Ali,
You're on tonight! Hair looks good
John Edwards, Geoff Stooke , Matt Hodgson interviewed. ARU refused.
Indo-Pacific comp mentioned.
highlights the Senate hearing tomorrow.
good screen shot of "write off" to Melbourne.
a Honda Jazz Ali
You no like my Jazz Mr T? But it's Force blue and everything!!
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
Did the story hit the right note Mr T?
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
Good question.
Very much Force V Rebels for survival, when the actual question is much broader!!! As we all know.
An important 8 minute article to highlight tomorrow's festivities.
It didn't, unfortunately, paint the ARU in the (negative) light they deserve, but will raise questions for those who have not already made up their minds.
and not that there's anything wrong with driving a Jazz
* :-"
Gigs swears by them!
THE second sitting of the Senate inquiry into Australian rugby promises to get interesting in Perth on Wednesday with former ARU deputy Rob Clarke and Victorian Rugby officials scheduled to give testimony.
Clarke, a former ARU deputy, is expected to officially fire back at claims made in the first Senate hearing last month that he undermined the Western Force by acting as a Melbourne Rebels supporter during the ugly Super Rugby downsizing process this year.
Both the Rebels and the Force were under threat but the ARU eventually chose the WA club to be shut down as part of its agreement to provide four teams only to the new 15-team Super Rugby competition.
The decision caused huge acrimony in the west and was unsuccessfully appealed in the NSW Supreme Court.
Disgruntled WA senator Linda Reynolds pushed for — and won — a Senate inquiry, with the reference of “The future of Australian Rugby”.
In a feisty first day of hearings that saw ARU boss Bill Pulver grilled, the focus was all on the reasons for the Force’s axing and why the financially-crippled Rebels weren’t chosen instead.
Former Force boss Mark Sinderberry took aim at Clarke for conflicts of interest while running the ARU’s assessment, given he was once a Rebels CEO.
Sinderberry even alleged Clarke had given a copy of the confidential ARU-Force alliance agreement to VRU boss North during the deliberations.
Clarke denied the allegation to the Daily Telegraph but declined to comment further.
After coming under sustained criticism from WA Rugby figures this year but remaining silent, Clarke’s appearance on the witness list for the Senate inquiry indicates he is ready to launch a defence.
Another interesting name on the witness list is ex-Rebels CEO Peter Leahy, who was running the club when it was taken over by private owner Andrew Cox in 2015. Senator Reynolds pushed Pulver — unsuccessfully — for details on the financial arrangements made between the ARU and Cox when the licence was transferred.
Having been vocal during the campaign to save the Force, there was speculation the WA Premier Mark McGowan would give evidence on day two of the hearing in Perth but WA Minister for Sport and Recreation Michael Murray will appear instead.
Questioning will no doubt include whether there were any formal arrangements struck between the ARU and the WA Government concerning the $115m upgrade of NIB Stadium.
The other witnesses will be RUPA boss Ross Xenos, former Wallaby and current Andrew Forrest associate John Welborn.
In related news, the working committee looking into the viability of Forrest’s proposed Indo-Pacific Rugby Championship are meeting this week in Perth.
Needing a sizeable number of players to populate the comp, it’s understood the Mindaroo team have been pushing the ARU to sign an MOU regarding the IPRC but other than the Force, there is still no detail on which countries and teams are set to play in the six-team competition.
The ARU have been pushing for Forrest to expand the NRC with some Asian teams but the billionaire is keen to have a competition at a “Super Rugby standard”, not a third tier comp.
Should be an interesting listen tomorrow, going to be a lot of fillerbusting i would expect by North and Clarke but politicians are experienced in seeing through it so i can see Thursdays articles claiming another ambush or hatchet job oblivious to the hypocrisy.
I doubt Twiggy would even think twice about taking over the NRC and expanding it. We just saw what reckless expansion caused, plus it is the ARUs job to oversee development not Twiggy’s, nor is it Twiggys job to be propping up the East Coasts development pathways, that is also the ARUs responsibility. Twiggy already offered to put in $50 million, they said no. We are now leading our own destiny, thanks to the ARU.
Jeez..this Alison Foskett is really starting to get on my nerves
Sensational work, thanks so much Alison for your persistent hard work and effort. Hopefully the senate inquiry can finish the job.Originally Posted by Kalahard
Well done Alison! Great job
Unfortunately I had a comittment today that has been moved to tomorrow morning. Won't be able to listen in either, until lunchtime. Was a podcast available last time or is it a wait for the transcript?
I think there was a podcast somewhere
"12 Years aSupporter" starring the #SeaOfBlue
I'll have a look, thanks.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
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