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From: David Vaux
To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN)
Subject: Senate Affairs Enquiry into the Future of Rugby Union in Australia
Date: Friday, 20 October 2017 2:21:55 PM
20 October 2017
The Chairman
Community Affairs References Committee
Senator Rachel Siewert
Via email : community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au
Dear Senator,
Senate Community Affairs References Committee
Third Public Hearing for the Future of Rugby Union in Australia
Unfortunately I must again write to you to correct a statement made by Mr Clyne,
Chairman of the ARU, to the Senate Enquiry on 16th October 2017.
1. Mr Clyne referred to a RugbyWA director being involved in the preparation of a
report by Saltbush Capital where he said “In fact, the most recent of those strategic
reviews, which was done by Saltbush Capital, actually had a Rugby WA director on
it and specifically called for going to four teams”.
2. I am the RugbyWA director to whom Mr Clyne is referring. I was asked by Saltbush
Capital to assist them in their Financial and Organisation Review of the ARU. My
position as a director of RugbyWA was disclosed to the ARU, prior to any
involvement with the Saltbush Capital Review, and my participation was welcomed.
3. Our Review was presented to the ARU board on, or about, 18th April 2013. A key
finding of the Review was that “Super Rugby is not financially viable in its current
form”, and we recommended to “Establish an ARU Super Rugby Taskforce now to
develop a commercially viable competition for 2016”.
There was no commentary in the Review about reducing the Australian teams from
5 to 4.
4. Mr Clyne’s comment above is simply false and misleading.
Yours sincerely,
David Vaux
B.Juris (Hons), LL.B., MBA (London), FAICD