Western Force duo Andrew Ready and Byron Ralston suspended for drinking wine

Two Super Rugby players have been banned and a third is facing disciplinary action after drinking on a flight home after a big win.

The Western Force have stood down two players and will sanction another for drinking on the flight from Melbourne to Perth last weekend.

In a bold marker for the team culture, the senior leadership group led the decision to suspend hooker Andrew Ready and winger Byron Ralston from Friday’s game against Queensland Reds.

Veteran prop Greg Holmes was not stood down for the match because the Force have a shortage of options at tighthead, but a penalty for him will also be determined in the coming week.

Force player Byron Ralston.

Andrew Ready is one of two players suspended.

The action was taken because the trio decided to drink wine with their meal on the flight from Melbourne to Perth last Sunday, after the Force had defeated the Rebels 28-3 in their round two Super Rugby clash, with a six-day turnaround for the Reds.

It means Ready and Ralston will miss the historic first match the Force plays in Perth this year, with 8000 spectators expected to attend in what will be the first sports event in Western Australia since their borders were opened to the other Australian states.

The Force’s general manager of rugby, Matt Hodgson, said there was no drunken behaviour by the three players on the flight, however their decision to drink alcohol was deemed unacceptable by teammates.

“They weren’t drunk or intoxicated on the plane, they each had one to two glasses of wine with their meals, but this was a player-led decision and it was determined that because we were wearing Force uniforms and with the short turnaround between games they shouldn’t have been drinking,” Hodgson said.

Greg Holmes has avoided a ban — for now.

“This is very much part of setting the standards for the culture we’re trying to build here.

“And I can’t fault the reaction of the three players, they made the decision to stand themselves down from selection this week.

“They addressed the entire playing group on the first day back to training on Monday, apologised for their choices, and then ripped into training and really helped the guys who are stepping up to replace them.”

Ready and Ralston both came off the bench in last weekend’s emphatic win – Ralston scored a try on the bell to earn the Force a bonus point.

Their places on the bench will be taken by hooker Jack Winchester, and 21-year-old Kalgoorlie speedster Grason Makara, who will make his Super Rugby debut in front of his family members.

“It is a big honour to play for the Western Force, and this match is a huge occasion because it’s the 200th game for the club, and we are playing in front of the sea of blue,” Hodgson said.

Given the volatility around the Omicron outbreak, Force players left Perth last month and were unsure they’d get to play in their home city this season.

Byron Ralston celebrates a try with teammates.

They moved their round one game from Perth to Canberra, and round four game against NSW Waratahs to Sydney.

But they’d kept the round three encounter against the Reds at home in the hope Covid would ease, and they’ll now get the chance to play in front of their local fans for the first time since hosting the Highlanders last May.

Hodgson said the team’s leadership group, led by captain Feleti Kaitu’u and experienced halfback Ian Prior, had been told by team management to “own and drive team standards and culture” in 2022.

Western Force (1-15): Tom Robertson, Feleti Kaitu‘u (c), Santiago Medrano, Fergus Lee-Warner, Izack Rodda, Brynard Stander, Ollie Callan, Tim Anstee, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Reesjan Pasitoa, Manasa Mataele, Richard Kahui, Kyle Godwin, Toni Pulu, Jake Strachan.

Reserves: Jack Winchester, Harry Lloyd, Greg Holmes, Ryan McCauley, Kane Koteka, Ian Prior, Jake McIntrye, Grason Makara.

RUGBY CON: WALLABY BENNETT WANTS TO BRING TO NRL

Jamie Pandaram and Julian Linden

The NRL’s newest team, the Dolphins, are circling Wallabies star Izaia Perese for a return to the 13-man code in 2023 that could finally see him play under master coach Wayne Bennett.

It was Bennett who originally lured Perese from Queensland Reds to the Brisbane Broncos in the 2019 pre-season before his sensational coaching switch with then Rabbitohs boss Anthony Seibold, so Perese never got to play under Bennett.

Perese only managed two NRL games before his contract was torn up over a drugs supply offence. He managed to land a contract with French club Bayonne in 2020, which proved an unhappy stint.

