My view is that this statement was put out yesterday to.
1. Strengthen his hand going in to an interview with the IRFU next week, given the other 2 apologised already.
2. After a week of reflection, His mother was genuinely ashamed of the messages and some of the reaction (the Malone pair) and asked her son to tell the world, that is not how she brought him up.
I doubt (IMO) this was requested by either UR or the IRFU.
For the avoidance of doubt I was referring to the most recent statement and now looking back Oldings initial statement (which I thought was a big step for him so soon after the verdict) also made no direct reference to UR yet in Gilroys recent apology he referenced Ulster’s values...
Last night if not mistaken one/two former Ulster players highlighted they didn’t know what if any Code or Conduct existed in their contracts that was more or less a matter for agents...
Cockatrice wrote:For the avoidance of doubt I was referring to the most recent statement and now looking back Oldings initial statement (which I thought was a big step for him so soon after the verdict) also made no direct reference to UR yet in Gilroys recent apology he referenced Ulster’s values...
Last night if not mistaken one/two former Ulster players highlighted they didn’t know what if any Code or Conduct existed in their contracts that was more or less a matter for agents...
Yes but that means nothing. If a code of conduct clause is there it can be acted upon, whether or not the players or their agents have bothered their arrses to read it. Is the existence (or knowledge) of such a clause likey to have modified Jackson"s and Olding's behaviour anyway? I very much doubt it.