Does the salary cap only apply to the Force?

[Tazzmania]

Over the past few weeks there has been speculation that the Force who have no "X factor" players are battling to fit Nic Cummins into their salary cap, yet we see the Warratahs have an array of stars, they are set to get Beale and now looks like O Connor too.

Jim and his mate off to Sydney

This is just not fair!

[Sheikh]

It's my understanding that all the salary cap applies to all Australian clubs. However, it is complicated by both foreign players and the ARU top-ups.

Foreign players count a nominal amount towards the cap, regardless of their actual salary. So the Rebels could pay the likes of Cipriani and Delve a good wage, but they only count against the salary cap the wage of a back-up.

The ARU top-ups could be a similar issue. Lets say a Super Rugby standard player can command a salary of, eg, $200,000, but an international standard player can command a salary of $400,000. If the ARU top-up is only the difference in salary, then the international players' Super Rugby team gets an international standard player for the same salary as a Super Rugby standard player.

However, from some of the reports, it seems more like the ARU top-up is greater than the difference, so an international standard player may cost his Super Rugby club $150,000 with an ARU top-up of $250,000, making it cheaper for a Super Rugby team to hire an international standard player, if he knows that the ARU will provide the top-up.

If the ARU top-up was replaced by match-payments, then it's more likely that the Super Rugby teams would have to pay the players closer to their actual worth as they couldn't rely on the Wallaby match payments (unless, of course, they were a Robbie Deans favourite!)

[MI5_Dog]

In Hodgo's latest column in 'The West' he floated the idea of having the ARU top ups spread evenly between all the Aus super rugby franchises.
This would ensure that each team gets the same number of wallabies.
Can't see RUPA going for it though.
Restriction of trade or some such

[Sheikh]

Yeah, I read Hodgo's column and wondered if he had his tongue in his cheek when he wrote it; if it was in place this year then the Honey Badger would have got 15 times as much of a top-up as Genia or Horwill!

If the ARU anonounced that it would be put in place in, say, 3 years time (because I've not heard of a rugby contract longer than 3 years), then Wallabies might start looking to move to teams without many other Wallabies, and lobby the team management not to recruit any more good players, otherwise their slice of the ARU pie gets smaller.

[I'm reminded of Giteau wanting to be a 1 man back-line!]

[jargan83]

ARU Salary Cap is clearly a dogs breakfast

Scrap Wallaby top ups!

[Tazzmania]

Which ever way we look at we seem to be drawing the short straws at the moment.

We need help with a few x factor players but it appears that this is a catch 21 for us.

In the end looks like the Tahs and Reds will stay strong and we will remain weakened by the system

[Jules]

I thought that Pulver said they were committed to the Force in the long term. Surely they can see it is only possible to improve the club by improving our results which means extra assistance salary cap wise or similar or am I just engaging in some wishful thinking!!

[GIGS20]

I thought that Pulver said they were committed to the Force in the long term. Surely they can see it is only possible to improve the club by improving our results which means extra assistance salary cap wise or similar or am I just engaging in some wishful thinking!!

Wishful thinking Jules, Pulver is as committed to the force as he can be within the bounds of keeping his job. He is still controlled by the NSW hegemony....in other words the ARU board. There will never be a true attempt to fix WA rugby until the old school ties leave the board and get their fat asses behind a genuine push to nationalize rugby.

The move to restructure the board went some way to addressing the problem, but only as much as the existing junta was prepared to give in order to get their bucketful of money.

[Jules]

Thanks for that and bugger.. I guess I was remaining ever the half glass full but I see it draining before my eyes!!

[Gruffalo]

We have been shafted at every turn by ARU. But we still survive despite this treatment.
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[valzc]

I thought that Pulver said they were committed to the Force in the long term. Surely they can see it is only possible to improve the club by improving our results which means extra assistance salary cap wise or similar or am I just engaging in some wishful thinking!!

We keep hearing all the promises and platitudes but the real question is BLOODY WHEN?!!

[Hoolly Doolly]

Ground hire fees
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[jargan83]

The Melbourne Storm method of just keeping another set of books

Or the FIFA method of brown paper bags outside hotel room doors

[The Boab]

If the ARU are serious about keeping the Force then our new CEO needs to go after Mr Pulver at every opportunity to gain additional perks to ensure we are on a level playing field.