Izaia Perese could be a target for the Dolphins.

He was given a lifeline by the Waratahs and performed beyond expectation to earn his Wallabies debut under Dave Rennie late last year.

Perese starred in two Tests in last year’s spring tour and has been one of the NSW Waratahs’ best performers this Super Rugby season, but is coming off contract.

The Dolphins are in the market for major talent as they plan their debut season as the NRL’s 17th team, and Perese is on the hit list.

So too is another former NRL star turned rugby player, Suliasi Vunivalu, who has been plagued by injury since his switch and is also off contract this year.

Will Suliasi Vunivalu stick with rugby?

Rugby Australia is cash-strapped and will struggle to retain all their talent leading into a World Cup year, but have made a key signing, extending the contract of Andrew Kellaway through to the end of 2024.

Kellaway, last year’s Wallabies rookie of the year, is a huge retention given that Australia’s best winger, Marika Koroibete is already in Japan, and the Dolphins and overseas rugby clubs are eyeing their other backline stars.

Meanwhile, the Brumbies are set to part ways with Wallabies front-rowers Folau Fainga’a and Scott Sio as salary cap issues bite.

Hooker Fainga’a is being linked to the Waratahs and Queensland Reds.

Andrew Kellaway has stuck solid behind Rugby Australia.

Wallabies get head start ahead of busy year

The Wallabies will hold their first training camp of the year as early next month to try and get a head start on the new international season after a disappointing end to 2021.

Around 40 players will be invited to a three-day pre-season camp on the Gold Coast, which will be run by head coach Dave Rennie and his staff.

Rugby Confidential understands that no overseas players will be at the camp and with those in attendance all still under their state training programs, physical drills will be kept to a minimum, similar to last year‘s holding camp in Sydney.

The Wallabies are not due to kick off their international season until July when they host England in three Tests but the rest of the calendar is still up in the air, pending Covid travel restrictions.

If things go according to plan the Wallabies will host world champions South Africa in two Tests and New Zealand in one, with the Kiwis hosting the second match in the reduced Bledisloe Cup series.

The Wallabies will also play two Tests in Argentina and four on the Spring Tour to Europe including a clash with 2023 World Cup hosts France in Paris.

Dave Rennie will be getting his Wallabies squad together early this year.

Aussies head to iconic venue

The Australian women’s seven teams are heading to California next month to play at the famous Los Angeles Coliseum as part of their preparations for this year’s Commonwealth Games.

While the Australian men’s team are heading to Fiji, the women are heading to North America because they don’t want any of their Commonwealth opponents to see what they’ve got.

The men’s team has just added three new uncontracted players from Shute Shield to its training squad - Tim Clements (Sydney University), Ben Marr (Warringah) and Matt Gonzalez (Eastwood).

While it’s still early days, our snouts tell us all three could be pushing for inclusion in the Commonwealth Games squad later in the year.

Huge World Cup news about to drop

Our spies in North America are telling us that the sport’s sleeping giant is finally waking from its long slumber and preparing for the biggest coming out party rugby has ever seen.

Lost in the excitement that Australia is going to be awarded the 2027 World Cup is the news that the United States is set to be awarded the 2031 tournament, which will be expanded to 24 teams.

The All Blacks have been recent visitors to the US and the crowds flocked to watch them.

A World Cup in the biggest marketplace in the world will deliver an unprecedented financial bonanza for the game, with corporate backers already buzzing about the opportunities even before the decision has been finalised.

There are also strong whispers that the US will be given the women’s Rugby World Cup in 2033 as well, and with rugby sevens confirmed on the program for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and Major League Rugby blossoming, the game is taking off.

Chip off the old Wallaby block

Yet another Wilson is showing signs of becoming a superstar.

Teddy Wilson, the left-footed halfback son of former Wallabies captain David, was hugely impressive in last weekend’s junior Wallabies trials.

Teddy is also younger brother of NSW Waratahs playmaker Harry Wilson - the Queensland Reds’ Harry Wilson is no relation, but could create much confusion in future if all three reach their enormous potential.