Former Wallaby scrumhalf Matt Henjak's immediate rugby career in Australia is over.
Yesterday, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) said it supported the recommendation from a Rugby Western Australia committee to terminate the professional playing contract of Western Force scrumhalf, who was found guilty of savagely punching a teammate in a hotel bar.
An ARU statement said because of the serious nature of the Feb. 10 incident and taking into account Henjak's previous disciplinary record, it agrees that "contract termination ... is a fit and proper punishment."
After a hearing lasting more than eight hours on Tuesday, Rugby Western Australian chairman Geoff Stooke announced that Henjak and young winger Haig Sare were both culpable in the fracas but Henjak was more to blame. News of the fight emerged two weeks ago when Sare was treated for a broken jaw.
Sare, who was sidelined for six weeks because of the injured jaw, was banned by the judiciary panel for eight weeks.
Henjak has been involved in off-field incidents throughout his career. He was the first Wallaby in 40 years to be sent home from a tour after he was involved in a nightclub fight in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2005.
ARU chief executive John O'Neill said yesterday the national union was willing to help Henjak in his future endeavors.
"We recognize the potential impact this action will have on Matt Henjak, but as the governing body of the game in this country we must always be aware of upholding the standards and values of the code," O'Neill said. "Poor behavior, and particularly when it relates to serial offenders, will not be tolerated."
"At the same time, we will not be casting Matt Henjak aside without any regard for his future," he said.
O'Neill said the ARU would discuss options for rehabilitation and counseling for Henjak with the player's management.
Henjak could take up rugby offers overseas, play rugby league or return to Australian rugby if he is rehabilitated.
"If there is a genuine effort by Matt to see the error of his ways and undergo rehabilitation and proper counseling and say in 12 months time if he was back on the straight and narrow, then I wouldn't shut the door on re-entry into professional rugby," O'Neill said.
"I think if he's well advised, and at his age, and looking at himself in the mirror and saying `Hey, I've got a bit of a fork in the road decision here,' one would hope he would take the right road," O'Neill said.
The 26-year-old Henjak played for the ACT Brumbies before moving to the Force in 2006. He played four Tests for Australia in 2004 and had a short stint with British club Harlequins later that year.
After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open on Wednesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible. “Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the women’s singles quarter-finals. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.” Sabalenka’s wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
For some, Cristiano Ronaldo remains the essential spearhead for Portugal’s FIFA World Cup bid, while others believe his presence would prevent Roberto Martinez’s strong side from flourishing. The debate around the five-time Ballon d’Or winner rages on, as it did at UEFA Euro 2024 and four years ago in Qatar — yet Ronaldo endures, ready to play in a record sixth World Cup. The 41-year-old remains a global superstar despite swapping the European elite for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, and is the leading men’s international goalscorer with 143 strikes. With 25 of those coming in 30 games under Martinez, the coach
Taiwanese sprinter Chen Yi-cen on Friday won the silver medal in the women’s 400m final at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, with a time of 53.16 seconds. Chen, 15, was the youngest among the eight finalists, and her performance also met the qualifying standard of 53.50 seconds for the Nagoya Asian Games in Japan in September and October. Chen first made her mark at the National Games in Tainan in 2023, at the age of 13, winning the women’s 400m final in 55.55 seconds to become the youngest gold medalist in the history of the event. Meanwhile,
RSS