Willie Ripia, formerly of Taranaki’s rugby team, has announced that he will be seeking help for the issues that have led to him resigning from the local rugby league. The player was recently accused of stealing from his teammates, and he has released a statement shedding light on the issue.
According to claims, Ripia had been stealing from other players on his team in order to pay for an expensive gambling habit. While the athlete did not confirm the claims, he did state that gambling had played a large role in his downfall. Fortunately, his players did not make any official charges against him, so he will not be facing jail time.
“Willie is devastated with the impact gambling has had on him and is determined to work through his problem,” the statement said.
The situation is quite unfortunate, as 26-year-old Ripia showed a great deal of promise. He made appearances as a foreign development player over the course of the last year, meaning he could have eventually gone on to play in Australia’s National Rugby League. Now, the player must take time off to deal with personal issues, and he may not have a chance at the big time again.
