Assessing each Australian Super Rugby club's stance on centralisation
Rugby Australia has a vision for how to get the game back on track in the country, but it demands alignment from each of the Super Rugby clubs and local unions on multiple issues.
So far, the Waratahs are the only team to put pen to paper in backing the vision and making the required sacrifices.
Those sacrifices may look slightly different for each club. The Waratahs deal signalled that high-performance operations, assets, liabilities, and commercial arrangements would all be handed over to the governing union.
While there is seemingly unified support over the alignment of high-performance pathways, the commercial side of the game is a sticky point.
Hamish McLennan’s role in the new governance model also looms as a contentious topic, with the chairman not overly popular throughout the local rugby community.
Two of the clubs’ responses to date have hinted or directly addressed a varying underlying distrust for Rugby Australia’s management ability, given the financial management of the game and isolated decisions like the Wallabies’ recent coaching selection.
But, since the in-principle agreement was announced by RA in August – where all clubs agreed to work towards a new alignment model – there have been plenty of signs of progress. What compromises RA and the unions are willing to make will determine the timeline and final policies of the partnership in the coming months.
In signing the deal this week, the New South Wales Rugby Union encouraged their counterparts to join them and get behind the deal so that Australia can once more be a powerhouse of the international game.
“We are taking this bold step because we strongly believe the federated model for professional Rugby in Australia is unsustainable and that meaningful reform is long overdue,” said NSW Rugby Union CEO Paul Doorn upon announcing the deal.
“We are not content to sit on the sidelines any longer on this much-needed reform, and I hope all Super Rugby clubs will follow our lead as we push forward on an aligned Australian Rugby ecosystem.”
So, where exactly do their fellow clubs sit on the matter?
ACT Brumbies
Rugby Australia is under no illusions there is anxiety about submitting to their new framework, and the potential consequences of larger-scale leadership.
“We’ve already given that guarantee and that’s already been committed to the Brumbies,” RA CEO Phil Waugh said when asked if he could guarantee the Brumbies would stay in Canberra.
Many assurances need to be given for a deal to be done, and Waugh says “I think it’s around trust” for the Brumbies to get fully on board.
“It’s about the security of the Brumbies remaining in Canberra and the IP, which we’ve given. I think that now it’s about working through what a structure looks like from a day to day management but overlaying and underpinning all of that building trust.
“We don’t see it as a takeover. It’s (about) integration, partnership and alignment. I think some of the concerns around the location of the Brumbies are seen as a takeover but we do not see it that way.
“At the end of the day, the member unions and community own Rugby, not Rugby Australia. We’re here to do the best we possibly can for Rugby in the country and that’s about driving the high-performance elements as well as looking after our community game.”
Earlier in the year, Brumbies chairman Matt Nobbs didn’t mince his words when reacting to the proposal.
“We have said from day one, we are happy to lead the charge [for an aligned high-performance system] and get it sorted. Because everyone accepts there has to be change. We have all seen the results. Things have got to change,” Nobbs said.
“But the issue we have got is the way we have been treated by RA has been appalling. They had us over the barrel, financially, and the only reason they had us over the barrel goes back to the reduction in funding from the last broadcast deal. The 30 per cent they reduced our funding, by $1.7 million, is the reason that we are in financial difficulty.
“They inflicted it on us and to add to it, we are doing more now. We have a Super W program and that’s a significant investment to get that up and running. We are doing far more with less money.
“So for them to turn around say, ‘You have to hand back everything, we will take full control of the Brumbies’, is not acceptable.”
Waugh’s comments on “trust” came earlier this week, signalling “good progress” had been made in the time since Nobbs’ initial reaction.
To summarise the Brumbies’ status, Waugh says: “There’s a lot to do but I do feel fairly optimistic about the direction we’re going.”
Queensland Reds
Queensland Reds CEO Dave Hanham offered a transparent criticism of the proposed deal in an interview this week with SENZ.
Hanham outlined the Reds’ concerns, indicating clearly where discussions with RA had hit barriers, after also signalling frustration over the union’s recently scrapped plan to throw money at rugby league talent to entice big names to switch codes.
“There is merit in working together in a better aligned high-performance system,” Hanham said on SENQ.
“We agree that it is a path forward but it needs to be a collective decision (but) there needs to be more detail. There has been an absence in detail in some of those areas.
“Our frustration comes from (RA) talking about a model with the buy-in (from all states). We know the on-field performances from Australia have to improve and we are not sitting with our head in the ground.
“The area we don’t agree with and the element that we are particularly frustrated with and that we’ve pushed back on publicly is this view of a commercial takeover.
“It’s where all assets, liabilities, staffers, contracting for sponsors and all relevant income generation sits under RA and the Reds would turn into a subsidiary of RA and we wouldn’t exist.
“We don’t feel that’s the right model (and) we are going to retain that. We have no interest in giving that over.
“There has to be a clear separation of improving on-field performances and taking over our assets.
“I don’t believe that’s viable.”
Melbourne Rebels
The Melbourne club are rumoured to be the next to sign on the dotted line with RA. The club have kept any obstacles or disputes under wraps.
Melbourne chairman Paul Docherty said the Rebels “are strong supporters of the right structural change to enhance the professional game, while ensuring we retain our national footprint and a greater inclusion and pathway from community through high-performance and into our National teams.”
Western Force
The Western Force have been quiet since August’s initial in-principle agreement, having perhaps the most to lose from an unfavourable deal.
