Complainant says no to investigators
The woman at the centre of the Souths sexting scandal has refused to speak to investigators as captain Sam Burgess broke his silence on the matter and the Roosters slammed wild speculation that they were involved in leaking the story to the media.
As the two arch rivals cranked up preparations for a fiery preliminary final showdown on Saturday night, the case against Souths players and their alleged involvement in a lewd video chat in late May looked like collapsing.
Stuff understands the woman refused to be formally interviewed by South Sydney when contacted on Monday in South Africa, where she is holidaying.
There is a belief within the four walls at Redfern this means the woman has withdrawn her complaint.
The NRL argues otherwise, saying she can change her mind at any time if she decides she wants to talk.
Burgess and other Souths players shed more light on what happened in a video chat with the 23-year-old woman when they were interviewed late on Tuesday after training at Redfern Oval.
Earlier, the Rabbitohs captain had fronted reporters to discuss the investigation that has rocked his side’s premiership campaign.
‘‘I am happy for the truth to come out,’’ he said. ‘‘That’s going to be my answer to the majority of your questions.
‘‘I’m not running away or hiding. I’m here to tell you there is an inquiry going on and until [it is completed] I can’t talk about it.
‘‘There’s an inquiry going on and I’m happy for the truth to come out . . . that’s fine.’’
He was then asked what the truth was. ‘‘There is an inquiry going on and I’m following the process,’’ Burgess said. ‘‘I’d like it completed as soon as possible, within 48 hours, or 24 hours.’’
There was a feeling at Souths the investigation could be wrapped up as soon as late last night, relieving a lot of the pressure around their superstar player and their team. The NRL has a different take on it. Given the spotlight that has been put on the game since the allegations first surfaced, it won’t be rushed into making a decision on whether it accepts Souths’ findings.
The NRL integrity unit has the power to enforce further sanctions if it feels the club hasn’t dealt with the matter adequately.
At the heart of the matter is whether the explicit chat, in which nude images of players were allegedly captured by the woman with screenshots, was consensual.
That Burgess fronted the media on Tuesday suggested he was more than comfortable with his position.
Those close to the 29-year-old England international say his priority is the welfare of his heavily pregnant wife, Phoebe, and his young daughter, who have both fled the city to avoid media scrutiny.
‘‘I’m upset for my wife and my family, it’s been a tough process to go through,’’ Burgess said. ‘‘I’m fortunate that I’ve got a strong wife . . . I’ve got a wife who loves me, I’ve got a great family, great friends and support around me to get through these allegations that have been made.’’