Wallabies' back Kurtley Beale has been fined A$3,000 (€2,100) for his in-flight row with former team business manager Di Patston but escaped further sanction in the latest instalment of a scandal that plunged Australian rugby into crisis.
Beale, who was fined A$45,000 (€32,000) last Friday for sending an offensive text message to Patston, remains free to play for the Wallabies despite his poor off-field record.
A bustup over a t-shirt between Beale and Patston in transit to South America last month was the unlikely catalyst for a public relations disaster that saw Patston resign under stress and Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie then sensationally step down two weeks ago.
Although sanctioned at a code of conduct hearing last Friday over the text message allegations, Beale faced a separate charge over the plane incident, which dragged out the scandal for another week.
Beale's second fine is unlikely to quell the criticism of the ARU and its chief Bill Pulver who has been under fire for his handling of the case and the plight of Patston, who told local media this week she had felt suicidal amid the controversy.
The ARU said in a media release on Friday that a tribunal found Beale had committed "a moderate breach of team protocols" in the in-flight row and that he had been found guilty of "inappropriate public behaviour as a result of being rude and disrespectful of Wallaby management in public."
However, the governing body added that it would re-open negotiations with Beale over his next Wallabies contract.
The 25-year-old, who was stood down for two matches pending the code of conduct hearing, was not included in new coach Michael Cheika's European tour squad.
The ARU hope the second fine will draw a line under the scandal which has raged into a second month.
"The ARU is deeply disappointed that an offensive text message was sent, the in-flight incident occurred and the aftermath of these events were factors in the resignations of Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie and Business Manager Di Patston," ARU chairman Michael Hawker said.
"There is no basis on which it was acceptable for Ms Patston to have been subjected to the offensive text message.
"As a result of these events, we have identified a need for greater off-field leadership and support for the Wallabies.
"ARU General Manager Pathways & Performance Ben Whitaker is providing that support for the current ...tour with a longer term solution to be determined after the tour."
