Update: 9:31AM Australia's Fiji-born flyer Lote Tuqiri has been sacked by the Australian Rugby Union.
The reasons for the decision remain a mystery. The former Wallaby winger was contracted to the ARU until 2012 and was one of the highest paid Australian rugby players.
Tuqiri intends to fight his sacking, his agent Les Ross told Fox Sports, the Wallabies official online news partner.
"All I can tell you is that Lote disputes that the ARU are entitled to terminate his contract and he has retained solicitor Mr Mark O'Brien and Mr Tony Marr, senior counsel, to immediately commence proceedings against the ARU," Ross said.
The league convert's termination was announced yesterday evening by an ARU email.
The ARU statement read: "The employment contract of Lote Tuqiri has been terminated effective today. ARU has treated this issue as a standard employment matter. The ARU will not make any further comment on the matter as it may be the subject of legal proceedings."
Fox Sports reports that ARU had been conducting an investigation into a possible breach of the players' code of conduct.
"It is understood the "legal proceedings" referred to are Tuqiri's action against the ARU and the winger has not broken the law.
"It is also understood Tuqiri's absence from Australia's first four international matches this year was not related to the reason for his sacking," reports Fox Sports
