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Rebels accept ARU 'double standards'

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:59

Not happy: Former Bath captain Michael Lipman

England flank Michael Lipman, who at the end of February completed a nine-month suspension for failing to submit to a drugs test, has been refused clearance by the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) to play for the Melbourne Rebels next year.

The Australian reports that Lipman, who was born in London but raised in Australia, where he attended the Waratahs Academy and played for Australia U21, was informed on Sunday that the ARU had refused the Rebels' application to sign him as one of their 10 permitted foreign players.

Lipman, who played 10 Tests for England, has as yet not been given reasons for the decision but it will in all probability have been because of allegations that he was one of six Bath players - among them former Wallaby lock Justin Harrison - who used cocaine at an end-of-season celebration in London on May 10.

A Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing dropped charges of drug use against Lipman at the start of a four-day hearing but still found him guilty of twice refusing drug tests. A subsequent appeal against the sentence was dismissed and Lipman was banned from rugby from June 2 to February 28.

The 30-year-old former Bath co-captain said yesterday he was so devastated by the ARU's ruling he might retire from the game.

The Australian reports that Lipman commented: "I don't want to say I'm thinking of giving up but it has crossed my mind."

"I'd personally like to have a meeting with [ARU chief executive] John O'Neill and [ARU high performance manager] David Nucifora and have a chat with them about this. It's my life. It's my career."

An ARU spokesman said any such meeting would not involve O'Neill, with the final approval of foreign players resting with Nucifora. "Michael Lipman is a foreign player and as such needs to meet a range of criteria," the spokesman said. "At this point in time, he does not meet that criteria."

The spokesman denied the suggestion the ARU was guilty of double standards in clearing Harrison to play for the Brumbies while barring Lipman, though both were involved in the same incident.

The ARU initially strongly opposed the Brumbies signing Harrison, who also was forced to quit Bath and suspended for eight months after refusing to take a drug test, although he subsequently admitted taking cocaine.

However, according to The Australian, Brumbies officials are believed to have argued that admitting Harrison, a former Rugby Union Players' Association president and one of the heroes of the Wallabies' historic 2001 series victory over the British and Irish Lions, would be for the overall good of the game. So far they have been vindicated, with the 35-year-old - the oldest player in the Super 14 - making a valuable contribution.

Although Lipman has an Australian passport, he is regarded as a foreigner because having played Test rugby for England precludes him from playing for any other country.

"If we're bringing overseas players into the game in Australia, they would need to be cleanskins," the ARU spokesman said.

Rebels' chief executive Brian Waldron said the Melbourne franchise was bitterly disappointed at the ARU decision to deny it the use of Lipman but would not fight it. "As far as we're concerned, that's the end of the matter," Waldron said.

Meanwhile, the Rebels have secured the signature of 27-year-old current Gloucester captain Gareth Delve, who has played eight Test for Wales. He is the first forward secured by the new Super 15 franchise.

Waldron confirmed that the Rebels had not made an offer to either of Berrick Barnes (who has subsequently signed for a second year with the Waratahs) or the Western Force's Dave Pocock.

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