Rugby: Western Force under investigation after hotel drama

Pek Cowan has been stripped of the Western Force captaincy. Photo / Getty

A host of Western Force players face a nervous wait after the ARU integrity unit was called into action to investigate the team's ill-disciplined tour of South Africa last week.

The integrity unit was in lockdown mode on Friday as it looked into allegations of player misbehaviour in the Force's team hotel in Bloemfontein last week.

A vase was reportedly broken after a play fight between brothers Dane and Ross Haylett-Petty turned heated, while Wallabies newcomer Adam Coleman had a loud argument with prop Francois van Wyk.

Prop Pek Cowan was stripped of the captaincy for Saturday night's clash with the Stormers in Perth after being among the players to break the 1am team curfew following the team's 30-29 loss to the Cheetahs last week.

The most serious allegation was of a Force player urinating in the hallway of the team hotel.

The Force decided not to stand down any players for this week's match, but that could change once the ARU integrity unit completes its investigation.

The drama comes just a month after the ARU formed an alliance with the Force in a bid to save the struggling Perth-based franchise from going under.

Force coach Michael Foley was sacked soon after the alliance following the team's poor run of results.

The Force sit last in the Australian conference, and they'll start as underdogs against a Stormers outfit looking to secure a finals berth.

And to cap off the Force's misery, possible thunderstorms and hail have been forecast for their game against the Stormers.

- AAP