Pulver's strategic plan is his change to fund rugby properly

I'm not sure about this. I grew up playing in the eastern suburbs and Randwick and Easts put a lot of effort into providing assistance to these clubs in terms of cash, in kind contributions and sending coaches.

Whether Pulver is paying too much to his executives would take a lot more digging and comparison of what they do. I'm sure much of those wages go to regional support teams in the States. Rugby is growing in Australia and Pulver is investing. I attended the Rebels preseason game against Samoa. We have got to this stage in a city that loves sport. They are a growing team and that investment by the ARU will pay off in the long term l.

The NRC could and should become the National competition and Shute Shield teams have been invited to take part in franchises. Shute Shield thinks it's the NRL but it lacks... everything the NRL has including fans and financing. Should the NRC include more Sydney teams? Yes. In the future. Adelaide is a prospect. Shute Shield is trying to pretend it's two things: grassroots and better than the NRC. It cannot be both.

Sorry concerned supporter but when players are getting paid you have trouble claiming it's not 'elite' or trying to be. Below Super level only NRC players should see wages.

I believe Pulver has it right though. He is not just funding academies but all of junior level rugby so kids see it as a real option. The Shute Shield will not need handouts when junior and professional rugby are thriving.

Some prominent names in New Zealand Rugby also agree with TWAS. I am from Waikato and have met Matthew Cooper numerous times as a fan. He is now head of Sport Waikato and in the following article written yesterday he basically agrees academies are important but that they must not be taken too far. It's a fascinating read btw: PRO RUGBY LIMITING CHILDREN This year's new-look Super Rugby competition is about to kick off and while some have been critical of the expansion to 18 teams, Cooper's focus is instead on the next generation of young Kiwi sports people. He's worried the academies set up to identify future rugby stars may be going a step too far to lock in the talent at such as early age. And it's probably a theme he's recognised through his work as chief executive officer at Sport Waikato. "Professional sport is part of New Zealand but the big challenge for me is the amount of emphasis placed on it from some of our schools towards [sport] academies. "We're dropped the age for a child to join academies to quite a low level. And it's almost like we're working on young minds, telling them that they have to start training as young as 13 or 14 if they want to be a professional rugby player." Cooper says only about 2 per cent will make it through to play professional rugby in New Zealand. "That's not a lot and I'm concerned there's too much emphasis on a younger child, in terms of targeting them to play one sport, like rugby. "I do have some fundamental issues about a single sport trying to take ownership of a young person for a single calendar year. "My interpretation is that kids should be trying lots of sports and having fun but they're being told to make a decision [to stay playing rugby] at age 13 or 14 because of the identification process." Cooper says it leaves no room for young people, like himself, who may be "late bloomers" in a particular sport. "I didn't get recognised in the Hawke's Bay [rugby] system until I was about 16 or 17, and then nationally not until I was about 19 or 20. But I ended up playing 20-plus games for the All Blacks, about 60 for Hawke's Bay and 124 for Waikato. "I would hate to think that you may have someone who starts to excel physically and mentally at the age of 18 but because he wasn't identified in the system four years earlier, he misses out. "Maybe that's just the way things are but we need to make sure there is a process to identify those who develop later in life and that they're not missed out." http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/76725199/shift-south-to-highlanders-reinvigorated-matthew-coopers-career

Interesting article written by Fergus Slattery that you will agree with Train. http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/fergus-slattery-survival-of-amateur-rugby-is-a-real-concern-1.2542698

TWAS, I cannot help it if you dont understand Financial Statements. Are you deliberately being evasive or ignorant? As posted on the Spiro Zavos/ Bob Dwyer thread, (Rebel said | February 20th 2016 @ 6:30am | Report comment "Every comment? Yeah nah The other poster picked you like a dirty nose. Looking forward to spotting the contradictions that lay ahead."0 Reply

TWAS - just to confirm that in Perth, non-selected Western Force players (including those from the Extended Playing Squad and Academy/Future Force) play in the Pindan Premier Grade.

TWAS, Please try and understand the ARU paid, NOT LENT the Wages & Salaries of the MRRU & or ARF..It is not repayable.It was claimed as an EXPENSE. You are always ducking & diving. Michael Cheika's Salary - "WALLABIES TEAM COSTS" $5,853 million. You missed or ignored that the ARF was established in 2014 to DRIVE GREATER INVESTMENT IN GRASS ROOTS RUGBY TO THE ELITE!!!!!!!!.Shute Shield rugby is NOT the ELITE. Signed off on 24/03.2015 by M.Hawker Director & W.Pulver Director. Hopefully Brett Papworth and Bob Dywer are informed of this ARU faux pas.

No worries tell meTWAS where the nsw academies are so I can watch players in the gym and doing their beep tests. Id rather watch local talent playmate in the Shute .

TWAS, This is a disgrace, TOTAL WAGES & SALARIES = $23.6 Million + Super Parent Entity = $16.3 Million + Super DIFFERENCE $7.3 Million + Super ????????? This $7.3 Million represents "Wages & Salaries paid to Employees of wait for it........... "MRRU" Melbourne Rebels Rugby Union Ltd.OR maybe the new ARF. Now, Quoting directly from the ARU Annual Report: DIRECTORS REPORT -5. Review of Operations (page 5 of annual report) "During 2014, the Australian rugby Foundation Ltd (ARF) was established as the National Foundation for Australian Rugby.The PURPOSE of this entity is TO DRIVE GREATER INVESTMENT IN RUGBY FROM THE GRASS ROOTS TO THE ELITE and engaging with Australian Rugby's supporters around the globe. Yes, the ARU directors established the"ARF" to drive greater investment in grass roots rugby to the ELITE. "The financial results of MRRU & ARF have been consolidated with the company." Read it for yourself http://www.rugby.com.au/annualreport/2014/ SMOKE & MIRRORS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Agreed ???????????? Wrong again TWAS ARU Annual Report 2014 (Latest available) $ Wages & Salaries 23,669,000 Superannuation 1,872,000 Total 25,541,000 Now compare this $25 Million with Community Rugby $4,372,000. Proportionate with the health of Rugby in Australia? Did the $4,372,000 include 2014 SS grants of $28,000 per club? I dont know.

Agreed