Patston's qualifications questioned
Following the mid-air altercation with Kurtley Beale, Australia team business manager Di Patston's qualifications and exact role has been brought into question.
Patston, who is responsible for a range of duties with the Wallabies that includes team logistics and player discipline, is back home in Manly, NSW, after leaving the squad in Argentina earlier in the week.
However, it has been revealed that her credentials have been brought into question following inquiries being made into her background.
She has subsequently deleted her LinkedIn profile as well as her Facebook page.
An incorrect LinkedIn page listed a number of university degrees, whose awarding institutions had no record of. Also mentioned was a decade working at the Australian Federal Misconduct Commission. There is no evidence of this organisation's existence.
An ARU spokesperson said the LinkedIn profile had been created by a third-party and had now been taken down. The ARU said it had vetted Patston's background before employing her and said it had no concern about her work and education history.
"The ARU can confirm it has verified the academic and employment record of Wallabies business manager Di Patston. At the time of employing Ms Patston in September 2013, we undertook a rigorous reference checking and verification process.
"As a result of recent media speculation, we have reconfirmed the validity of Ms Patston's previous employment and education record. We are satisfied with this process and the information provided to us," the spokesperson said.
The ARU said Patston, who worked at Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) in 2012 after being hired by McKenzie as an assistant, had worked for 11 years as a compliance officer for the Queensland government, not the Australian Federal Misconduct Commission.
The spokesperson said the university degrees were obtained through modules completed in her government work, which was why neither the University of Sydney nor Griffith University had a record of her attendance.
The profile also had Patston working at QRU from February 2011 until she joined the Reds in 2012.
According to Guardian Australia, another major friction point is Patston offering psychological support to players.
In fact, some players, including Beale, believe she is the team psychologist.
Patston has a degree in behavioural science. However, offering psychologist support to players is not in her formal job remit.
It’s understood this confusion over Patston’s role, and a squad of emotionally drained players following a heavy loss to the Springboks, gave rise to the incident with Beale.
Beale was not selected for the Wallaby squad to play Argentina.
The ARU's integrity unit is still investigating the row between Beale and Patston.
Sydney Morning Herald/Guardian Australia
