Australian Rugby Union approve changes to player contracting

8/28/2014
By ARU Media Unit


The Australian Rugby Union today announced significant changes to its player contracting protocols in a move that will help retain Australia’s best Rugby talent.

The changes were approved by the ARU Board on Monday this week and will see the introduction of ‘flexible contracts’ for a select number of players who commit their future to Australian Rugby on long term-deals.

From 2016, the ARU will have the ability to offer players the opportunity to play one season in a foreign domestic competition during the course of a long-term contract with Australian Rugby.

In addition, players who represent Australia in Rugby Sevens at the 2016 Olympics will be granted permission to play the 2016/17 Japanese domestic season without affecting their eligibility for the Qantas Wallabies upon their return in 2017.

Flexible contracts allow the ARU and Super Rugby provinces to reward players deemed to be making a significant contribution to Rugby in Australia.

Nationally Contracted Players – The ARU will exclusively manage the number of flexible contracts it negotiates with Nationally Contracted Players to ensure the pool of players available for Test selection is sufficiently strong each year.

Non-Nationally Contracted Players – Each Super Rugby team will be permitted one flexible contract per season for non-Nationally Contracted players.

ARU CEO Bill Pulver said the new policy will help retain players in the country long-term.

“We’ve recognised that in the context of an increasingly global market for Rugby players that we need to take a more flexible approach to player contracting,” Mr Pulver said.

“As such, we need to be proactive and adapt our policies to best serve the interests of Rugby in Australia.

“By adopting a flexible contracting model, we’re creating a platform for our players to experience what Rugby has to offer in Australia and abroad, all while maintaining their allegiance to Australian Rugby over a long-term period.

“We’re confident this flexibility will encourage players to make significant long-term commitments to Australian Rugby and help us to minimise the number of players who permanently re-locate to foreign leagues.

“Decisions regarding all flexible contracts will be made on a case-by-case basis, understanding that our key priority remains that the Qantas Wallabies and Super Rugby provinces to have a strong and deep playing pool of talent available each year.”

The changes follow recommendations made by Australian Rugby’s Player Contracting Working Group which has been reviewing all elements of player contracting in Australia.

None of the changes will alter Australian Rugby’s policy that only players who are playing in Australia will be eligible to play for the Qantas Wallabies.

It does however provide greater flexibility in the contracting process by allowing select players the opportunity to become eligible for Test representation at different points of the year.

Previously, players were not eligible to represent the Qantas Wallabies unless they were registered in Australia at the start of the Super Rugby season, and were available for selection in a full domestic season throughout the course of the year.

Two examples of how a flexible contract may apply over the course of a three year deal are below.




Australia - Provincial

Test Rugby

Overseas (Japan)


2016

Full season of Super Rugby, including Finals.

Eligible for Qantas Wallabies selection during the June Test Window.

Participates in the Japanese domestic competition following Super Rugby.


2017

Returns to Super Rugby in April/May, also includes eligibility for Super Rugby Finals.

Eligible for all Qantas Wallabies Test matches.

N/A


2018

Full season of Super Rugby, including Finals.

Eligible for all Qantas Wallabies Test matches.

N/A







Australia - Provincial

Test Rugby

Overseas (France)


2016

Full season of Super Rugby, including Finals.

Eligible for Qantas Wallabies selection during the June Test Window.

Participates in the French domestic competition following Super Rugby.


2017

Returns to Australia midway through the year and, following a rest period, will not eligible for Super Rugby in 2017.

Eligible for Qantas Wallabies selection during the Rugby Championship and Spring Tour.

N/A


2018

Full season of Super Rugby, including Finals.

Eligible for all Qantas Wallabies Test matches.

N/A

http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsArt...ntracting.aspx

Wonder what this means for cummins. Can this be applied retrospectively?

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Originally Posted by jono

Wonder what this means for cummins. Can this be applied retrospectively?

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I wouldn't have thought so.

Yeah I doubt it as well. Means the ARU would have to back pay him.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jono

Yeah I doubt it as well. Means the ARU would have to back pay him.

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Given he has been released from his contract that would be the case, his old contract has effectively been torn up.

Should change his name by deed poll to Izzy Beale or something - pretty sure the ARU would move heaven and earth then to come up with an answer.

Since Billy Pulver mentioned Nick's name twice on the rugby club tonight, I would think that this DOES have a certain amount of Nicky written on it.

As a matter of fact, Mark Sinderberry should be ringing the mighty badge tonight and offering him the Force's first flexible rugby contract.(he might even be able to negotiate it so that nick can play in Japan next year as well)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GIGS20

Since Billy Pulver mentioned Nick's name twice on the rugby club tonight, I would think that this DOES have a certain amount of Nicky written on it.

As a matter of fact, Mark Sinderberry should be ringing the mighty badge tonight and offering him the Force's first flexible rugby contract.(he might even be able to negotiate it so that nick can play in Japan next year as well)

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If you recall when Nick left, and when asked about returning the Force, his one constant was that "the fat lady hasn't sung yet", not sure that Pulver is that fat lady, but it is certainly the tune Nick was hoping to hear :approve:

Info from HQ is that only Wallabies contracted players can utilise the, HB is not one of those. He would have to return to a Wallabies contract before he could exercise the option to play under a flexible agreement.

Non-Nationally Contracted Players – Each Super Rugby team will be permitted one flexible contract per season for non-Nationally Contracted players.

I thought that meant a club could do that for a non-wallaby contract player...

Gotta be here first to take up the opportunity. He's there, not here :S

your comment said "Only Wallabies contracted players are eligible". That is not what Non-Nationally Contracted Players would be referring to.

Based on the wording in the article, I think I'm going along the same line as Palitu.

There would be nothing to stop Nick Cummins coming back to Australia by signing on as a non-nationally contracted player?

If he has to be playing here before signing the contract, make 2015 a one year contract and re-sign into the sabbatical contract, that was close to what I was thinking when I suggested he could have another off-season in Japan.