Rugby league-England forward Radley pulls out of Ashes series after ban
SYDNEY :England forward Victor Radley has made himself unavailable for the Ashes series against Australia after being slapped with a lengthy ban by his club Sydney Roosters for his involvement in a drug probe into a former teammate.
Radley was last week handed a 10-game ban and told to donate A$30,000 ($19,900) to a hospital after the Roosters said he had brought the club into disrepute in relation to "allegedly obtaining an illegal substance".
The Australia-born lock, who accepted the sanction and apologised, was not charged by police and remained available for Shaun Wane's England squad, whose three-test series against Australia starts at Wembley on October 25.
Wane, however, said the 27-year-old, who has played nine times for England since electing to represent his father's birth country, had stood himself down from the series.
"Victor has been an outstanding player for England for the last three years, but we respect his decision," Wane said in a statement.
"We need 24 players who are fully focused on the historic opportunity of facing Australia in an Ashes series."
The loss of a top class back-rower will come as a blow to Wane and England ahead of the first contest for the Ashes in 22 years.
Similar to the cricket rivalry of the same name, rugby league's Ashes were contested between Australia and Britain 39 times between 1908 and 2003. Australia won the last 13 editions.
The Kangaroos received a boost ahead of the series on Thursday when forward Tino Fa'asuamaleaui said he would not be joining a string of top players who have decided to represent Samoa instead of Australia.
"To be a part of the Ashes tour over in England, the first time in a long time, it is a bit of history, and it is something that I really want to be a part of," the 25-year-old lock said in a social media post.
In a reflection of rugby league's extremely flexible international eligibility rules, New South Wales-born Fa'asuamaleaui played for Samoa, who his father represented in rugby union, before switching to Australia.
Former Australia internationals Payne Haas, Jeremiah Nanai and Murray Taulagi have all switched allegiance to Samoa over the last couple of years.
Australia coach Kevin Walters will name his Ashes party after the National Rugby League final on October 5, while Wane will reveal his 24-man squad some 10 days later.
