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Rugby Australia announces $3.8m loss for 2017 after AGM in Sydney
RUGBY
Sam Worthington
April 9, 2018 4:00pm
SAM WORTHINGTON@samworthingtown
Source: FOX SPORTS
Rugby Australia chairman Cameron Clyne speaks to the media in Sydney.
Rugby Australia chairman Cameron Clyne speaks to the media in Sydney.
Source: AAP
RUGBY Australia has announced an operational deficit of $3.8m for 2017, a divisive year which chairman Cameron Clyne acknowledged as “incredibly difficult” for the game.
RA revealed the 2017 results after its annual general meeting in Sydney on Monday.
The organisation actually recorded a surplus of $17.8m in 2017 but $21.6m was gifted as government funding for the plush new RA head offices at Moore Park.
In a media release, RA said its books took a hit on multiple fronts, including poor ticket sales for Tests as well as other “one off costs” relating to its controversial decision to cut the Force from Super Rugby.
The organisation acknowledged its move to cull the Force “greatly impacted the overall public sentiment around rugby” but said the benefits were yet to come.
“It was made to secure the game’s immediate financial health and to allow the organisation to direct more meaningful investment to community rugby, which is a priority for RA in 2018.”
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Clyne, who oversaw the cull process in conjunction with former chief executive Bill Pulver, elaborated further.
“2017 was an incredibly difficult year for Australian rugby,” Clyne said.
“The difficult decision to remove a Super Rugby team was made with the game’s best interests at heart, but it resulted in a great deal of hardship.
“Ultimately, we believe the decision will strengthen our code in the long term.
“We want to be able to invest more significantly in community rugby, something we have often been unable to do confidently over the past five years.
“We also want to improve our performances at the highest levels of the game and we will continue to invest in our new collaborative high performance model.”
RA also reflected on some positives, including the impressive growth of sevens and women’s rugby.
Female participation climbed by 53 per cent in club XVs and 47 per cent in sevens while RA has also launched the University Sevens and Super W competitions.
Indigenous participation rose by 134 per cent, owing largely to the success of the ‘Deadly’ sevens program in schools.
RA’s primary schools program ‘Game On’ provided 56,374 students with an introduction to rugby, with 68 per cent of participants from government schools and 40 per cent female.
Other initiatives included the national ‘blue card’ trial to improve concussion management and the establishment of a national high performance panel helmed by RA vice chairman Brett Robinson.
Pulver has been replaced as chief executive by former Bulldogs NRL and Netball New Zealand boss Raelene Castle.
“Despite the significant challenges of the past year, there were some great highlights including huge participation growth in women’s rugby and indigenous rugby, and the inaugural Aon Uni 7s and advent of the Buildcorp Super W competitions to bolster our female pathways,” Clyne said.
“At the community level we have also made great advancements in improving the safety of our game, which is crucial to continue to attract young boys and girls into the sport.
“I also want to thank our outgoing board directors and former Rugby Australia CEO Bill Pulver for their outstanding service to Australian rugby.”
Last edited by Bakkies; 09-04-18 at 15:08.
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
How to sugar coat a turd. Ineptness at the highest level. Still lots of excuses and no admissions of mismanagement. May the Fourth !!!
Yep. Waiting to see the report to see what they spent on car park executive searches, non budgeted payments to the Rebels and pointless re-branding.
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
http://issuu.com/australianrugbyunio...91087/60015407
Annual Report is now up.
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
And Clyne turned down the $50 million offered by Twiggy to the ARU to keep the Force. Clyne, Robinson & Eales would have made that decision in Adelaide without reference to their full board of directors.
Clyne, Robinson, Eales and others are still stalling the IPRC and therefore presumably any possible financial help from Twiggy for the RA.
Page 62-63 is a pearler.
The generous folk on G&G have pulled out some gems. As per usual it is very hard to read the report due to the reader
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/com...12818/page-168
The gutless prick should be made to pay that money back.Incentive payment of $500,000 to Mr Pulver on top of $775,000 salary for his 'outstanding' contribution to Rugby
The Own the Force campaign would have paid the bulk of that back. Brumbies, Reds and NSW had reduced funding.Super Rugby Funding 2017
$
QLD 5,650,000
NSW 5,650,000
ACT 5,475,000
WF 8,581,000
REBELS 10,200,000
Last edited by Bakkies; 09-04-18 at 15:42.
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
Super Rugby Funding 2017
$
QLD 5,650,000
NSW 5,650,000
ACT 5,475,000
WF 8,581,000 (total of WF palyer and staff salaries and super) not counting sponsorships which RA absorbed, netting a
WF running cost of 4,117,000
REBELS 10,200,000
truth triumphs
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
Do those figures include Wallaby top-ups? How about the special payments for Pocock et al?
Not sure.
Had the RA not spent $3 million on re-branding and not thrown away $500k on Pulver they would have made a loss of $300,000.
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
SR team costs $12,169,000 not split by member - is this Wallaby top ups?
truth triumphs
Should be under player costs.
'I may be a Senator but I am not stupid'
https://omny.fm/shows/the-alan-jones-breakfast-show/cameron-clyne
Link to Senate Report http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
https://www.change.org/p/rugby-australia-petition-for-cameron-clyne-to-resign-as-chairman-of-the-rugby-australia-board
Also, does the Western Force figure include all revenue as well as expenses?. To put it bluntly (because I know RA people read this forum) is this an honest comparison?