Based upon your explanation – does this mean all the Rebels players are creditors given that Player Superannuation payments were described in the insolvency event?

Aka think they owed 250K in Super and Rebels only had 25K in cash to cover all outstandings?

Wonder where is the players association in all of this?

Finally I don’t think you can describe him as being in the “wrong” – he has good faith up sticked and moved house (and family?) from Qld to Mlb and accordingly had to face moving costs etc.

Think anyone in this situation would be ropeable – I mean what is he supposed to say to the Movers if they come looking for payment?

Daugunu is not a Super-star and would not be on a Super-star salary – so that 7k could be a pretty meaningful amount for him (would be for me!) – so good luck to him to getting any monies owed and in whatever way that he thinks he needs to secure his and his families financial future.

Highlanders are a litereal example of a development side – stacked with potential (and they will be very good in 2/3 years if they retain those players) but in large parts kids. It’s why they had to import a Welshman at 10 this year.

If people think this comp has picked up in quality – scratch my head, think it’s more the NZ sides have fallen back into the pack and made the comp much more interesting.

That’s the comp now – how many international standard 10’s do we actually have running around in the comp now? Effectively 1 in McKenzie – gap between him and the rest is stark.

100% this article.

Some of the dross served up by the NZ Super teams this year has just being awful and yet so many Kiwi fans think the the AB’s can continue to win without picking their best players.

When you have development players in 2 out of the 5 Super teams rolling out at 10 and who should be learning their trade at the ITM cup level is just sad. The Super team in terms of quality has fallen so far when you look at the team lists – the comp now feels at times like an U23 comp with a sprinkling of senior players.

As a Kiwi rugby fan when I watch the AB’s – I want to watch the best NZ team possible, frankly I don’t care if they play in Europe, Jpn or NZ. All I expect is that the AB’s are the best possible team that we can roll out – kinda like the Boks really.

People will talk about having control of players etc and they have a point to a degree, but when players like Mo’unga are getting paid 2 million a year – reality is that the game in NZ can’t afford that level of salary.

Now people will say that we can continue to only pick players from NZ based comp’s and still win – well an easy question – what happens if McKenzie goes down injured?

AB’s should be the best team possible not the best NZ resident team…

That was a dire game and frankly there have being a few this year in the Super comp.

Blues should have put away the Tahs but they were just hopeless, they appear to be going backwards and AB coaches will be praying McKenzie and BB (when back) remain injury free – because below those two – depth at 10 is dire.

From watching the Oz games this year and with the loss of so many senior AB’s – really think this is the best chance in years for Oz to win back the BC.

The Oz economy is not RA though and they don’t get to take a cut unless Federal/State Govt’s pays them some sort of lump sum for hosting the WC etc and that should all come into a calculation around what benefits the game the most.

So whatever they do – they need to take a very cold hard look at what will generate the most cash for RA and go with that.

Cheers for that.

So they are paying the 5 Super clubs around 3.5 Million a year currently due to the Stan deal – which equates to around 18-19 Million pa.

And now they are facing burning 8.25 Mill in Interest – Interest costs that are just going to eat the game alive until they get a cash injection from the Lions tour.

And that’s just at the moment – if they have to pull down more of the loan obviously base case for RA worsens.

Just have to hope and pray that both the Lions and WC just bring a huge amount of income to RA, otherwise scratch your head around the future of professional rugby in Oz.

Think the simple question for RA is – where can they generate the most $$.

Oz, Oz and NZ, Sell it to Europe/SA etc.

Given current debt position – think they need to make a very unemotional decision – whichever that is.

RA would be better to sell it to England or France and get a big fat guaranteed fee.

Use that to wipe out all debt and start again. Better to earn Euro’s/Pounds over Kiwi Dollar etc.

Am I right in thinking that just the interest cost on that 55 Million equals 8.2 Million pa?

If that is correct it’s like RA is financing another 1.5 Super clubs along with the present 5?

How the Board and Mgmt are still around is beyond me really – any normal organization and with the history of financial incompetence – would have being a mass cleanout etc.

Do have to worry where rugby will be in Oz over next 12/24 months.

Think 9 is a big issue for the Crusaders

Heinz is 37 and obviously in back end of career
Then you have Drummond who is 30 but offers very little bar some sharp service. Noticable on Saturday that he offered zero in running from the base.

Holtham looks future AB quality but is still so young.

Compare to the Chiefs – probably 2 future AB’s 9, Hurricanes with 2 AB 9’s and potentially a third, Blues with AB 9 and OK back-up and then Highlanders with Fokatava etc.

Are you sure as he was named to play in Crusaders B side vs Highlanders B on Friday?

I will wait until Fergus Burke is back running things at 10 and decide then if they are on the decline.

Would point out in addition to Burke, Tamiti Williams, Zach Gallagher, Cody Taylor and Blackadder will also be coming back into the team sometime in the future – which will again make them a pretty impressive 8. Though in missing Jordan and Ennor – backs are missing some pretty quality players.

Personally would be great for the comp for anyone else to win it this year but real proof in the pudding will be in the last part of the season when cream rises to the top and then we can make the call if the Crusaders are done etc.

Thought Tahs were muscular but think they won off only 40% of the ball – not to sure how many other teams will give that much leeway. Highlanders have looked good but do wonder if they will be able to match the physicality of the Tahs given they are such a young team.

