IR ball back in players' hands

Bret Harris | July 15, 2009

Article from: The Australian


PLAYER power is back in Australian rugby.

The new militancy among the players was reflected in two recent events, which at first glance appear totally unrelated, but are in fact intricately intertwined with the potential to shape the direction of the game in this country.

Wallabies inside centre Berrick Barnes' refusal to re-sign with Queensland Reds until he was satisfied with coaching and management changes at the Super 14 team was a classic example of a high-profile player using his influence to bring about reform.

And the Lote Tuqiri affair has galvanised the Rugby Union Players Association.
RUPA announced last Wednesday it was investigating the conduct of the ARU and the NSWRU in the termination of Tuqiri's multi-million-dollar contract for a breach of team protocols.

While the two events are quite separate, they demonstrate a more combative and aggressive stance by players towards officialdom than they have shown in the past two years.

In both instances, players have been prepared to question the wisdom of their union when decisions have had a potential bearing on their incomes and careers.
Barnes is tired of losing. He wants to ensure the Reds do everything they can to ensure the team is competitive and has used his labor as a bargaining tool, and it is a powerful instrument.

If the Reds do not listen to his concerns, especially in relation to the retention and recruitment of players, Barnes has options at the Brumbies, Force and Waratahs.
The loss of Barnes would be crippling for the Reds and he knows it.

Similarly, RUPA is flexing its muscles over the Tuqiri affair.

Whatever the rights or wrongs about the ARU's decision to sack Tuqiri -- which is now heading to court -- the players are acting to ensure the security of their own contracts.

The players are seeking clarity on the issue. Clearly, the ARU's assurances that the Tuqiri issue was dealt with in a "proper manner" have not been enough to ease the players' minds.

If RUPA takes any legal action against the ARU as a result of the investigation, it will place itself in direct conflict with the national union.

This would obviously test the strength of relations between the ARU and the players.

Industrial relations in Australian rugby have been largely harmonious since the bitter dispute over the World Cup participation agreement in 2003, although there have been several isolated incidents of player power.

Player revolts led to the downfall of former Brumbies coach David Nucifora in 2004 and an inquiry into the man-management of Western Force coach John Mitchell this year.

RUPA's investigation into the Tuqiri sacking may lead to nothing, but it has put the ARU on notice that the players are prepared to be engaged in conflict with the national body to protect their interests.

How the ARU and its chief executive, John O'Neill, responds to this new expression of player power will be interesting to see.

O'Neill has never been a great fan of player power on or off the field.

But Australian rugby is entering a phase where the players will be in a strong position at the negotiating table with the ARU and the states.

Most of the Wallabies' contracts with the ARU expire in 2011, the World Cup year. That is a lot of potential bargaining power.

What would happen if the players were unhappy with the administration of the game or the coaching they received when the time comes to renegotiate their contracts en masse?

Instead of one player seeking change at one provincial team, you could have 30 Wallabies united in an effort to bring about change at various levels of the game.
If, like Barnes, the players use their power responsibly, they will have the opportunity to do a lot of good for Australian rugby.

The key will be for the players to recognise what is worth fighting for and what isn't.

* South Africa's selectors brought tighthead prop Jannie du Plessis into the Tri-Nations squad yesterday in the only major change to the squad that defeated the British and Irish Lions 2-1.
Du Plessis will cover captain John Smit, and takes the place of Deon Carstens, who was on the bench during the Lions Tests.
South Africa: A Bekker, B Botha, H Brussow, B du Plessis, J du Plessis, R Kankowski, V Matfield, T Mtawarira, C Ralepelle, D Rossouw, J Smit (c), J Smith, P Spies, J de Villiers, F du Preez, J Fourie, B Habana, A Jacobs, R Januarie, R Pienaar, JP Pietersen, F Steyn, M Steyn
Additional reporting: AP

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html