Dunning fined over cab incident

[NewsBot]

Dunning fined over cab incident

Waratahs prop Matt Dunning has been handed a $3,000 fine by a NSW rugby union disciplinary committee for being inappropriately affected by alcohol over the weekend.

[Happy]

haha poor matt.. no longer the future of australian rugby

[Burgs]

Dunning, circa 2040: "Yep, it was the taxi incident that ended my Wallaby career. Like another cup of tea dear?"

[Moses]

this is a croc of sh1te.. Regardless of your feelings for Dunning if this precedant is set it'll be a sad day for NSW Rugby.

The panel agreed that the damage was an accident, and he's sorted out everything with the driver of the cab.

His only crime was for being what "a reasonable person may have considered intoxicated"! So according to the NSWRU it's now wrong for any contracted player to have a drink with their mates during the off season!

I hope he appeals this ludicrous decision..

[Happy]

a drink or too many drinks ?

[frontrow]

At least the cash is going to a worthy charity, some consolation i suppose

[Moses]

a drink or too many drinks ?

Apparently that's why the hearing went for 3.5 hours, they were attempting to define drunkeness. Personally I don't have a problem with a player getting smashed as long as they don't do a Dell. When the panel agreed that breaking the cab door hinge was an accident mainly due to Dunning 'being a big lad', I feel pretty strongly that he should pay for the damage to the cab and be let off with making an apology.
If this is the case then Morgan Turinui and all the other players at the Chris Whitaker farewell should also be fined, as they had clearly been drinking beer!

At least the cash is going to a worthy charity, some consolation i suppose

At least NSWRU aren't pocketing the cash, but I still think it's a rort . Why should he be forced to donate to a charity.. $3000 is a hefty fine.. I wonder if he can claim it as a tax deduction ?

[Happy]

lol no I don't think the tax office wold agree to that ... I do agree though but it seems sporting clubs have the ability to make their own rules when it comes to disciplinary acts

[Burgs]

I have no problem with it actually Moses, especially as a precident.
These peanuts accept the big dollars and know that their actions will be scrutinised 24/7, their actions reflect on the integrity of their employer.
When even very average players are reported to be receiving around the $100k/year mark I feel they are duty bound to not display "behaviour unbecoming" in public.
The fact of life is that there are different rules for different people and when you accept contracts that have such stipulations in them, then it is your duty to act within those stipulations, period.
That said, I do give him some credit for the manner in which he tried to rectify the issue however, the sceptic in us could possibly see a repeat offender trying to keep the issue from the eyes of his employer by "paying off" the taxi driver.

[frontrow]

Well he is donating to a charity, i hope he gets a receipt

[Moses]

they do get paid pretty well.. and been unaware of the specific stipulations in his contract I'm unable to say whether he broke them. My argument is that his actions were acceptable. True the sceptic in us could argue since the taxi driver reported it to the Police it could have been more than an accident, however according to the committee it was ruled an accident, hence the only aspect of this that they are judging him on is the fact that he'd been out and drinking, and that it managed to get into the papers. What kind of paper isn't going to print a story "Fat Dunning bloke breaks cab!"

From all accounts he was mildly intoxicated (lets face it, 2am on a Saturday, and not driving), but he wasn't shitfaced. Are NSWRU saying it's wrong for a contracted player to go out in public in the off season?

[Burgs]

No, I think the NSWRU are saying it is wrong for a contracted player to go out in public in the off season and make the headlines.

[The InnFORCEr]

I think you should look at getting Mick Malthouse and the Collingwood Football Club principles applied here.....Dunning would be a walk up start for the Wallabies next weekend!

[Moses]

I agree the headlines aren't flattering, but it's not like he picked up a handbag! The whole thing could have been easily explained away with zero embarrasment for the 'Tahs, only Dunning would end up with pie on his face for being a fatman who accidentally broke the cab!

[RugbyFan]

Atleast he got in a taxi and didn't hop in his own car like some of the AFL players...