To jocular Wallaby Berrick Barnes and many fans, the Brumbies will start 2010 as the “Real Madrid” of rugby union’s Super 14 competition.

Powered by the recruitment of international superstars Matt Giteau and Rocky Elsom, the Canberra-based outfit will be laden with Australian Test players.

In fact the Brumbies’ 2010 squad will contain 13 men on Australian Rugby Union contracts, boosted from nine this year, and the most of any of the four Super 14 provinces.

The NSW Waratahs, the “Manchester United” to the Brumbies’ “Los Galacticos”, will have a neat dozen on ARU top-up funds, even with the controversially axed Lote Tuqiri and NRL-bound Timana Tahu no longer on the national payroll.

ARU top-up money – generally spent on 36-39 of the country’s most valuable players to keep them Down Under, in addition to their base Super 14 contracts – significantly assists the provinces financially in retaining their stars.

But while the Brumbies and Waratahs almost have a full team each on ARU deals, the Western Force (8) and Queensland Reds (4) will be the poor cousins for established talent in 2010.

Canny playmaker Barnes’ ultimate defection to NSW left the hapless Reds with their lowest number since the game went professional in 1996.

On paper, the numbers – which the ARU and one province refused to officially divulge – appear to be a dangerous imbalance, prompting an argument more should be done to spread the talent evenly across the country.

Easy to say, but difficult to do, according to former ARU high-performance manager Pat Howard.

Howard, who held the key player retention post in 2007 and 2008, said the contracting system was devoid of state interests as the national body focused on locking up the top two or three players in each position.

Compared to the salary cap systems of the AFL and NRL, the unique ARU system allows top players to choose their domestic team largely for rugby reasons rather than financial ones.

“I know it may seem unfair (at present) but it’s only a snapshot in time,” Howard told AAP. “There are plenty of top-up players who can’t make the (Wallabies squad), and Lote Tuqiri was a great example of that.

“That imbalance has existed in different ways in previous times.

“For mine, I think (provinces) have to get their rugby program right.

“Ultimately people (move teams) for opportunity.

“My feeling is, as a player you would rather be in a starting team playing against Matt Giteau rather than being on the bench behind him.”

Giteau’s return home from the Force and the Brumbies’ unexpected Elsom pick-up ahead of NSW and Queensland significantly helped to lift the Canberra side’s title hopes as well as their ability to keep their existing talent.

Barnes’ light-hearted June jibe that “they are Real Madrid down there” brought a smile but not much laughter from Brumbies officials.

In fact, they are quick to point out they are the smallest of the four unions. And nothing like Real Madrid.

“It’s nothing but funny,” chief executive Andrew Fagan said. “We’ve obviously got a few big-name players.

“All of that is built off the result of having a good program but the reality is we’re `little old Canberra’ just minding our business.

“We’d like to have the money of Real Madrid but these players aren’t being bought with millions of dollars, they are being encouraged to come here through the IP (intellectual property) and hopefully the promise of an enjoyable time of playing footy with a lot of great mates.”

Howard praised the 2001 and 2004 champions’ outstanding culture in rebounding from a difficult period when the Force, helped by huge third-party deals from corporate backers, lured several stars west.

When the Force kicked off in 2006 the writing was seemingly on the wall for the Brumbies, who didn’t have the junior talent of the traditional states nor the corporate dollars of the Perth franchise.

It is almost ironic now that Fagan cautions that any move to evenly spread Test players would short-suit Australian rugby.

“When we look at the last few years in Australia the four Australian sides have under-achieved,” he said. “I think if you look to spread talent around we will under-achieve to a greater extent, which I don’t think is a positive thing for Australian rugby.

“The movement of players from province to province primarily occurs without any material financial incentive so, to that extent, the players are where they are because it’s the best place for them to play rugby.

“I think it would be a concern if it were the rich clubs which had the majority of those players.”

But the current situation does further increase the challenge for the struggling Reds, who have remained mired in the bottom three of Super rugby since 2004.

Queensland coach Phil Mooney doesn’t blame the system but believes it would be fair to see a transfer fee policy introduced to ensure the traditional states are reimbursed for developing top talent that leaves in search of opportunity.

Mooney is banking on breaking the spiral with a new recruitment and retention panel boasting former Test greats Tim Horan, Daniel Herbert and Dan Crowley.

“We’re going to be far more strategic and be better with our recruiting and we’ve identified that as an area moving forward,” Mooney said. “It can be a point of difference.

“It all goes in cycles.”

But, for the embattled Reds, it is fortunate there’s no soccer-like relegation system that will prevent them from attempting to turn the cycle around in 2010, or more realistically 2011.

THE SPREAD OF PLAYERS ON ARU CONTRACTS ACROSS THE FOUR SUPER 14 TEAMS
In 2010:
Brumbies 13
NSW Waratahs 12
Western Force 8
Queensland Reds 4

In 2009:
NSW Waratahs 14
Brumbies 9
Western Force 8
Queensland Reds 6

© AAP 2012

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