Wallabies and NSW Waratahs halfback Nick Phipps says he is a “goose” and a “bloody idiot” for urinating on a bar during his buck’s night and he’ll accept his punishment.
Dressed in a cow suit, Phipps was kicked out of Sydney’s Woollahra Hotel on Saturday, 21 April for an incident he said he had little memory of.
The incident occurred a day after he played in the NSW Waratahs’ 29-0 Super Rugby home loss to the Lions and reportedly followed a harbour cruise to celebrate his impending wedding.
Phipps had already apologised to the publican in the days after the incident.
On Tuesday, a contrite Phipps fronted the media and said he also apologised to team-mates, the Waratahs organisation and their commercial partners, the staff and patrons at the Woollahra Hotel and supporters for any embarrassment the incident may have caused.
The Waratahs are expected to complete their investigation into the incident in the next 48 hours and Phipps was expecting sanctions.
It’s unclear if those would come in the form of a fine, suspension, reprimand or caution.
“There are probably going to be some sanctions handed down, but I’m going to accept them,” Phipps said. “My role with the club is something that’s pretty important and to be honest that’s not the way that we should carry ourselves.
“There won’t be any fight from me. It’s something I just wanted to deal with and get on the front foot and get back to playing some footy.”
Phipps said he had also spoken to Rugby Australia about the incident. “They’ve voiced their displeasure, they’re not very happy it, which is understandable,” he said.
The incident was out of character for Phipps who said he took his responsibility as one of the senior players in the team very seriously.
“I certainly remember just after the incident and beforehand, so it was obviously something that happened for a few seconds and then the boys grabbed me and after that it was out of the pub and back home,” Phipps said.
“I’m a goose, if I’m going to do the crime, I’ll definitely pay the time. It’s always been in my character to stand up and accept the responsibility, I was a bloody idiot. It’s one of those things, I wanted to front straight away and get the apology out there and make sure that everyone knows how sorry I am.”
It has been a difficult start to the season for 29-year-old Phipps, who didn’t play his first game of the campaign until the Waratahs seventh match, due to a calf injury he suffered a few weeks before the Super Rugby season commenced.
He has come off the bench behind Jake Gordon in his first two games since being passed fit to return.
The Waratahs host the Blues at Brookvale Oval on Saturday and are bidding to break a 36-game winning streak by New Zealand teams against Australian opposition.