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Meanwhile, NSW Rugby Union officials have stressed that no third-party deals were involved in Berrick Barnes’s move from the Queensland Reds to the Waratahs next season.
‘‘There were definitely no third-party deals,’’ NSWRU chief executive Jim L’Estrange said yesterday.
L’Estrange said the CEOs from the four Australian provinces had recently held a meeting at which third-party deals were discussed.
‘‘All the CEOs wrote a paper about what they thought about third-party deals, and how we think it should work,’’ L’Estrange said.
‘‘We have talked about whether it should or shouldn’t exist. We know it will probably have to exist, but certain protocol has to be enforced. We are waiting for a paper from the Australian Rugby Union in regards to that, and will probably discuss it at our next CEOs meeting in a few weeks. But in the case of Berrick, ours is a rugby offer.’’
L’Estrange added that the NSWRU anticipated a loss of $250,000 to $300,000 for its financial year, which ends on December 31. This would be the third year in a row in which the NSWRU will record a loss, after earlier in the decade regularly recording million-dollar profits.
The slide has prompted the NSWRU to dramatically tighten its financial belt.
‘‘Membership and ticketing were down a little bit last season, and that has an effect,’’ L’Estrange said.
‘‘We’ve gone to the players and the staff, and they’ve done things like taking leave without pay. We’ve gone to all the stakeholders as well, and they’ve taken a haircut as well. We’ve gone back to the premiership clubs, country and subbies and said that we all have to be part of this.’’
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