Im more of a fan of Pocock then ever, not because of my beliefs in the issue he is fighting for, rather that he is willing to risk his professional rugby union career to stand up for something he believes in.
For people arguing that this isn't a positive example, well you are entitled to you opinion but i believe that standing up for ones beliefs in a passive protest is a positive example and kids could do far worse then having someone like David Pocock as an athlete to aspire to.
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I get what you are saying TOCC, and of course your point is as valid as anyone else's, but I must respectfully disagree.
Morally right or not, this was not a late night burger run against the instructions of the coach, this was David Pocock breaking the law and being arrested by the police.
I am all for people making a stand for what they believe in, but there are consequences.
He can't have it both ways; if he wants to be socially active in these things, as a citizen he is fully entitled to make that choice. But as long as he is an employee of the ARU he needs to play by their rules. I bet there is a clause in his contract that states any conviction of a state or federal law will result in disciplinary action, hence the obligatory written warning.
In just about any business I have been in, being charged with (and subsequently being found guilty of) breaking the law is just as likely to mean I would be asked to show cause as to why my employment should not be terminated.
Tree hugging is cool, so of course most people don't put it in the same category as, oh, say, sexual harrassment or buglary, but we have laws in this country, so if he did it again, I would have no problem if his contract was ripped up.
