RA to launch interim comp, Western Force to be included

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Originally Posted by Some actual content from Tom Decent, with GRobby snagging a byline

Rugby Australia will once again sit down with the Rugby Union Players Association this week to discuss player salaries after finally signing off on a revised broadcast deal with Fox Sports for a revamped domestic competition that gets underway on July 3.

Following the Herald’s report on Wednesday morning that a broadcast deal was imminent, RA confirmed the news later in the day, with interim chief executive Rob Clarke trumpeting the breakthrough and paying "huge thanks" to long-time broadcaster Fox Sports for its support during a tough time for the code.

An announcement around TV rights for Australia's domestic Super Rugby competition is imminent.
An announcement around TV rights for Australia's domestic Super Rugby competition is imminent.CREDIT:GETTY IMAGES

The news is a double win for rugby fans in this country, with Fox also agreeing to show New Zealand’s own domestic competition, Super Rugby Aotearoa, which kicks off this Saturday when the Highlanders host the Chiefs in Dunedin.

After weeks of negotiations, both parties have come to an agreement following the cancellation of Super Rugby as it were after seven rounds due to COVID-19.

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RA confirmed a five-team competition will be played over 10 weeks - plus another two for a preliminary final and grand final - which will feature the NSW Waratahs, Melbourne Rebels, ACT Brumbies, Queensland Reds and Western Force.

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A full draw is set to be announced on Thursday but the opening round of action will see the Reds host the Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium on July 3 before the Brumbies face the Rebels in Canberra the following evening. Both are night games.

The Force won’t begin their campaign until round two, while all teams will start from scratch in the competition that is set to run until September 19.

RA has said all matches will be played at closed venues for the time being but there is a feeling amongst Super Rugby teams that a relaxation of restrictions could be on the cards, which would be a boost to the bottom line of franchises.

There had been concern among rugby administrators that Fox Sports would play hardball and not want to broadcast content for the remainder of the year but despite an acrimonious relationship between the parties in recent months, it has become clear that both need one another other in equal parts.

However, the broadcast deal, worked through by Clarke and incoming chairman Hamish McLennan with Fox Sports executives, is only for the 12-week domestic product.

RA is not 100 per cent sure what the home Test calendar will look like later in the year, meaning further negotiations will have to take place in coming weeks.

Nonetheless, the most important thing is that broadcast dollars will begin flowing again as of early July, which is a welcome relief for Super Rugby franchises struggling financially.

RA would not divulge the value of the revised broadcast deal with Fox but it is understood to be a commercially viable competition.

Next on RA's checklist is to sit down with RUPA boss Justin Harrison and discuss whether players will continue on slashed salaries - they have already taken 60 per cent pay cuts, on average, across the board - until September 30.

When the initial pay deal was done in April, it was agreed both parties would return to the table when a new competition got back up and running.

RUPA will seek clarity in the short-term but also long-term, which may be hard for RA to do given the five-year broadcast deal from 2021 onwards is nowhere near being finalised.

Meanwhile, Australian fans can tune into Fox Sports or Kayo this Saturday at 5.05pm (AEST) to watch the first game of rugby broadcast anywhere in the world since COVID-19, between Highlanders and Chiefs.

Sunday's match between the Blues and Hurricanes at Eden Park will get underway at 1.35pm (AEST).

Super Rugby Aotearoa will run the same format as Australia, with five teams, and has changed from afternoon to night-time kick-offs on Saturday in response to broadcaster demand.

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The change will be music to the ears of Australian fans who, after more than three months, will be able to watch a Saturday evening double-header when the Australian competition starts.

"Rugby-starved fans will be able to watch their favourite teams in viewer-friendly timeslots each week," Fox Sports boss Peter Campbell said. "Additionally, Foxtel has also reached an agreement to air the New Zealand Super Rugby Aotearoa competition, which starts this weekend, so rugby fans can settle in to watch more of the sport they love."

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the first one

In collaboration with the Rebels?? Why do I smell a big, fat, very stinky rat???!!

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Originally Posted by Alison

In collaboration with the Rebels?? Why do I smell a big, fat, very stinky rat???!!

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I see Malcolm Turnbull is now with KKR.

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Originally Posted by Bakkies

I see Malcolm Turnbull is now with KKR.

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Bakkies and Alison, you have lost me. Who is KKR and the stinky rat?

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Originally Posted by JSJ

Bakkies and Alison, you have lost me. Who is KKR and the stinky rat?

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Kohlberg Kravis & Roberts a US private equity firm. The rat is that they are in collaboration with the Rebels.

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Originally Posted by Alison

In collaboration with the Rebels?? Why do I smell a big, fat, very stinky rat???!!

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"In collaboration with the Rebels" and "Several hundred million dollars" is shorthand for securing the Rebels future for the next five years.

How many shell companies needed so the deals don’t get revealed.

The Australian reporting that the RA took over a 30 percent haircut on their deal with Foxsports.

