Forceful reply to 'player revolt' claims
Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:23
Staying put: Nathan Sharpe not in a revolt
Rugby Western Australian, the parent company of the Western Force Super 14 team, has strongly refuted claims by a New Zealand newspaper that the club is facing a player revolt.
"We we're surprised by the story that appeared in the Sunday News in relation to supposed player unrest at the Western Force," said RugbyWA CEO Greg Harris.
"RugbyWA strongly dismisses these claims after speaking to John Mitchell and the two senior players named in the story," said Harris.
"John has just returned from a successful development tour of England with the Western Force squad and has not been in contact with our Wallaby representative players since prior to the tour."
"The report appears quite mischievous and can be very damaging for the organisation and the individuals involved and has to be taken seriously," he said.
"We are completely satisfied that we have no such issue in our team."
According to the Sunday News report the former All Black coach, Mitchell, has been hit by a Wallaby player revolt.
According to the newspaper Mitchell - sacked by the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) after the 2003 World Cup - was set to lose at least two key Australian internationals from his Western Force side.
The newspaper named flyhalf Matt Giteau as "one of a number of players" at the Perth-based franchise who have become sick of Mitchell's ways.
Dropped Wallaby lock Nathan Sharpe is another set to end his ties with the franchise.
"There's quite an anti-Mitchell sentiment among some of the players, they're sick of him," the newspaper said.
