Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France
24 - 10
FT
33 - 31
FT
25 - 23
FT
35 - 26
FT
35 - 31
FT
24 - 20
FT
45 - 14
FT
24 - 20
FT
17 - 21
FT
42 - 17
FT
20 - 20
FT
34 - 27
FT
21 - 15
FT
24 - 30
FT
47 - 21
FT
24 - 12
FT
38 - 12
FT
26 - 20
FT
33 - 31
FT
49 - 17
FT
17 - 53
FT
21 - 12
FT
10 - 26
FT
14 - 40
FT
48 - 28
FT
19 - 41
FT
14 - 50
FT
46 - 7
FT
Friday
07:00
Friday
09:30
Friday
09:30
TOP 14Toulon

Ex-Toulon player Barba expected to plead not guilty in Townsville Court

Ben Barba in action for St Helens in 2018. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Former NRL player Ben Barba is expected to fight public nuisance charges on Friday following an incident at a Townsville casino on the Australia Day weekend.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 29-year-old will front the Townsville Magistrates Court to face two counts of public nuisance.

Barba was sacked by the North Queensland Cowboys in February without playing a game for the club over allegations he was violent towards his partner Ainslie Currie. He was later deregistered by the NRL.

The 2012 Dally M medallist was charged a day after telling a television news crew he had “lost everything” and was getting ready to hand himself into police over the allegations.

He reportedly will not face domestic violence-related charges because Ms Currie had not made a complaint to police.

Barba had been offered a lifeline to return to the NRL with the Cowboys after stints with French rugby union and the English Super League.

The NRL gave Barba a lifetime ban after vie wing CCTV footage of the incident outside the casino.

ADVERTISEMENT

Barba’s lawyer Campbell MacCallum last week claimed he would attempt to have the ban overturned.

ADVERTISEMENT
Play Video
LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

1

Beauden Barrett benched in Blues team to play Reds

1
2

Top 8 Rugby Union to League cross-code moves in the pro era

3

Rugby league to follow union in lowering tackle height

4

‘It’s about his career’: Why NRL star Payne Haas could jump codes

5

Rugby League World Cup slides into crisis

6

Watch: Chaotic scenes as bull runs wild at French Super League match

7

‘He’d be open to a switch’: Rugby Australia want NRL star Nathan Cleary

3

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Long Reads

LONG READ

The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

Time was, the rugby world cast envious glances at Antipodean coaching. Now, Australia and New Zealand are fishing desperately for new ideas.

92
LONG READ

'To lose one Welsh captain is unfortunate; to lose two might be considered a bit careless'

The departures of Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake has only fuelled the sense of anger and uncertainty over the future of Ospreys.

4
LONG READ

How Glasgow found the bleu-print for beating Toulouse

Extreme precision at the ruck allowed Glasgow to remove the jackaling juggernauts from the Toulouse arsenal.

19

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 51 minutes ago
Six favours the All Blacks need from Santa's little helpers

Haha the most one can ask for is that others appreciate the time and effort that’s gone into them!

As I do yours with the amount rugby you’re watching! And I did indeed end up getting billed $20 and the Top14TV service isn’t too hot down here (they need a cdn network) so I’ve already cancelled the sub.



...

54 Go to comments
J
JW 55 minutes ago
The top seven boys at Global Youth Sevens 2025

Article says Matt Fleming is 18 but he's actually only 16, going into 6th form in 2026

2 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

I think Cheika would be a great 2IC, he’s stepped back a bit recently from being the top dog hasn’t he? Having him around could be good future planning too. Reckon he would deserve a 2nd crack if he was up for it and more experienced.

92 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

If they find something that works, great, but you are essentially promoting poor blitz > poor connected, and we saw England get done multiple times with poorly connected rushing defenders, losing this matchups, that we should know thats not viable progress.

The best outcome (too late now, should have been done earlier in Joes reign as SK suggests) is to have a comparable situation to England were they find a way to improve on what theyre doing.



...

92 Go to comments
f
fl 1 hour ago
Bomb Squad or Pom Squad? Rugby's best benches revealed

to be fair they did pretty well against France last year, and against the ABs, and three times against Argentina.

its fair to question whether they’re the best or not - but they’ve been tested plenty in 2025!



