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THE 12 Sydney premiership rugby clubs have sent a strongly worded letter to the Australian Rugby Union voicing their opposition at the cash-strapped organisation cutting all their funding for next season.
A copy of the letter addressed to ARU chairman Michael Hawker from the members of the Sydney Rugby Union has been obtained by The Daily Telegraph.
“The perception is that the ARU has abandoned Community Rugby, electing not to fund grassroots rugby while continually introducing new programs requiring a substantial commitment of time, resources and funding from the participants,” the letter states.
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/f...-1227123554084
This just confirms that we have a flawed system.
The ARU make available something like $1.5 million per year for huge top-ups to players such as Cooper, Folau and Hunt yet cut funding to rugby at the 3rd tier level in heartlands. This $1.5 million could go a long way in club rugby.
oh dear,what a pity![]()
Don't worry about those fuckers the ARU should be more concerned about the levy each and every player in AUS has to stump up. Have heard it's 70 bucks each just to register over and above the insurance levy. Take the playing kit and normal club fee's into account and the game is rapidly becoming very expensive.
Have also heard the ARU are sailing very very close to the wind.
Wests Scarborough 1st Grade juggernaut has played finals rugby each and every year since its inception and continues this remarkable feat yet again this season and unbelievably it's still rolling on and as an added little circle jerk for the masses Wests actually hold the record for the current longest unbroken finals record.
Yes, but will they also have to pay the levy the ARU imposed on each player they field, like WA and the other states will be required to?
What was it going to be when they first announced it earlier this year? Ten dollars per player? They couldn't conceivably impose more without a national club revolt, could they?
And what's this I hear about a begging letter doing the rounds from the Australian Schoolboys head honcho, asking for money so they can field a team that can travel to compete, without having to beg for billets, because ARU won't fund them?
$70!!
Westie, say it ain't so!!
Player fees will have to be close to $500 each for the clubs to barely recover their costs!
Yet ARU can afford to employ any number of unqualified numpties, just because.
Having a conversation with yourself is not a good sign ....
This has all the hallmarks for the foundations of an Eureka Stockade movement in the rugby world.
I seem to recall that was lead by an Italian and an Irishman.
Any of you guys Irish?
This is hardly a winning move nor is it likely to be very popular
The upside.....clubs can be more proactive on raising their own funds rather than sticking their hands out. There is an opportunity to bring clubs closer together in a more connected way.
It is a sign that the ARU is on death row and could go t1ts up.
They are not thinking beyond existing paradigms.
There must be ways of bringing more world class rugby to Australia. There must be a way of attracting better sponsorship.
There must be a way of building the Australian rugby brand in Asia. There are potentially millions of buyers of ARU merchandise, paraphenalia, memberships, test tickets, tour groups.........we need to get the blinkers off and adapt to a changing world and tap into new markets.
Controversy corner
Wests Scarborough 1st Grade juggernaut has played finals rugby each and every year since its inception and continues this remarkable feat yet again this season and unbelievably it's still rolling on and as an added little circle jerk for the masses Wests actually hold the record for the current longest unbroken finals record.