Australian player fired by Japanese club after drugs arrest

NEWS: Former Australia Rugby League international Blake Ferguson has been fired by his Japanese club without playing a game after being arrested in Tokyo on drug charges, the team said.

The 31-year-old was “arrested on suspicion of possessing illegal drugs”, NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu said in a statement which was later updated to say his contract had been terminated.

His profile was also removed from the team’s website.

Ferguson, a wing who was released by Australian National Rugby League team Parramatta Eels in September, had been scheduled to make his Rugby Union debut in Japan this weekend when the new top-flight club season begins.

Ferguson made the switch to the XV-a-side game when he was signed in November by the Japanese club, whose director of rugby is former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika.

Ferguson played more than 200 NRL games for the Cronulla Sharks, Canberra Raiders, Sydney Roosters and Parramatta.

He appeared seven times for Australia’s Kangaroos Rugby League team in 2016-17, scoring six tries.