Western Force chairman, Anthony Flannery said two months ago: “Rugby is healthy and growing in Western Australia and has much to offer Australian Rugby. We believe the changes that RA is proposing will allow all clubs and RA to work together to develop a high-performance program that ensures a successful future for the sport in Australia – something all rugby fans in the country can be proud of and want to be part of.
“What that looks like in each province could be different, and we have plenty to work through as a group – however, it is an exciting opportunity for the game ahead of some major milestones that we have coming up.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Best team ever…. To have played? These guys are still pressure chokers. Came nowhere when it counted. What a joke
68 Go to commentsMusk defends anonymous terrorism, fascism, threats against individuals and children etc etc But a Rugby club account….lock ‘em up!!!
1 Go to commentsActually the era defining moment came a few years earlier. February 2002 to be precise, when Michael D Higgins as finance minister at the time introduced his sports persons tax relief bill to the dial. As the politicians of the day stated “It seems to be another daft K Club frolic born in Kildare amongst the well-paid professional jockeys with whom the Minister plays golf” and that the scheme represented “a savage uncaring vision of Ireland and one that should be condemned”. The irfu and Leinster would be nowhere near the position they are in today without this key component of the finances.
2 Go to commentsIt is crystal clear that people who make such threats on line should be tried and imprisoned. Those with responsibility in social media companies who don’t facilitate this should be convicted. In real life, I have free speech to approach someone like Reinach and verbally threaten him. I am risking a conviction or a slap but I could do it. In the old days, If someone anonymously threatened someone by letter the police would ask and use evidence from the postal system. Unlike the Post, social media companies have complete instant and legal access to the content in social media. They make money from the data, billions. Yet, they turn a blind eye to terrorism, Nazi-ism and industrial levels of threats against individuals including their address and childrens schools being published online all from ananoymous accounts not real speech. They claim free speech. The fault is with the perps but also social media companies who think anonymous personas posting death threats constitutes free speech.
2 Go to commentsSo if this ain’t the best Irish team ever then who exactly is? I don’t remember any other Irish team being this good & winning a series in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Yes I may rip them often for 8 X QF RWC exits & twice not even making it to the QF, but they’re a damn good team who many think can only improve, including me!
68 Go to commentsNot a squeek out of Leinster for weeks about this match. So quiet. The first team have been quitely building for this encounter under Nienaber’s direction. All fresh, all highly motivated. They are expecting a season’s best performance from Northhampton. They will match that. They will be fresher and apparently they will have 80,000 out of the 83,000 shouting for them. I do expect Northhampton to turn up big time. Not to be missed. On a tangent it is evident how the loss of a few Premiership teams has in some respect helped other Premiership teams and England. More quality over less teams makes the teams better, which has a knock on effect on England. Not the only factor contributing to England’s rise but one of them.
2 Go to commentsOur very own monster teddy bear Ox😍💪
17 Go to commentsThis is might be the most generalised, entitled, patronising, out-of-pocket cultural indictment on a group of people you’ll ever see on what is supposedly a sports publication. I can only assume the author is weak like a woman or homosexual. I’m feeling an incredible range of emotions but I am not quite sure how to express them. I might go beat up a hockey player - assuming that’s okay with Duane and the boys? 🙂
9 Go to commentsBest thing the Welsh clubs could do is apply to join Gallagher prem surely be more exciting matches for there support than they have now.
2 Go to commentsRugbyPass writers are useless! you guys should get a real job because you all suck at writing about rugby!!!
9 Go to commentslooking forward to RWC2027 …. Boks on mission impossible for the Three-in-a-row, ABs to prove they being on par, France wishing to crown the “DuPont-era”, Ireland knocking on the Semi-Door ….. until then we’ll probably have to deal with Weird Ben’s fantasy-RWC23 (fun fact is, the drivel always creates a flooding of comments) …..
221 Go to commentsBen Smith you really make some good points in this article, the Springboks were not close to perfect and good still beat the All Blacks, imagine if they were as good as they were against France what a hiding the All Blacks would have gotten… maybe another Twickenham drubbing
221 Go to commentsIt is a good argument to keep the Rebels for one more year but also isnt this just opening the door as well for keeping them beyond 2025. If they can create some sort of financial stability in the next year and if their performances lift as they have this season then how would RA even cull them after that? It might be the most cost effective decision at this stage and perhaps many people are guilty of keeping relationships going because of the cost to decouple but then again when does that ever work out well?
28 Go to commentsDear Ben Smith you are a genius! God please become the next all blacks coach that can take on the mighty BOKS. Your rugby acumen is second to none - imagine your dads sperm bounced as unfortunately as that oval ball did….we would not be blessed with your presence. Just as the all blacks were missing a man you too are missing a chromosome for 80% of your life, so your insights are not only profound but ring true from your own experiences. Just as the TMO interfered with citing an illegal pass I am sure your local authorities interfere with your illegal passes you make on women - How dare they!!! God forbid that rugby be officiated fairly. You are the right man for the job. Next all blacks coach is here ladies and gentlemen Miss Ben Smith (He/She/They/IT)
221 Go to commentsHuge engine this guy and great to see him back ..The amount of clean outs he does at the ruck are ridiculous !!
3 Go to commentsThe level of desperation in this article is just embarrassing.
221 Go to commentsSome silly trolling in the comments.
9 Go to commentsEverywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
68 Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
28 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
68 Go to comments