Rugby Australia is hopeful of reaching an agreement with the players’ association following talks with RUPA amid the coronavirus-enforced suspension of play.
Wallabies legend Tim Horan has offered up his five-point plan to save Australian rugby as the stalemate between Rugby Australia and the players’ association over wage negotiations continues.
The two parties again failed to reach an agreement after crisis talks on Saturday, raising fears that the financially stricken Super Rugby clubs will follow through on threats to stand down players.
RA powerbrokers including embattled chief executive Raelene Castle met with RUPA representatives to discuss the extent of players’ pay reductions following the suspension of Super Rugby because of the coronavirus pandemic.
While no there was no resolution to the fortnight-long saga, the governing body emerged from dealings optimistic that a compromise could be reached before the end of Easter.
“Rugby Australia believes that progress was made and that both parties will continue negotiations in good faith for the good of the game,” RA said in a statement.
“The meeting was finalised early this afternoon and both parties have gone away to consider their position in anticipation of talks continuing over the Easter weekend.
“Rugby Australia is doing everything it can to enable an outcome that will provide short-term financial certainty and enable the game to emerge from this global health and economic crisis and continue to serve the 900-plus rugby clubs in communities across the country.”
Saturday’s talks were postponed from Thursday due to an RA director being ill.
RA had asked the players to take a 65 per cent pay cut until the end of September, but that proposal was rejected by RUPA last week when Castle herself only accepted a 50 per cent cut.
Castle has reportedly since agreed to a 65 per cent cut of her $800,000-plus salary, saying “it’s the right thing to do”.
But while the players are said to be willing to take a hip-pocket hit during the COVID-19 shutdown, they’ve questioned why their financial sacrifices must be for six months when Super Rugby may resume well before that.
The cash-strapped governing body last week stood down 75 per cent of their non-player workforce after announcing a $9.4 million loss in 2019 and is facing a catastrophic $120 million shortfall if no Super Rugby or Tests are played this year.
Horan says “for Australian rugby to move forward” RA and RUPA must first settle their pay dispute.
The two-time World Cup winner took to Twitter to recommend that, secondly, Rugby Australia must seek a loan from the Australian government in order to work its way out of financial peril.
Thirdly, he wants a ten-to-12-week domestic competition featuring the NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds, ACT Brumbies, Melbourne Rebels as well as Super Rugby rejects the Western Force and the Japan-based Sunwolves.
Horan also proposes Castle restart broadcast negotiations after RA rejected Foxtel to now-infamously “test the market” on TV rights and was then unable to secure a new broadcast partner.
As passionate a rugby lover as they come, Horan’s fifth and final suggestion was for Australia to look long term and to tap into the lucrative Asian market long term rather than persist with aligning itself with South Africa and Argentina and their unfavourable time zones.
“Super Rugby will look very different in the next five years,” he said on Fox Sports.
“I think it’s probably got to be an Asian-Pacific type model – Australia, New Zealand and allow Japan to stay in the model.
“Then you look at Fiji, Samoa, Tonga.”
Muglair
Roar Rookie
Totally different situations although if you know anyone at the Force you might ask them how easy it was to round up support to oppose RA. This is why the unions and states cannot challenge RA Board and management. I thought WA went into administration after being cut? It is important to understand the difference. If RA goes into administration then it will likely go into a Deed of Company Arrangement (DOCA) which leaves it with the same constitution, same board, same management but with its debts cleared. The same people will survive, blame Folau and COVID 19 for everything, and just keep doing the same thing. RA must be liquidated, the organisation dies and a new one started to take its place.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
It’s a good point, but public backlash against bailing out rugby, particularly when it’s associated with more affluent classes, will make it too hard for government - objections over the precedent set and where to draw the line will be too strong. Could only work out if there was some huge bailout fund available to all sports, a bit like they are now doing with universities. But again, hard to privilege sports over others.
Lara
Guest
NZ have their own internal comp....provincial rugby, the same goes for SA, they can stand alone n survive. Oz demographics are different, because of competition from other sports internal. If places like Singapore, Hong Kong n Japan to a lesser degree can be brought into the fold, remember both Singapore n Hong Kong have a large number of expats n know rugby eg 7’s , plus the travelling can be done in a 3 week period n they are close enough.The big plus regarding these countries, they have a population n funds to inject into the system. The level of play would mean they can compete . Asian n Oz rugby can grow n benefit together. Having a Knock out final with the South Pacific countries would create in interest n the SP can also showcase their best team n players.
robel
Roar Pro
Rugby WA unfortunately "signed up" to a form of administration you are suggesting and then subsequently were knifed in the back within months. The Force axed and WA community share of the moneys, already the lowest share in Aust was reduced to around $50k/ ~1/4 of what Tas/SA/NT were given. The ARU (RA) even wanted to kill off the WA NRC team, The Perth Spirit. Only Twiggy's intervention managed to save a Perth team. Never again will Rugby WA sign over such power to the alleged "National" body.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Jacko: I was thinking that the games could be shared between Fiji and Samoa but that decision should be made by the PI nations.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Why would you subject lower tier Australian teams to travelling around the world to play though, but not lower tier NZ teams for example?
