PERHAPS it's the combination of a long season, the bitterly cold English weather or too many late nights sampling the UK night-life.

But Billy Slater isn't the only Kangaroos player prepared to throw a punch during Australia's World Cup tour. Tension was at an all-time high last week ­between the two most ­unlikely players, Maroons teammates Nate Myles and Cameron Smith.

Myles went as far as to challenge Smith "outside" after taking offence to a few of the captain's one-liners. Maroons coach Mal Meninga could do worse than smooth the waters between the pair ahead of next year's Origin series.

Earlier incidents involving Josh Papalli, Slater and now Myles and Smith is enough evidence to suggest that the World Cup is ­merely a six-week tour with one serious game of footy at the end. The tournament is two weeks too long and is setup for players to ­entertain themselves in ­between matches.

SMITH SILENT ON SLATER

GIVEN his hardline and controversial stance on ''ban the biff'' during this year's State of Origin series, you would've thought NRL chief executive David Smith would've been the first person to denounce the ''king hit" from Kangaroos fullback Billy Slater. But all we got last week from the NRL boss was crickets.

IT'S HARDLY A FINE DETERRENT

TWO thousand dollars. Whoa, now that's heavy. When are racing stewards going to get serious about the integrity of the sport?

Gai Waterhouse was fined $2,000 for what was excused as a 'brain snap' by her experienced stablehand, who broke the rules of racing on Melbourne Cup day by administering treatment to Tres Blue on the morning of the race.

Given Waterhouse has amassed career prize money of just under $200 million, do stewards seriously believe the penalty is a big enough deterrent to ensure the sport's integrity remains intact?