Australia A will not compete in next year’s Pacific Nations Cup, the Australian Rugby Union has announced. The ARU board announced on Wednesday a “strategic decision” to pull out of the competition amidst the current economic environment.
Australia A finished second in the past two years of the tournament, which has given fringe players a chance to stake their claims for Wallabies selection.
The ARU said in a statement today: “There are alternative playing options for fringe Wallabies currently under consideration.”
The ARU also announced it would suspend the 2009 Australian Rugby Shield, a round robin tournament involving teams from Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory, NSW Country and Queensland Country.
Despite the global economic crisis, the ARU said it would still deliver full core funding to its state affiliates next year.
The ARU said it would “continue rolling out almost $8 million in allocations for grassroots development nationwide in 2009, on top of more than $17 million in Super 14 grants.”
Midfielder
Guest
Gotta give it to RU board they love their little brother RL .... the RL WC was a greater than expected ... why because of the Pacific nations teams putting their hearts and souls into it thus providing RL with a sellable future series. Meaning increasing revenue and playing in the October / November period (get it a RU international window... is the message getting tho). Perhaps the dumbest decision made in living memory .. I challenge anyone to nominate a dumber decision .. aside from those who wanted to give Alan Jones the coaching job before Deans came along ... Sorry at least the old NSL management was corrupt and lined their own pockets with their decision making ... but this takes the cake and if different people were involved you could assume a bribe from RL to make such a decision ... but I think not a bribe from RL just a dumb decision from a a disconnected from grass roots park rugby board.
Westy
Guest
For all the defects of the RLWC one thing the leaguies got right was there idea to run a regular funded Pacific nations Cup the winner of which would play in a four way playoff with NZ/ AUST/ENG. Take place every two years . The Pacific is ours but we must not take it for granted. There was a time when Samoa threatened Wales and Scotland but starve it of funds and it is hard to compete. We needed these teams for our first World Cup . They are due some recompense. On the recent SH teams tour of NH I understand that the requirement of NH countries for 4 games one more than the IRB requirement saw the NH countries paying a share of the gate for the extra game to AUS/NZ and SA as compensation . Pacific Islands team got nothing. Way to grow the game. Make sure the richest SH teams get all the money. FIFA would have made them pay the developing nations. Do you think it would be possible Southern Districts could get its front row back to play a few club games.? What are the alternative playing options for fringe Wallaby players.........playing a few club games would be a step in the right direction.
bozo
Guest
On checking the ARU website for the press release about pulling the funding for Australia A, at least two jokes were apparent. The first was that financial support for 'grass roots" rugby would be maintained, which means another year without genuine support for junior club rugby. The second was that there is now a Super 14 "merit" pool of referees, comprised of 9, 4 of whom are from South Africa, 3 from Ausrtralia and 2 from New Zealand. Who make these decisions?
Central North
Guest
There's got to be more to this. I'm not one for throwing good money after bad, and I could understand if they canned it after 2007 (which suffered from an Australian perspective as a result of early lopsided results to Aus A, then a thumping from the JAB's, then a draw away to Fiji).. but after '08, with the competition seemingly having genuine developmental benefits for the Wallabies, surely it was worth the cash???
The Link
Guest
What other competitions are the ARU going to pull out of / dismantle? This announcement raises more questions than it answers. So much for JON steadying the ship.
Chris Ash, syd - Aust
Guest
why not just have a tri nations A games. use emerging Sth Africa, Junior All Black and Aust A play before the main games. save on time and logistics while blooding new talent.
Chris Ash, syd - Aust
Guest
this is pretty sad. Also i'd love to hear about thes "There are alternative playing options for fringe Wallabies currently under consideration"
The Link
Guest
This is a huge decision and a big blow to Australia's support of Rugby in the South Pacific. Why not call a spade a spade and say they can't afford it, rather than call it (quote) 'a strategic decision' Kinda smacks of the media spin we saw from the ARU in announcing its $8mill loss, masking it with some hype about private investors into the S14 sides, well look how far that's come.
Craig
Guest
Another brain wave from the ARU. After deciding that the ARC was no good, they then remove the path for players to be tested above s14 other than the wallabies. Where do they think the new blood will get their opportunities!!! Gallop must love seeing this stuff. I know I would if I was in his shoes! These games providied the chance to take top class rugby to non rugby strong holds (not that the brains at Fort Fumble did that) There can be no justification for this as Australia does not have enough player depth not to play these games. Can the last person to leave please turn off the light! If these are the desicions of rugby great saviors then the game is finished....