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RUPA keen to talk central contracts with Australian Rugby Union
Ross Xenos Matt King/Getty Images for RUPA
11:52 AM CT
Sam Bruce
ESPN Associate Editor
Australia's Rugby Union Players' Association is keen to enter into discussions around a central contracting system but isn't sure whether a New Zealand-style model can achieve similarly strong outcomes on this side of the Tasman.
A focus on offering the "best professional rugby experience" on the planet may in fact be of better service to Australia's five Super Rugby franchises and the Wallabies, though RUPA boss Ross Xenos says the current contracting clearly model needs a rethink.
"I don't know the answer but I'm really interested to ask the question," Xenos told ESPN when asked about a central contracting system.
"Back to that earlier notion that we need to do everything we can to create a world-best rugby experience, I think what we're seeing at the moment is that the Australian rugby contracting model is a little bit half-pregnant in terms of a soft salary cap at each of the five Super Rugby teams with then the Australian Rugby Union contributing what we call "top-up" money, its national contract money, on top of that Super Rugby spend in order to create the total player payment mix.
"I think it's relatively well known that the ARU does not apply that top-up money equally across the five teams; it applies that top-up money to those players that the ARU values for Wallabies potential. That then starts to have impacts on the competitiveness of each of the five Super Rugby teams."
The model used by New Zealand Rugby, in which the national body oversees all five of the country's Super Rugby franchises, has started to gain popular support in Australian this season following the financial problems of Western Force and the off-field dramas that threatened to derail the Brumbies' season -- specifically the now-resolved feud between former CEO Michael Jones and the club's board.
ARU chief executive Bill Pulver was involved in discussions at the Brumbies before a settlement package was reached via mediation -- and the ARU's Phil Thomson appointed on an interim role -- while the Force and the ARU have forged an "alliance" that will see all the Perth-based franchise's players and staff become ARU employees in what is essentially a takeover.
And despite offloading Melbourne Rebels from their books late last year, the ARU will still hand over a reported $Aus6 million over the next five years to club owner Andrew Cox in the hope that the franchise will be self-sustainable by 2020.
NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds have also had to lean on the ARU over the years.
Having all the franchises under the one ARU umbrella may well achieve a fairer distribution of talent across the five franchises, and ensure improved financial stability, but Xenos raised concerns over the effect that could have on the Wallabies -- the key revenue drivers for the game in Australia.
"As a starting point, I think, as a game, we need to ask what are we trying to achieve through our contracting model; and if it is to have five competitive and commercially viable Super Rugby teams as the No. 1 priority then I think we need to address the way the current contracting model operates," Xenos told ESPN.
"I think the answer is we would like to have competitiveness at Super Rugby level, but we also need the Wallabies to be competitive because through inbound Tests, end-of-year tours, broadcast rights, the Wallabies are a significant economic engine for the game.
"So it can't be just allowing all the contracting to happen at a Super Rugby level with no national coordination because I understand that may lead to outcomes that don't create a competitive Wallabies side.
"At the same time, you look at the results, particularly this year, and you'd say the current process does need to be amended otherwise we're just going to continue to develop suboptimal outcomes for the future."
If the ARU were to assume a central contracting set-up, a player draft could also be a possibility to help divide the talent across the five franchises.
But unlike the AFL, Australia's five Super Rugby franchise would likely not see the immediate benefits of their Australian rules counterparts due to the greater physical development required in the 15-man game.
"I've gone on the record in the past to say that if a draft was part of a comprehensive adjustment to the contracting model it's definitely something that we're prepared to look at," Xenos said.
"The challenges with a draft is that obviously there is going to be a significant lag time in terms of when young players, who are put into Super Rugby teams, become ready for Super Rugby and then are able to become elite Super Rugby players.
"So a draft assists with some of the sustainability of Super Rugby performance but it may not assist in the short term, which is where some of the financial challenges lie.
"Adopting a draft would also mean a pretty significant concession on the players' behalf to give away free-agency and all the rest as well; it also presents logistical challenges because we aren't a closed economy in the same way the AFL is and, to a lesser extent, the NRL is."
The National Rugby Championship, which has been reduced from nine to eight teams for its 2016 season, would seemingly be an ideal starting point from which a draft could potentially run. If all franchises and unions were in agreement, a draft could run at the completion of the tournament and afford each of the franchises the chance to select talent in order of their finish on the Australian Super Rugby conference ladder.
But the issues with rugby's global economy represent an ongoing stumbling block, and one arguably presenting a greater challenge and focal point for both the ARU and RUPA.
Already this season Wallabies Matt Toomua and Kurtley Beale have signed for Aviva Premiership clubs in England, and experienced Super Rugby players and fringe Test players Liam Gill, Luke Jones and Mike Harris have followed suit.
That follows the departure of several veteran Wallabies after the Rugby World Cup in 2015 -- some who remain available for the national side under the 'Giteau law' -- and those a little further down the list such as former Brumbies Nic White and Jesse Mogg who have gone on to experience European success with French club Montpellier.
Xenos said RUPA discussions had uncovered overseas moves for players just under the top tier were as much about lifestyle as they were money, but he pointed to the recently announced French and looming English broadcast deals as to why Australia had to continue to evolve its contracting process and the pursuit of the "best professional rugby experience".
"I think to call some of those players 'middle tier' players is probably being a bit hard on them ... and at the same time, the feedback that we get from players still says to us that regardless of the money and other factors, having the cultural experience and the lifestyle experience with a young family or a partner or whatever else is still a really massive driver for players to get over there.
"So you take those two challenges, the incomes and the experience, what that actually tells us is that playing rugby in Australia or for Australia has to be the best professional rugby experience in the world.
"And I think that means more than just what we're paying the guys; it means having the best programs on offer so that players want to be here because they're happier people and they're better players."
http://www.espn.com.au/rugby/story/_...xperience-rupa
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