...

10 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

Why move for Jake when we can get Human or Brown?

92 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

He even comes to you, great! Does he bring biltong if you tip him?!?

92 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

Yes but ‘big hits’ for a leaguie equate to straight reds in rugby!

92 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

Tbh I thought Brad and recently Kiss had punched above their weight with Queensland. I think next/this year they look to have a real roster capable of pushing top four.

92 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

Especially going through the highs as well.

92 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

lol

92 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

Not really, it’s just hyperbole clickbait stuff. Like if you’re prepared to higher kiwis, you’re prepared to higher anyone. It’s just that the other options haven’t recently been good enough. It will be interesting to hear what talent from the north will be available for some of these positions in the next article. Obviously weve always been well out of news. Maybe some talented SH, Argentinian options are out there with your new contacts/network?

I suppose in future a lot more Europeans coachs will be going to Japan as well, so there will be a gateway there to represent a nation within the pacific (east or west).



...

92 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

Didn’t a lot of it have to do with the other option suiting his instincts more?

It must be so hard for him, and the likes of other leagueies, to go into contact without fear their technique will put them in trouble.



...

92 Go to comments
K
Koro Teeps 2 hours ago
Jake White: The Springbok scrum can be conquered, and this is how

Without doubt, all the additional time, work and focus over the off-season working one on one to develop up and coming props on the farm with Daan Human, has taken Bokke scrummaging to the next level.

50 Go to comments
J
JW 2 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

Especially a key young player like Jorgo. Trouble is Wright is one of the best fullbacks in the world, theres going to be no way JAS could replace him. Totally different strengths granted.

Not sure Petaia is going to get enough opportunity to make a push for a spot playing in France. Center is the only logical place for JAS isn’t it? That said, I criticized Joe for trying to claim too much from last season, so perhaps it’s a better idea to have a good backup for Wright and not impair the midfield trying to fit JAS into it?



...

92 Go to comments
K
Koro Teeps 2 hours ago
Tyrone Thompson: 'I’m just seeing how the Chiefs season plays out'

His lineout throwing will need to improve markedly to be in All Black contention.

4 Go to comments
P
PP 3 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

dw, in the SR game where Jorgensen suffered a lower leg injury, within the first 10 minutes he made 3 defensive errors (poor contact & positional play), these types of lapses have occurred in a number of his performances. Often in Test matches, whether it’s under Schmidt‘s direction or not, he seems to be defending too far infield. With the current Oz defensive pattern there seems to often be a disconnection with all the outside backs, not really operating as a unit, which isn’t helping Sualli.

Personally, I think Daugunu (wasted on the bench) & Potter or Pietsch are better wing options, stronger defenders, ok in the air, can jackal & carry powerfully.



...

92 Go to comments
A
AD 5 hours ago
Varney earns new deal after excellent start to Exeter career

Nice to Exeter playing well this year.

2 Go to comments
d
dw 6 hours ago
The coaching conundrum part one: Is there a crisis Down Under?

Yes the bit of hope I am clinging on to is that Kiss and team get some key selections right and this unlocks some success. Joe seemed fixated on JAS at 13, Len at 12, Harry at 8 and captain and Frost/Williams in the row. Just a few tweaks to this could be vital. And yes wouldn't it be great if we snagged an experienced defence coach to the coaching team!

92 Go to comments
G
GP 7 hours ago
Watch: Richie Mo'unga scores in Japan to help secure round two victory

Great comment . Richie Mo’unga is an absolutely brilliant first-five. He will close a few mouths as you say. Foster had Beauden always there at 15 or ahead of him at 10. He was terrible to Richie. I have disagreed with Robertson on heaps of things and I think they are in a bit of a rut. But about the only thing I am with him on is the need to have Richie Mo’unga back. There should have been more development of younger 10’s too. I rate Rivez Reihana , he was a cool head for the Crusaders. Most of the dislike to Richie is based on where he comes from here in NZ.

2 Go to comments
Close
ADVERTISEMENT