The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) has today determined sanctions against Western Force players Pek Cowan and Dane Haylett-Petty after the pair were relieved of their leadership roles by the club for the remainder of the 2016 Super Rugby season for breaching team leadership standards while on tour in South Africa last weekend.
Cowan, the Western Force captain, and team vice-captain Haylett-Petty were deemed to have breached the Australian Rugby player code of conduct in separate and unrelated incidents at the team hotel in Bloemfontein early on Sunday morning (local time).
Both players will be served breach notices containing a $5000 fine.
Haylett-Petty will be served a breach notice for urinating in a public place while Cowan will be served a breach notice for gaining unauthorised access to a team vehicle after the team-agreed curfew of 1.00am.
ARU Chief Operating Officer, Rob Clarke said: “The ARU Integrity Unit has reviewed the report provided by the Western Force on the events in South Africa last weekend and has determined that both Pek Cowan and Dane Haylett-Petty breached the code of conduct for separate and unrelated incidents at the team hotel in Bloemfontein.
“On Thursday, the club took action against both players for breaching its leadership standards and we support this decision.
“Given there were breaches of the code of conduct by both players as detailed in the report from the Western Force, the ARU Integrity Unit will accordingly issue breach notices to the players in the coming days.
"Both players assisted the club and the ARU Integrity Unit in this investigation," said Clarke.
The players will have the right to consider the terms of the breach notice. No further comment will be made by the ARU in relation to this matter.
