Cash scandal could rock Oz rugby

Cash scandal could rock Oz rugby

26 May 2007

Force players are entagled in secret payments from a top Perth fuel technology company.

Matt Giteau, Australia’s most expensive recruit, is the most high profile of the group who were said to be lured to the Force through huge offers and share inducements involving Firepower.

The Sydney Morning Herald has information that the chief executive of the Force, Peter O’Meara, was directly involved in introducing the Firepower sponsor Tim Johnston to at least one player-manager. Under the protocols, no state union is to be involved in facilitating, procuring or arranging third-party deals as an inducement to sign any player without Australian Rugby Union approval.

The Herald has also seen documents that refer to tens of thousands of dollars in additional payments to players involving potential agreements with Firepower, with O’Meara’s signiture appearing at the bottom of one of them.

But he denies that offers had been underwritten and said no meetings had been facilitated between players or their agents and Firepower.

“Any arrangement that Firepower has negotiated with sports people, Western Force, ARU or cricket or racing, they have all been done through that organisation, not through me,” he said. “I haven’t facilitated any of those relationships.”

But some of the deals would appear to have problems, some players being owed tens of thousands of dollars.

Firepower cash and shares are thought to be the major contributor to Giteau’s contract, which at $4.5 million over three years, is the biggest in rugby’s history. Giteau last week confirmed he had been paid.

The Force’s ability to lure top Australian players has long been viewed with suspicion by the ARU and other Super 14 franchises, with the Perth outfit being fined $110,000 for the manner in which they allegedly wooed Waratahs forward Al Kanaar.


42 Comments

  • 1.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 11:16 am

    They play for money. So what?

  • 2.cane: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 11:39 am

    Good way to halt the player migration “North”.

  • 3.viewer: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 12:10 pm

    i bet this one will quickly disappear from the news. swept under the carpet…

  • 4.cab: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 12:11 pm

    wales 7-0, yessus is this a sign of things to come?

  • 5.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 12:51 pm

    Tackler

    Play for money but they still play k@K!
    Don’t tell me Wales are going to whack’em in Oz!
    Injury to insult mate, after the Ospreys.

    Wallaby
    You watching?

  • 6.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 12:54 pm

    The Boks couldn’t whack them in Oz. In fact, the Boks went down by a rather embarrassing 49-0, remember?

  • 7.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:18 pm

    Go Wales!!
    hehehehe…you gooood thing, go!

    And Bokke!!!!
    Man, you just have to love this game!!

  • 8.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:30 pm

    Hmmm… I see Oz have just overtaken the Dragons…

    Someone appears to have put the mockers on those poor old Taffies, hey?

  • 9.Pirlet BEL: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:36 pm

    haha Gerrard! What a **** up. Aus struggling

  • 10.Pirlet BEL: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:39 pm

    great drop from Wales. I admire them they really have average players, with no speed, no power to rave about but they’re just a committed, well organised outfit.

  • 11.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:39 pm

    Anybody know why the comments are off on the Ozzie / Wales thread??

  • 12.Pirlet BEL: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:40 pm

    no, but it’s irritating

  • 13.Fern: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:41 pm

    hallo gbs hoe gaan dit?ek sal jou mail in die week oor watter sony produk ek soek.het ook iets anders gesien vanoggend wat ek soek,maar sal alleen daaraan werk…

  • 14.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:41 pm

    I would personally be thrilled it if Wales could win this one…..

  • 15.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:42 pm

    Hello Varing!

  • 16.Fern: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:44 pm

    hallo gbs.fok maar die lewe is darem mooi.

  • 17.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:45 pm

    Varing,

    Die lewe is ‘n lied!!

  • 18.Fern: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:47 pm

    en ons sing gbs ons sing.

  • 19.Pirlet BEL: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:47 pm

    Aussies sayingS14 has nothing to do with internationals and that the Wallabies will be strong!! Where are you Wallaby, this is a shocker from Aus against a 2nd string wales team! HAHA looks like you’ve got a really **** team mate

  • 20.Pirlet BEL: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:49 pm

    Good try! but a shambolic performance nonetheless.

  • 21.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:49 pm

    Hello GBS
    Het jou gemail. Saak is reg.

    8# Tackler
    What do you mean/ Check the score.

  • 22.Fern: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:50 pm

    gbs partykeer sing ons uit volle bors en ander kere sing ons so saggies in haar oor.

  • 23.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:52 pm

    Hehehehe

    Ja die saggies singery is nogal lekker…..

  • 24.Pirlet BEL: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:53 pm

    Aus had much better rythm with Gregan at 9 and Giteau at 12.

    Connelly is a bit like Jake a real prick who doesn’t know how to select a team.

  • 25.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:53 pm

    Pietman,

    Gooi die Ingelse mail broer….. ek steek niks weg nie…..

  • 26.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 13:57 pm

    Australia beat Wales after someone put the mockers on the poor old Dragons… (#21)

    It’s a game of 80 minutes, remember?

  • 27.Fern: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 14:00 pm

    gbs ons sing saggies in hulle ore en daarna kreun hulle saggies.

  • 28.Katsesnor: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 14:01 pm

    Tackler (1) … if all unions/franchises are allowed to do the same then there will be no problem with this case of “they play for money”. The problem in this case lies with rules applicable to all that were broken – thus giving this team an advantage over other teams (that stay within the rules). It’s similar to the rules governing banned substances. If their is nothing wrong with this pay for play model used by the Force then all teams should be allowed to do the same.

  • 29.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 14:02 pm

    #27 — you can’t sing. You curse and mutter foul yarpie obscenities. Typical.

  • 30.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 14:02 pm

    26# Congrats Tackler!
    You called this one.
    Great win by the Aussies.
    By 6 points, at the death, as in Rome against Italy, only in Sydney this time.
    They are on a roll, for sure.

  • 31.wolfman2006: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 14:07 pm

    Tackler, you are a bigot, and racist.

  • 32.cane: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 14:12 pm

    Aussies very lucky not more “Osprey B” players in this Dragons lineup.

  • 33.cane: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 14:15 pm

    Fu#k I’m glad Knuckles didn’t manage The Beatles.

    He would have benched Ringo and put George on drums.

  • 34.grootblousmile: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 14:16 pm

    Hehehe Cane….. that was sharp…..

  • 35.wolfman2006: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 14:17 pm

    Thats funny cane!

  • 36.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 14:17 pm

    Hello cane

    Told you Tackler and I might disagree in the morning!!

  • 37.Fern: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 14:20 pm

    cane how are you?me and chch are on speaking terms again.i am offering you the peace pipe.i always need a local drinking buddy when in nz.

  • 38.cane: Reply to this comment
    26 May 2007, 14:20 pm

    Then we would have had Sergeant Peppers Heartless Band.

  • 39.pompies: Reply to this comment
    27 May 2007, 00:09 am

    This was expected after a dismal performance in the s14 comp by the Oz boys.

  • 40.pompies: Reply to this comment
    27 May 2007, 00:10 am

    Oops sorry wrong thread.

  • 41.JH: Reply to this comment
    27 May 2007, 08:03 am

    Hire Ben Tune “specialist-extraordinaire[aussie dictionary] at hiding things under the carpet”

  • 42.ricane: Reply to this comment
    27 May 2007, 09:36 am

    The one thing that unites SA and NZ rugby supporters- the pleasure we both feel when Aussie or England play badly!

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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