In brief
Guest
You make a lot of sense ..
Lara
Guest
SR need to drop the number of teams in the comp to 12. Oz need to cut the number of SR teams to 3. Develop a second tier division that include teams within Oz, Japan, Hong Kong n Singapore say 8 teams. The winner from this comp play against the best team from SA n NZ provinces n the Pacific Islands in a knock out system as a show case event at the end of the year. This round robin could be played after test matches are finished . Scheduling will obviously need to be sorted out , but the important thing is get the quality back in SR, develop a viable comp in Oz with our neighbours , create a show piece , develop the player base n get more local rugby support. If you had 5 Oz provincial teams say Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne n Adelaide selected from local clubs....the players would be classified as semi professionals . The local club scene can continue to grow n feed players into the system. The big question is SR n only 3 teams, but you need quality n competitive teams to create viewer interest n with a quality product you can bargain. Just some thoughts.
Ex force fan
Guest
Love irony. So if the cut Superugby players pay by 65% then the Western Force players will be the best paid in Australia as Twiggy is funding their pay. Think Deagan and Fynes wished they stayed....
Ex force fan
Guest
If the approach the Federal Government for a loan, then it can only be granted after the constitution and representatives to the Board are restructured so that RA becomes a national governing body. Else RA need to approach the NSW and QLD government’s for a loan.
Peter
Guest
Scott, PS: why was it not reasonable for RA (the board, not just the CEO. Care to explain?) to see if they could get a better TV deal from someone other than Fox, who are bleeding money and hellbent on screwing RA?
Peter
Guest
Scott, biased or just easy journalism? Does RUPA have no “power brokers”? Why is Castles the only one “embattled”? Why do you not point out that the Australian Government has already hit the NRL’s proposal on the head, thereby blowing a hole in Horan’s “plan”? Wh do you not point out that RUPA’s “it’s not fair, the players have to take a 6-month cut when SR might resume before that” is flawed? For a start, there is a very real possibility that SR will NOT resume within 6 months. Secondly, it’s fairly simple to put a clause in any agreement setting out what will happen if and when SR does resume. Could have been a very different article.
Kane
Roar Guru
There were more NZ born players in the last Lions squad than there were Scottish born, enough said.
JSJ
Roar Rookie
Jacko, I wonder if anybody can remember who Pichot works for in his day job?
Jacko
Guest
I dont mind that suggestion and the PI team could be based in Fiji but selected from all PI nations. I think SA would just align with the north but I would feel for Argentina if that was the plan for the future.
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
What a load of crap. So an organisation that is full of disgruntled fans and subject to continual disruption from previous so called experts without a winning product and with players who seem to think they somehow are worth more than they are wants a government loan. Dream on
Iain
Guest
OMG - total sense [well mostly]!!! For my money Tim needs to be on the RA board at the very least. The one thing I do take issue with is the need to get back in bed with Foxtel; gave them up years ago when the service they delivered stopped matching the fees being asked for and they were pushing extra material into the package to justify this - except that it was all product I did not want. To add insult to injury they also introduced advertising - the one thing pay TV was supposed to avoid. Somehow or other we need to get free to air TV involved even it is a delayed showing of games or a reasonably extended highlights package. Remember not all union fans live in the big cities and can therefore get to home games. Don't expect any of this to happen though - too much vested interest and big egos.
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
How is a broke organisation with disruption, infighting and a failed product going to pay a loan back with interest?
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
Point 5 is essential
Muglair
Roar Rookie
RA must go into liquidation. The 2016 Constitution which was supposed to restructure rugby on a commercial and transparent basis for the 21st century just entrenched management and board power by rejigging voting rights and introducing director nominations process that ensures no new director will challenge the status quo. I am a massive sceptic about the quality of management and the capability of all of these "independent of any rugby allegiance" directors to run the game. These scorecards that they make a fuss of in each annual report were laughable, but now we find out this is how bonuses are awarded to management. World Rugby needs to appoint a caretaker board to retaining affiliation and redesign the constitution and structure of the game. Some funding will probably be required. Separate unions and state based structures were fine in the amateur days and did not cost much as they were mostly volunteers. Now there is highly paid administration at every level. Just like in the outside world we are massively over governed at a massive unnecessary cost. As for all the bleating about "saving the game". The same hyperbole as needing to prove the game encouraged diversity. The game will continue to cater for both sexes, of all ages, all shapes and all abilities, and be here longer than all of us. Club rugby will just start up again as soon as there is a green light from the health authorities. The board and management of RA need rugby, rugby just does not need RA in its current form.