boom tish!

….maybe not.

The new Melbourne Super 15 franchise is in disarray with investors pulling out after failing to agree to terms with the Australian Rugby Union over funding.
Members of the VicSuper15 group, who were involved in the winning bid for the new licence in the expanded 2011 competition, have “ceased negotiations” with the ARU, according to spokesman Ray Evans.
He said the group had European Cup-winning Australian coach Michael Cheika, who is currently with Irish side Leinster, lined up to coach Melbourne, and “possibly (Wallaby skipper) Rocky Elsom” but was unsure if that would now eventuate.
Mining magnate Kevin Maloney, one of the main backers of the franchise, is among investors to walk away saying the operation isn’t viable.
The parties reached an impasse over funding, with the ARU unwilling to match an annual grant of $4.2m to the existing Australian Super sides.
They initially offered A$2.1m which was upped to $3m but members of VicSuper15 say it’s insufficient.
The Melbourne side was set to be the first privately-funded franchise in a departure from traditional state-owned Super rugby teams, however if the ARU runs the team it will put it in a position of conflict of interest with the other state-run sides.
“They won’t provide parity so we’ve basically said it’s not commercial,” Evans said.
“They’re going to set it up now and hope that somebody’s going to pay for it and make money out of it, I don’t know how they’re going to make it work.
“That’s the major sticking point, that they weren’t prepared to provide the same amount of TV rights as the other states.”
Another investor, media buyer Harold Mitchell, is also said to be disillusioned with the ARU offering but is attempting to continue negotiations.
While the ARU will give the franchise a dispensation on the number of foreign players it can recruit, allowing up to 10, it’s understood investors are concerned how they will pay for such players.
They are also wary of other costs such as marketing a new rugby franchise in the AFL heartland.
Evans said the ARU should look at the AFL, who are providing hefty financial and player concessions for the start-up of new franchises Gold Coast and Western Sydney.
“The ARU are trying to get us to start it up without any start-up costs and at a reduced income stream,” Evans said.
Another VicSuper15 spokesman Travis Atkins said investors could be lured back if the ARU came to the table.
“Starting up a new team obviously makes it important that there’s enough funding to do it in terms of support from the governing body as well as private equity, it’s a commercial venture not philanthropy,” he said.

“We want to move forward but under reasonable and rational terms.”
Joining the competition in 2011, the window of opportunity to recruit a top-level coach and first-class players is quickly closing.
“We had a coach lined up, we had Michael Cheika lined up to come from Leinster and probably Rocky Elsom, I don’t know what’s going to happen now,” Evans said.

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The ARU have a special talent of screwing things up. It is going to be a struggle to carve out a niche, yet the ARU wants to make it even harder than it need be. BT Why did I have to find this in a NZ newspaper, why can’t I find it in an Australian one?

Just a thought to leave with you…

A merry Christmas to Roarers near and far, I look forward to maintaining the rage in 2010!!

yes, we have jumped on the bandwagon with ACT for a number of reasons:

1. As “mexicans” we can not support Waratahs and it’s too far to Brisbane. Many of us travel to Canberra each year to support/watch the Brumbies. I know your pubs/clubs appreciate us!

2. Yes, we were hoping to “entice” the Brumbies franchise south after the Force was created. Guilty as charged.

3. The Brumbies have given our junior programs support with regular games (Vic has won 12/14/16 games last two years) and also send coaches down for development camps. Appreciated and acknowledged.

4. Brumbies and ACT club rugby have many ex Vics in their playing ranks as our blokes have left to have a crack at Super 14 rugby. Don’t blame them- oh to be 25 years younger!

By the way Victoria U18s have been accepted into Div 1 in 2010 as you mentioned was on the cards. Having watched the U16 Nationals I understand ACT supporters frustration. Some real talent but not producing under pressure. They were in front at half time in all games- including Sydney Juniors but lost every game.

Mate- I hope we are seeing a changing of the guard in that Vic rugby grows- just hope ACT doesn’t fall over.

Have a good Xmas, look forward to further debates in the New Year!

A 40 year involvement hey, that means you will be well aware of the VRU’s mercenary piggy backing on the ACTRU in collaboration with Brumby Rugby and the ARU over many years, not to mention their covert and unrelenting campaign to poach the Brumby’s to satisfy their somewhat inflated sense of themselves.

