Rugby Australia's debts blow out to almost $89 million after draw-down of PEP facility
Phil Waugh is hopeful that windfalls from the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour and the 2027 RWC will be more than enough to pay back the debt.
The Brisbane Global Rugby Tens is on hiatus for 2019, with organisers blaming next year’s World Cup for player availability issues.
The pre-season tournament has run at Suncorp Stadium for the past two years and has served as a strong promotional lead-in to Super Rugby but has attracted only lacklustre crowds.
It’s understood the tournament, which is financially backed by the Queensland state government and Brisbane City Council, has lost more than $2 million.
Event CEO Rachael Carroll said the pending World Cup in Japan meant there were no guarantees Test players would be able to participate.
However she said the tens still had a “bright” future and organisers Duco Events would sit down with stakeholders to figure out how it could return.
“Over the last two years the event has generated millions of dollars in additional revenues for the sport and showcased rugby at its entertaining best to a large global television audience,” Carroll said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, the World Cup would almost certainly have had an impact on our ability to attract the very best players to the tournament in 2019.
“While that is disappointing, we do understand and accept the requirement of the competing nations to place the world cup at the forefront of their planning.
“There is a real desire from key stakeholders to firmly establish the event as a vibrant, compelling short-form version of the game. The potential to do so is clearly there.”
This year’s Brisbane Tens included all nine Australian and New Zealand Super Rugby franchises plus Japan’s Panasonic Wild Knights, French Top 14 club Pau and Samoa.
Organisers have previously canvassed a move to Auckland, where Duco Events set up another pre-season tournament, the NRL’s nines.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Phil Waugh is hopeful that windfalls from the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour and the 2027 RWC will be more than enough to pay back the debt.
Australian-born England rugby star Billy Vunipola has been tasered and arrested after an alleged violent incident in Majorca, local reports have said. Vunipola's domestic…
Six months after the Wallabies’ worst World Cup result, Rugby Australia has announced a $9.2 million deficit from the 2023 season. The Roar can…
Sometimes it’s best to start at the finish. The Waratahs winning the Super W final 50-14 against the Drua was the cap to a…
After watching both NRL and Super Rugby over the weekend, it's clear there is significant talent coming through from both. But only one of…
The Tahs won 50-14 after going through the 2024 season undefeated and avenging the semi-final loss last year to Fijian Drua.