I just can't see him turning his life around sufficiently to satisfy The Pulveriser.
Bill has said this about the situation:
“The tough penalty was a result of the "cumulative impact" of O'Connor's bulging disciplinary file in the ARU Human Resources' office, dating back several years.”
"If you look at any one of these incidents in isolation, none of them as far as I'm aware was life threatening, none involved breaking the law but when you look at the cumulative impact, they in total represent unacceptable behaviour,"
"When I look back at James's record, there have been many instances where he has been counselled and sadly his behaviour has not responded in the way we felt appropriate."
"When you look at the incidents on James’s record, in many ways there were a lot of not exactly uniquely serious incidents,"
"It's a long list of behavioural concerns which when you look at them cumulatively warrant this sort of action. It's fair to say we should have responded more firmly historically and maybe we wouldn't be where we are today."
“If James chooses to stay in Australia and play Super Rugby, he would be eligible to play for the Wallabies in 2014, as long as his behaviour was consistent with our expectations and if his form warranted selection,”
“We appreciate James’ contribution to Australian Rugby and his unique skill and flair when playing, but have determined that James must make some changes with respect to his off-field responsibilities and ensure that this approach is consistent with the values of our game.”
“We pride ourselves on living the values of Rugby – passion, integrity, discipline, respect and teamwork. James has accepted these values need to be consistently upheld on and off the field at all times.
“We are hopeful that James will stay in Australian Rugby and play in next year’s Super Rugby competition and that he sees this as an opportunity to re-focus his attitude and invest in all aspects of his professional Rugby career.”
“We would consider reviewing our position regarding a national contract for 2015 and beyond if we believe James’ behaviour is consistent with the values associated with being a Wallaby.”
“This has been a difficult decision for all parties. James is a player with huge potential and someone who has the capacity to make a significant long-term contribution to our game – but after assessing the evidence of numerous incidents, we have an obligation to uphold the values of our game and James understands that.”
Pulver said cracking down on behavioural issues and keeping rugby's "core values" was a priority not only for cultural reasons, but to safeguard endorsement and sponsorship revenue from companies keen to align with respectable athletes
The Pulveriser is a sensible business man who clearly prioritises pandering to Rugby’s commercial revenue needs over pandering to Rugby’s Talent. With the Code under some financial stress ATM, it is hard to fault this prioritisation.