One thing I would be doing if I was the Tahs and that would be keeping a very close watch on Fakatava – he looks in screaming hot form – at this moment looks like he and Roigard will be the 2 AB 9’s.

Reds scrum was on skates vs not a super strong Hurricanes pack – think if the Chiefs play like they did against the Brumbies, could put a bit of a score on the Reds.

Yip – Taha Kemara has had massive wraps on him but to be honest thought he looked OK at U20 level and not a stand out at ITM cup level.

But far better judges than me are saying he is the next big thing but yet to see that myself.

The amount of youngsters running around now in both Oz and NZ teams really highlights the hollowing out of those mid tier players who were not international quality but very good Super level players.

Guess it’s the reality that we have to accept now that in large part whereas couple years ago – players were developed and matured in an ITM cup level comp, they are now learning on the job at Super level.

Anyone who thinks NZ is chock full of playmaking talent need to look at Highlanders and Crusaders.

Two 20 years running the Crusaders around and who looked just way out of their depth at this level and then Highlanders made the smartest buy of the season by bringing in Rhys Patchell to allow their playmaking U20’s star’s to mature.

Obviously they have the talent but to throw them in at the deep end is what it is – not great really.

On the other hand – how long has it being since NZ has had this amount of depth at Half-back? Roigard, Fakatava, Ratima, Roe, Holtham – thought Roigard in particular was much better than Tate M – so that should set things up nicely for the coming international season!

Two issues for Oz rugby

1. Firstly I don’t think it has the strength/depth required for 5 teams – though looking at last season you could question if NZ do as well when you look at the Highlanders.

Then the big one

2. Income – Oz rugby mainly via the Stan deal does not generate enough cash to be able to support 5 Super level clubs. Bar Qld and Force (Forrest cash) , the remaining 3 sides are either losing money or right on the edge (Brumbies).

If the TV rights deal was healthy then this would have given RA and the Clubs the $$ to be able to pay and retain the players that they need to, to ensure competitive teams.

The Stan deal however was just enough to keep the lights on but nothing else. If Oz do want to retain 5 teams – it needs the next TV contract to be increased big time.

I do wonder why RA has not approached Stan and asked them to up the contract? I mean Stan caught RA at a bad time and was able to low ball them but the reality is that Stan needs RA as much as RA needs Stan.

Comp needs the Reds and Brumbies to win vs. Hurricanes and Chiefs.

Playing in Oz with crowd behind them and a new Wallabies coach in the stands watching not sure how much more motovation they need.

Chiefs have lost a fair few key players – Sam Cane, Retallick, Sowakula, Weber and Nankivell – all starters last year. So if Brumbies can’t beat Chiefs – where does that leave them?

Then Hurricanes – Lost both Savea’s and Dane Coles. Pretty hard to replace Ardie so Reds should be going in and expecting to dominate in the loose forwards. Given all 3 Reds have played for the Wallabies – expectation is that they should dominate and then win.

Half the issue I think is that some of the Oz teams go in questioning if they can win – when reality is the Kiwi teams are good but they are not supermen and teams packed full of Wallabies should expect to win not hope to win.

Like the Highlanders back 3 – very tasty.

Course the Blues are not exactly missing class in their back 3 either!

Yea good point – again their squad is so packed it’s crazy really.

Only reason I don’t think they will win the comp this year is that they are lacking a WC 10 to direct the team around – but could be very easily shown to be wrong.

Don’t think so – Kemara at 10 is a youngster with talent but is very young and think can be put off his game.

That being said – Crusaders are again packed and still missing a couple of AB’s in Williams and Taylor.

Jags were in the Super Rugby final in 2019 – so they are a quality team and can bring something to the comp.

What is pretty apparent and even over the last weekend is that it’s very questionable if Oz has the player base to be able to support even 4 Super level sides.

If they can make the costs (flights etc) work – love to see it happen

Really need the Brumbies to beat the Chiefs this weekend otherwise could be a tough season for Oz fans.

Personally I thought the Rebels could challenge this season given the players that they have picked up – but after watching them on Friday and how easily Brumbies cut through them, won’t be tipping them again!

That lump sum you are complaining about is what is used to pay the players…

AR and Clubs can have a discussion group over who exactly is to blame for lack of crowds – either way if effects both the bottom line in regards income and then shows a lack of interest into the comp.

Again if no one is prepared to turn up to support the team, will be very hard to get RA to be able to justify (though think they want the Rebels and another club gone) continued support.

Pretty disappointing but no surprise I guess.

Guess they need this Super Rugby board up and running ASAP to give some direction to a comp which really needs it. Given state of the game real head scratcher why Hamish M and board appeared to drag their heels over making necessary appt’s.

For me – Rebels and Force were poor, Brumbies will again challenge and Highlanders will throw up some surprises. Chiefs/Crusaders/Hurricanes no suprise and guess litmus test for Reds will be this weeks game.

Must say pretty disappointing crowd for Rebels – I know that tickets were on sale late but if given the news and such a little number of fans rock up, pretty hard to see how given their debt situation RA will be able to continue to support them.

Makes one worried as well about fan numbers this weekend in Melbourne – Comp needs some decent crowds in Melbourne to showcase the game.