Interim CEO Rob Clarke says Rugby Australia are in discussions with New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina about establishing a hub in Australia for a condensed version of the Rugby Championship competition this year.
RA is also seeking to lock in an expanded four-Test Bledisloe Cup series against the All Blacks.
Clarke on Tuesday foreshadowed further cuts and efficiencies to follow Monday’s announcement that a third of the beleagured national body’s fulltime staff will lose their jobs over the coming months.
But he said they were “prudent” moves to stabilise the code’s finances as they prepared for a domestic competition to return on July 3.
Clarke said RA had been talking to the federal government about conditions that would allow the four-nation Rugby Championship Test tournament to be played here this year, overcoming travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re exploring with the Australian government whether that can be a bubble here in Australia and we fly in all of the SANZAAR partners and they are in a training bubble and then we can quarantine effectively and play a competition,” he said.
A touted four-Test Bledisloe Cup series, with two Tests to be played in Australia, would also help RA’s bottom line after they initially predicted a $120 million revenue hit if no further play was possible this year.
“It’s a great product, gains a lot of attention and we feel at least a four-game series is something we can work into the calendar this year to work for them and us,” Clarke said.
The interim chief executive said every RA department had been reviewed and impacted by the cuts that will see 47 of 142 fulltime staff lose their jobs and a further 30 contractors and casuals terminated.
But, with new Wallabies coach Dave Rennie to arrive in July, he said the high performance program would be “protected”.
“That’s going to help to get the Wallabies back to where they need to get to as far as a world ranking,” he said.
“A key part of our financial underpinning is a successful Wallabies.
“It’s not everything, but it’s certainly key so we’ll be protecting that as much as possible.”
Philip O'Donovan
Guest
Australia have lost three test matches to South Africa in Perth.
Ex force fan
Guest
Sold out in three days that they have to extend the stands to fit every in...that is significant...
soapit
Roar Guru
sa being world champs would make it a bit easier to sell as well.
allblackfan
Guest
I think NZ in SA held in Aust would pull in a decent crowd. Plenty of support for those teams in Aust plus Aus rugby supporters will know it will be a game worth watching and so attend.
Double Agent
Guest
Define significant.
Jacko
Guest
NZ is already thinking there may be crowds back by the end of june to watch the NZ SR comp
Ex force fan
Guest
Play in a central and neutral venue like Perth and even the playing field for everyone. It is ideal from a viewer time zone, perspective, isolated and we all know Rugby Australia doesn’t consider Perth as part of Australia so there is no home ground advantage. Also with our footy teams playing in the Gold Coast we have an excellent new venue that can seat 65,000 spectators and attracted record crowds just a year ago. It is a no brainer.
Ex force fan
Guest
The Eastern States fail to attract significant crowds for every test in the past decade INCLUDING Bledisloe Cups.
Ex force fan
Guest
Also no team will have home ground advantage as the Wallabies doesn’t have a single Perth based player. No sleep in their own beds, all in hotels etc.
Jacko
Guest
Ken ....History says Aus cannot be trusted to do what they say they will do. There would need to be some very strong contracts on revenue sharing before any of the others should trust Aus rugby
Jacko
Guest
So why would the ABs bother then ? What does NZRU get from it? A whole bunch of injured players and their accomodation payed for? Doesnt seem worth it if its all about Aus.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Nah. This is definitely the time to be desperate. Probably the only time.
I understand the potential economic benefit Ken, however I wonder about the circumstances of such a tournament, as far as preparation time, the alienation of support etc. There is still no set date for a South African version of Super Rugby, which would require at least a ten week period plus finals. Then there would need to be preparation for that as well. By the looks of things over here sport especially rugby is still some ways off before we will see any action, you might think at least nothing until end of July. Which by my reckoning means no international rugby until end of October. Just don’t see it.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Corne, I’m imagining that any deal would need to be on an extra ordinary profit share basis. The host nation gets the economic multiplier but the gate is split in a fair way. It remains for me a case of ‘code health’. Benefit/Cost of code invisibility vs potentially lousy crowds.
Who has not noticed JD?
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Hardly opportunism Corne. Have you not noticed that each union has lost tens of millions this year. Everyone desperately needs the cash to survive.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
I'm sure that's the idea, otherwise as you say nobody would agree.
Agreed, this isn’t ordinary times, but no need to be desperate either. I don’t see any benefit in an underdone squad touring in isolation to a foreign country playing in front of empty stadia for a few bucks. Rather write off the international season and start afresh next year. How much is to be gained from playing a shortened version of the RC away from home?
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Sure Corne'... But I don't have to tell you these are not ordinary times... Think the Boks anyway will be pretty desperate for a hit out.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
And also that proposal impacted the standard fixture that would be in place. We’d all have to lose some revenue to make that money. This is instead of having nothing.