Biker gang forces out Scottish team

Reuters/Yahoo ^

[martin_fierro]

Biker gang forces out Scottish team

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Scotland have left their luxury hotel on Australia's Sunshine Coast to avoid hundreds of heavily tattooed bikers called the Bandidos who are due to check in on Friday for four days of drinking and partying.

The Bandidos are one of Australia's most notorious motorcycle gangs, with members involved in turf wars, street shootouts and drugs trafficking, according to police.

Local Australian media have claimed Scotland fled their hotel to avoid a clash with partying bikers.

Team officials denied the reports on Wednesday but admitted the bikers' drinking schedule meant the hotel was not an appropriate environment for Scotland to prepare for their next World Cup game on Monday October 20 against the United States.

The Bandidos' itinerary for their annual meeting starts with a drinks reception from midnight Friday until dawn Saturday.

"We've absolutely nothing against the bikers," said Scotland manager Dougie Morgan.

"But when we saw the bikers' itinerary we did not consider that would be conducive for preparation for a test match for our players.

"The help we've received from the ARU (Australian Rugby Union) and Rugby World Cup has enabled the switch of accommodation to be made without a hitch."

Scotland have moved to an inland hotel in the Queensland state capital Brisbane where they will play the United States.

Australia's biker gangs -- the Gypsy Jokers, Coffin Cheaters, the Rebels Motorcycle Club and the Bandidos -- have staged a series of turf wars in recent years.

Australian police have compared the Bandidos with sophisticated criminal networks such as the Japanese Yakuza, Chinese triads and Colombian cocaine syndicates.

The Bandidos most bloody and infamous outing was on Father's Day, September 2, 1984. The Bandidos and the rival Comancheros gang staged a shoot-out in a western Sydney car park in which six gang members and a 15-year-old schoolgirl were killed.

The Bandidos began life in Houston, Texas in 1966 and branched out into Australia in 1983 focusing on amphetamine production, according to various Australian police reports.

[martin_fierro]

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[HiTech RedNeck]

"But when we saw the bikers' itinerary we did not consider that would be conducive for preparation for a test match for our players.

Rock'n and roll'n all night. Rugby players need their sleep y'know.

[archy]

Those Bandido fellers do get around.

-archy-/-

[JoeSixPack1]

50's style badguys. It's downunder, they've been defanged.

Australians, being saved by gun control, were assured they were safe and the authorities would protect them. So this can't be happening.

I'm shocked!! I'm deeply saddened. I'm also LMAO. :-)~~

[harpu]

The irony of it all is that 'ruggers' would probably hold their own drinking and fighting (without the guns and knives) with the Bandido's - and both groups would feel right at home with each others.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Man, they sure have a cartoon looking, south of the border logo....LOL....

[shuvlhed]

Really! Put away the breakables and let the party begin!