ATTITUDE.

Such a shame. He has to take responsibility for his own actions, as an adult, but his mentors (if he has any) and peers (slapping him) have also let him down. He's recidivist. One chance should have been enough. You rarely, if ever, see SA players misbehave. ABs do on occasion. Same with the poms. Internal peer pressure culture issue. Dingo tried.

Sirtidychris Ioane is not in the picture. No one has put their hand up at 10 this year including Cooper. LLF is a great goal kicker but to me that's what's keeping him in the side. With players like Beale and Mitchell out there's a shortage of game breakers. Folau is being asked to break the line but he's still learning the game at test level.

You can't have rules for one person and rules for the rest of the team. A hard line has to be taken so this kind of thing doesn't happen again. If you let him play because you're short on talent. It might well happen again in the future when you really need him like a RWC campaign. This RC is over for Oz. it's the right decision.0

By the way, for anyone who watched the wallabies narrowly beat Argentina in front of the most sparse crowd I think I have ever seen, check out the live semi final match of Fremantle vs Sydney live just now. its a full house and the atmosphere is electric!