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SYDNEY clubs have lobbied the ARU and RUPA to intervene over the Brumbies and Western Force's decision to make their squad members play in local ACT and WA rugby, saying it is a "restriction of trade''.
The controversial edicts are the hottest talking points in club-land this year, with many top clubs - and the players affected - far from happy.
Instead of returning to Shute Shield clubs during the June Test window - and after Super Rugby finishes in August - Brumbies and Force stars such as Dan Palmer (Souths), Brett Sheehan (Warringah) and Matt Toomua (Easts) will have to find local clubs.
"It's a concern to us,'' NSW Rugby executive director Bruce Worboys said. "A guy like Ben Hand has played his whole life with Eastwood, since he six. Now he has to change clubs.''
Asked about the local club edict, Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said this week he was okay with it because it would force players to become leaders.
But Worboys hopes the reality of ACT and Perth club rugby's quality will ultimately see the decision reversed.
"It's happened in the past and they find the standard is not good enough to go get someone and throw them into Super Rugby.
"You want a player ready for Super Rugby, you don't find him in Jindabyne or ..... "
Worboys said Force and Brumbies players should have non-playing connections to local clubs and still return to Shute Shield. Rebels players will be free to return to Sydney University. Oh, and other clubs as well.
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http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226279892777
From the same article
STILL on Melbourne, could it be true that one new recruit with a self-hyped brand, when asked to address his teammates on arrival, told them he looked forward to "taking them to all to a new level''?
So are they asking for intervention on a legal or moral basis?
I would consider part of being picked up for a Super rugby team (contract depending) is that you play where and when your side wants you too, as an employee, and that would be wherever the Force thinks they need you to make the team more successful in the end, whether through growing local support, playing in a 'more advanced' competition or developing the local competition.
I mean, we'd be upset if we had homegrown players coming back here to play and then they had to go off and play with their 'local' team in another state - but it's not really much of a complaint, is it?
"You want a player ready for Super Rugby, you don't find him in Jindabyne or ..... " Sydney.
What you get, regardless of where you get him, is a player that needs two years of fitness, speed and skills training to turn him from a talented amateur to a professional rugby player that might be good enough. Only NZ gets players ready for Super rugby from their clubs....just lucky, I guess.
Sydney clubs can HTFU and support a national second tier competition if they truly wish to have players ready for Super Rugby.
coz Stone Cold says so
i think that the rabbit quote was probably more along the lines of 'us getting to a new level, and im happy to be here with you'.
I prefer the one where he sounds like a douche-bag.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
It's the more believable too!
C'mon the![]()
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Maybe, but who would tell a journo that and why would he care? It was either told to him as a funny story and is true, or someone has embellished it and Rabbit has someone white-anting him, or the journo interpreted it creatively and is gunning for him. Any which way, the Rebs perhaps have a minor issue.
out of curiousity, do super rugby player get paid to play in Sydney club?
they may get appearance fees but im not sure... good question
In other news Sydney clubs demand that every Australian super rugby team needs to start paying for the privilege of stealing players that they have developed. Executive president Bruce the Wobbygong told us “It’s about time the Australian Rugby community understood that Sydney is the home of rugby in Australia and as such they should be paying us for lending them our players.” Mr the Wobbygong, who was in town to hit up ARU CEO John O’Neill for another loan to prop up the financial destitute Sydney clubs, was heard to comment “It’s bad enough that those bloody Queenslanders think they can keep our players without those upstarts from the West trying to be a third wheel”
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