They did a FB live chat thing with Dave Wessels involved and they had a pic of him in a Force polo with Melbourne Rebels coach as his tag.

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Originally Posted by GIGS20

"In collaboration with the Rebels" and "Several hundred million dollars" is shorthand for securing the Rebels future for the next five years.

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I predict little hope of success from this possibilty.........

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Originally Posted by Bakkies

Kohlberg Kravis & Roberts a US private equity firm. The rat is that they are in collaboration with the Rebels.

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OK, I just read the Sydney Morning Herald story.

Georgina says "Only Archer Capital's $137 million investment in Supercars, headed by former RA director Peter Wiggs, which is widely acknowledged to have been a failure, stands as a home-grown example of a private-equity model in Australia."

What about the Twiggy owning the Western Force and Global Rapid Rugby ?

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Originally Posted by JSJ

OK, I just read the Sydney Morning Herald story.

Georgina says "Only Archer Capital's $137 million investment in Supercars, headed by former RA director Peter Wiggs, which is widely acknowledged to have been a failure, stands as a home-grown example of a private-equity model in Australia."

What about the Twiggy owning the Western Force and Global Rapid Rugby ?

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GRobby isn't well known for researching facts that don't support her blind assumptions. It's far easier to find a way of discounting those instances once your story is in print and arrogant twats like us point out the holes in the argument, because you can use the Growden defense, (A respected sport columnist (ie me) said .....) then pull the old "that isn't eligible" trick "yeah, ah Twiggy is supporting a team in a Hong Kong based competition, that doesn't really factor in to the point I made"

and so, the smoke and mirrors continues and the East Coast Rugby faithful eat it up, interestingly they simultaneously think that they're not blindly parroting support for the establishment. I had a two hour argument on facebook with some 12 year old twat who wouldn't accept that Western Force will not be involved in Super Rugby going forward (under the premise of the old boys network being unwilling and unable to implement the sort of governance changes Twiggy will require and Twiggy not being particularly good at backing out of doing what he's said), all his responses were pretty much directly from the RA/Sydney Old Boys network even though he protested repeatedly not being in favour of Rugby Australia citing the ridiculousness and pointlessness of the NRC as his example (he was silent on that point when I mentioned that Rugby Australia has been trying to get rid of the NRC for the last 4 years and that might not be the best example to use to prove you're not supportive of their propaganda machine)

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Originally Posted by GIGS20

GRobby isn't well known for researching facts that don't support her blind assumptions. It's far easier to find a way of discounting those instances once your story is in print and arrogant twats like us point out the holes in the argument, because you can use the Growden defense, (A respected sport columnist (ie me) said .....) then pull the old "that isn't eligible" trick "yeah, ah Twiggy is supporting a team in a Hong Kong based competition, that doesn't really factor in to the point I made"

and so, the smoke and mirrors continues and the East Coast Rugby faithful eat it up, interestingly they simultaneously think that they're not blindly parroting support for the establishment. I had a two hour argument on facebook with some 12 year old twat who wouldn't accept that Western Force will not be involved in Super Rugby going forward (under the premise of the old boys network being unwilling and unable to implement the sort of governance changes Twiggy will require and Twiggy not being particularly good at backing out of doing what he's said), all his responses were pretty much directly from the RA/Sydney Old Boys network even though he protested repeatedly not being in favour of Rugby Australia citing the ridiculousness and pointlessness of the NRC as his example (he was silent on that point when I mentioned that Rugby Australia has been trying to get rid of the NRC for the last 4 years and that might not be the best example to use to prove you're not supportive of their propaganda machine)

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GiGS, the danger to GRR, is if COVID19 hangs around and international travel is still restricted in 2021 and even beyond. So we may still be playing domestic Australian Super next year. But yes, if travel is not a problem, then I cannot see Twiggy walking away from GRR.

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Originally Posted by JSJ

GiGS, the danger to GRR, is if COVID19 hangs around and international travel is still restricted in 2021 and even beyond. So we may still be playing domestic Australian Super next year. But yes, if travel is not a problem, then I cannot see Twiggy walking away from GRR.

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Yes, that is a risk, but Twiggy did come out and say he won't be looking at a long term relationship with Rugby Australia until significant changes to attitude and governance are forthcoming (paraphrased)

If GRR is still on axle blocks next year, I'm confident he will be making Hodgo get something workable together and that will surely include another year of linking with the East Coast Rugby Union, however that is more of a fallback position than a long term plan.

Mark Evans emphasised "one off" in his talk about the 2020 domestic comp.

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Originally Posted by SteveWA

Mark Evans emphasised "one off" in his talk about the 2020 domestic comp.

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Yes, and I'm expecting them to stick to their guns, however if there is no possibility of a GRR next year, I would expect another "one off" year.

Once the borders are open though, RA can piss all the way off

And the Force depart with their Super trophy locked away in our cabinent