Brumbies in line for big payday if Monaco sevens comp gets the nod

[mudskipper]

08 Nov


THE ACT Brumbies could get a chance to play for $1million if a new competition between the world's best clubs and provinces goes ahead in Monaco next year.
Prince AlbertII of Monaco will attempt to lure the top rugby teams from different countries for a weekend Sevens tournament in June or July next year.

The Sunday Canberra Times understands the Brumbies have been invited to play in the competition.

No other team from Australia the NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds or Western Force was offered a place in the tournament.

If it is approved, the Brumbies will join reigning Super14 champions the Pretoria Bulls from South Africa and New Zealand's Waikato Chiefs.

Former Brumby George Gregan's Japanese club Suntory has also been invited and so has English side Leicester.

Prince AlbertII had originally hoped to attract the eight best teams for a 15-a-side tournament.

But it is understood the format will be changed to seven-a-side with 10-12 teams competing.

The decision to use the smaller version of the game was made after the IOC decided to allow rugby sevens to be played at the 2016 Olympic Games.

If the format is changed to sevens, the Brumbies could hold a distinct advantage over their opponents with six players already in the Australian sevens team.

However, the weekend is likely to clash with the Wallabies' Test against Fiji at Canberra Stadium on June5.


http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...d/1670997.aspx

[TOCC]

well the ARU wont be releasing their players

[Sheikh]

I wonder if this'll get further than the Singapore competition (2008?) I think the teams were the Force, Toulouse, Leicester & Munster. Nice end of season tour. What will the Shute Shield clubs think with their Brumby players off for an extra 2-3 weeks?

[GIGS20]

Let it happen, it doesn't mean anything anyway.

[James]

Suntory? I thought they said they were going to ask the 'best' teams? Brumbies? Ditto.

[GIGS20]

Not about the best teams, it's about getting the biggest names in rugby on the park.....In theory it sounds like a good idea, the problem is the biggest names will all be on national duty or their enforced rest and therefore will not be playing.

[AndyS]

I am surprised it happened so quickly, but it is probably inevitable that these things will spring up now that 7s is an Olympic sport. In the absence of other mechanisms, this sort of thing will probably become the defacto selection trials for the national team (who would hardly mind - imagine all the destinations and funded travel!). But whilst the might initially want some recognisable names, it will very quickly become about winning. Win often enough and they'll become names, make money and put themselves in the frame for the Games. Frankly, I could ultimately see it becoming the most global form of the sport.

[Burgs]

I wonder, with the new mentioned profile of the variation, how Tournaments will be viewed in terms of contracts and manditory rest periods.
Will a sevens tournament count as a the same as a single 15's match, 1.5x, 0.75x etc.
Maybe it won't count at all and you will see it left to the individual to nominate their fitness and availability.
Interesting times ahead.

[AndyS]

Tournament played over a weekend, therefore = one 15s match. What will be more interesting will be how the Super teams view it - do they allow players to bugger off after S15 and plays 7s until the following season, is it just a development tool, etc.

[TOCC]

its probably up to RUPA to determine those sorts of things

[Stone Cold]

not too many 7s guys in the wallabies anyway is there?