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Why I'm cancelling my Rebels membership

23rd May, 2017
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The Rebels are a victim of the ARU's failings. (AAP Image/Joe Castro)
Roar Guru
23rd May, 2017
79
1746 Reads

I became a foundation member of the Melbourne Rebels as soon as membership became available, but shortly I will be renouncing it. Here’s why.

The Rebels have an owner. That owner has indicated it will sue the Australian Rugby Union should the Rebels be cut from Super Rugby. I consider the proposition to be outrageous.

No one should own rugby or any part of it. Rugby is something to be enjoyed and treasured. For all but those at the elite level, rugby is a pastime from which no money is earned. People in charge of the administration of rugby at a club, provincial, national and international level have an obligation to run the game for the benefit of all. That has been the case since rugby commenced.

Ownership of a rugby club creates a potential conflict of interest in the owner regardless of how well-intentioned that owner might be.

On the one hand is the obligation to run the game for the benefit of rugby, but on the other hand there is self-interest and profit-making. Such a potential conflict of interest should never be allowed to occur.

What is good for rugby should be the only consideration for an administrator. It follows that ownership of a rugby club should be prohibited.

Tony McGahan Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby Union 2017

(AAP Image/Joe Castro)

The ARU has decided in its wisdom that one Australian Super Rugby team should be removed. I am not here to argue that – suffice to say the head rugby body in the country has said so.

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If that decision is wrong and the board of directors are incompetent, steps can be taken. There are ways and means under the ARU’s constitution to oust the current board and put in place somebody who knows what they are doing. In other words, if the ARU is making stupid decisions, the internal workings of that body allow for constituent members to change things.

That is the way for the Rebels to protect themselves from being removed. If, by a majority of people entitled to vote, a board is elected which does not remove the Rebels, then that is well and good. If that were not to happen, then unfortunately the Rebels must go.

That too would be well and good. I would wish it otherwise, but at the end of the day it is the greater good of Australian rugby that interests me and not any individual club.

Australian rugby has disintegrated to the point where good rugby men and women are contemplating suing other good rugby men and women. The game has reached an all-time low.

That is especially the case when at least one of the purposes of the contemplated court proceedings is, in the words of the Australian’s Wayne Smith, for the ownership group “to recoup the damages caused by the ARU’s bid to axe them.” That should never be something which has an influence on the game we all love.

It is for these reasons that the Rebels have just lost a member.

Ownership of rugby and court proceedings are alien to the best interests of rugby. I hope the ARU takes heed and never allows private ownership again.

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