SYDNEY – Wallaby Nick Phipps has been stripped of the NSW Waratahs captaincy and fined Aus$4,000 (US$3,000) for urinating on the bar of a Sydney pub while dressed in a cow costume.
The halfback, who was celebrating his impending wedding with friends, was kicked out of the Woollahra Hotel on April 21 over an incident he admits he can barely remember.
Waratahs chief executive Andrew Hore said the money would be donated to the NSW Positive Rugby Foundation “to support community rugby activities”.
“Nick Phipps has admitted his guilt and the investigation found the reported events to be true and accurate,” Hore said in a statement late Tuesday, adding that Phipps' captaincy had been suspended for an unspecified time.
Phipps pre-empted the fallout by apologising earlier on Tuesday.
“It's always been in my character to stand up and accept the responsibility. I was a bloody idiot,” he told reporters.
“It's one of those things I wanted to front straight away and get the apology out there and make sure everyone knows how sorry I am.”
Phipps married his long-time partner Ebony Bamford on Saturday.