NRL to sue Queensland's Mal Meninga after 'rats and filth' comments

Mal Meninga is being sued by the National Rugby League, the governing body of the Australian game, after describing unnamed New South Wales officials as "rats and filth" in a newspaper column following the latest State of Origin series victory for his Queensland team. Meninga, the only man to captain Australia on two Kangaroo tours in 1990 and 1994, launched a furious attack on what he saw as a conspiracy by the Sydney-dominated rugby league establishment, including the disciplinary authorities who suspended David Taylor from the series decider and also called Johnathan Thurston to a hearing. After he failed to meet the NRL's deadline for an apology and retraction, a statement of claim has been filed with the NSW Supreme Court on behalf of the match review committee, whose legal costs will be covered by the governing body. "The statements in the article were seriously offensive to individuals who carry out important roles for the game with absolute integrity," David Gallop, the NRL's chief executive, said. "This has nothing to do with inter-state rivalry or a person's right to challenge a decision but it has everything to do with the fact that there are laws against falsely attacking a person's good name and reputation."