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Interesting stuff in the West about the writ AND Taylor has tried to get information on $28 million dollar question and others but the ARU have refused to reveal anything.
Nick Taylor
Western Force have confronted the Australian Rugby Union, demanding they stay loyal to their alliance agreement as they battle the Melbourne Rebels for Super Rugby survival.
Details of the Force demands have emerged in the writ issued by the club notifying the ARU of their intention to apply for an injunction against any plan to revoke their Super Rugby licence.
The Force claim the ARU have obligations under the alliance agreement signed last May by the club and the governing body that commits both parties through the current broadcast deal that ends in 2020.
The writ states that the ARU should:
Maintain the Western Force as a Super Rugby team in Perth
Ensure the Western Force remains based in Perth and financially sustainable
Commit to the Western Force remaining in Perth and to work with the WA government to reduce the club's financial commitments
Preserve the Western Force as a WA team.
The Force have asked for talks with the ARU on arrangements under the alliance agreement .... “in circumstances where the SANZAAR broadcast agreements or (sic) renegotiated or are likely to be renegotiated”.
They have also called for a level playing field over player distribution by addressing "uneven distribution of Australian rugby talent to ensure that the Western Force is competitive."
The legal battle for survival may drag on after the ARU agreed to cut a team at the end of the season.
The Force issued the writ on Monday and slammed the ARU, claiming to have uncovered alarming flaws in the governing body's business plan that will be used to cull a side.
Rebels owner Andrew Cox, who has offered to sell the licence of his struggling club back to the ARU for $4.75 million, has warned he could also start legal action.
The ARU has refused to answer a series of questions from The West Australian about the process that led them to consider axing the Rebels or Force and the business plan put to the Force.
They would only say that all possible scenarios were considered in the financial modelling.
They issued a “no comment” when asked about the outcome of a meeting on Wednesday between Cox and ARU chief executive Bill Pulver and whether the ARU was investigating a possible buy-out of his club.
They also refused to comment on a statement on the alliance made by ARU chairman Cameron Clyne in a radio interview.
“There's been a change in circumstances,” he said. but would not go into legal or financial details.
Clyne has said the reason behind cutting a side was mainly financial claiming the ARU has spent an unbudgeted $28 million on Super Rugby clubs since 2013 — two years after the Rebels were admitted to the competition.
The ARU refused to supply a breakdown of the unbudgeted money although it is understood some $20 has been spent on the Rebels.
“For confidentiality reasons I am unable to provide a breakdown of special support funding to Super Rugby teams,” a spokesman said.
The Brumbies were also under threat. The ARU saved them but have refused to detail reasons behind the decision.
South Africa will lose two sides when Super Rugby shrinks from 18 to 15 sides but the Argentinian Jaguars and Japan's Sunwolves will remain, causing anger in the rugby community.
More here
https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-u...-ng-b88446816z