Timana Tahu brings back Sonny Bill Williams memories
By Iain Payten | July 23, 2009 07:52pm
ONE player skips training to secretly take up a rugby contract. Another star skips training to covertly sign a league contract. Neither say a word to their teammates.
The first creates howls of protest and is rugby league's greatest ever villain. The second is warmly welcomed "home'' by the same league community, not least the game's top official.
Anyone smell the faint odour of hypocrisy?
The Sonny Bill Williams case and Timana Tahu's re-defection may not be directly related but they share enough DNA to be close cousins.
And the contrasting reactions have been very interesting indeed.
Unhappy in the NRL, Williams packed up and disappeared overseas to play French rugby.
He didn't tell anyone at the Bulldogs - including his mates - and had signed a deal while still under contract to them.
Understandably, there was widespread condemnation. Officials, players, former friends and fans all united to vilify the treacherous SBW - singing loudly the sanctity of contracts and the unbreakable bonds of a team.
Fast forward 12 months and Tahu doesn't rock up to Wallabies training on Wednesday.
Though believed to be injured, Tahu didn't turn up for a medical as is standard practice or ring through an apology. Frustrated in rugby, Tahu was busy across town nutting out a new contract to play for the Parramatta Eels.
By that afternoon, the whole world had discovered the former Kangaroo was returning to league. All except his Wallabies teammates, that is, who only heard when the story slowly filtered through on the training track, via this paper's website exclusive.
And here's the rub. At the point of agreeing to a new deal with the Eels on Wednesday, Tahu had 30 months left to run on an ARU contract worth $400,000 a year.
Even with the get-out clause inserted in his contract, Tahu had six months to serve in rugby and no release had been secured.
None of this contractual obligation, however, was given a second thought by a joyously myopic league community.
Before Tahu has even sat down with the ARU to discuss a possible release - and as of last night he still hadn't - league types everywhere were celebrating the centre's "return home'', saying it was great to see him back where his heart was. All in all, a happy ending.
NRL boss David Gallop weighed in: "We're pleased to see Timana back in our game, hopefully pulling on the blue and yellow.''
Sorry? Is this same group who screamed blue murder when SBW signed a new contract with Toulon when already under one at the Dogs? Who were willing to tar and feather the IRB for not stepping in, simply because they had no jurisdiction?
Who said you don't - just don't  - walk out on your mates?
Can anyone  imagine what sort of wild reaction such triumphant cries from the French rugby chiefs, or any rugby figures, at the time would have elicited back here?
There appear to be some very short memories in rugby league on the virtues of a contract.
Tahu may have legitimate reasons - and ultimately a loophole - to leave rugby union.
However, the manner in which it has all gone down leaves a pretty sour taste in the mouthfor a lot of people.
It's fair to say both his NSW and Wallabies teammates were yesterday feeling pretty let down with the secretive departure.
Tahu hates confrontation, so white lies are his way to avoid it. But like SBW, blatant deception should never be excused. And definitely not celebrated.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,27074,25825475-5016527,00.html