Of course they can probably put that one to bed since they now have their own franchise in satisfying their ego. Their ability to glean so much support from the Union community here has certainly paid dividends and I am well aware of the percenatge of Vic Schools rep in the Oz side this year, which is very positive for the game in Australia but how ironic that the ACT GR’s and Schools pedigree is but a distant memory at the same time as Vic’s promise of a burgeoning future in this respect.

In an unprecedented result, there were diddly ACT players selected in the Oz Schools side to tour the UK and Ireland with this number ominously shrinking over the last five years. The ACT Schools side has been finishing bottom and winless in the Nationals for about three years now and will be relegated to the Div Two, mark my words, once Vic and WA are able to offer a stand alone rep side, which is nigh I believe.

I can safely say there is a bit of resentment in these parts towards Vic rugby, however I do not disagree with your sentiments entirely and would hope that any potential in a demographic of 4mill and gowing, in deriving some talent would be forthcoming.

That said, this still pales compared to what this region has contributed to this code over many years and although you probably think this all sounds a little like sour grapes, you may like to put yourself in the ongoing vulnerable shoes of the ACT to appreciate what little future the game now has in this corporately insignificant and always expediently treated little town.

To finish, St Kevins was once a great AFL nursery, my father went there. I went to St Eddies which was a great Union nursery. It would seem we are witnessing a changing of the guard Roscoe.

Cheers and a happy X’y to you and your’s

Re Aussie Rules boys changing to rugby you clearly know nothing about Vic local rugby. In Vic 16s Nankivell and Mathers are both private school boys who have played at TAC U16 level and moved to rugby for it’s physicality and comaraderie. They are currently in UK on Vic Schools U16 tour.

Yes, big PI population in rugby schools but please don’t tell me- a 40 year involvement in Vic rugby- about who plays in Victoria.

Vic pales compared to the ACT in that respect yet these days you would be lucky to find any ACT lads palying in the Oz Schools side and that’s with the Brumby’s presence over more than a decade. A changing of the guard perhaps but I look at those Vic names and can’t help but notice that without exception, they are of PI and Maori heritage. I suppose that this ethnic group is what keeps Union afloat in Oz and with Kiwi migration on the increase, that’s got to be good for the game here long term.

Sportfreak

There is alot of Oz Footy elite talent spread throughout the League hailing from NSW, Qld and the ACT, the latter interestingly enough producing more elite AFL than Union these days. I actually have quite a long and illustrious past in supporting Union however, it is true I do prefer Australian Football. I believe i am consistent in my crit of the top down corporate approach to growth in sport these days whether this be pertaining to Union, League or my beloved Australian Footy and any naming charade such as this is fair game I reckon, since it is part and parcel of a culture I simply feel compelled to challenge..

I think you will find that Union and League are not at all adverse to recruiting athletes from opposing codes also.

Brett, a scholar and a gentleman as always.

Cheers

God knows they are always going on about how they have the best coffee in the country.

And I’m sorry if I’ve come across all school-teachery here, I just hate seeing these discussions turn down the same tiring road all the time. Thankfully, this one’s getting back on track.

Go Rebels!!

So it would be simply “Rebels”.

I’d even keep the same strip they used in the ARC; it’s distinctly Victorian, and was the best strip in the ARC by a considerable distance (though admittedly, it wasn’t a strong field…)

Still trying to work out Republican in his final paragraph..

This Union folly is a top down way of growing codes and is driven purley by a corporate criteria that may or may not work long term. In the interim, to call this team Victorian is simply farcical and nothing but an illusion (ala Force) that some may be willing to swallow, in order to glean any tribalism possible for the game to survive in Melbourne.

Vic – has an established Rugby comp ( albeit amateur), the the top private schools play the game ( these schools are big not necessarily academically the best) and there is a connection with the business community and university system.
How is establishing a rugby team there any different from plonking South Melbourne in Sydney and Fitzroy in QLD. You can’t say that anyone in Sydney new anything about VFL back then.

I am on not denying that the actions of the ARU in recent years have been nothing short of a disgrace ( buying idiots like Rogers) but in growing teams in non-heartland areas is hardly a phenominon secular to rugby!

Melbourne Blue Bloods
Victorian old money
Melbourne w@nk@s
Victorian Tally Hos

There’s nothing wrong with contrary opinions, and the healthy debate that results, but I’m just saying we don’t need to go down to the schoolyard level…