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TOCC - just to your point and for the record - I have zero against 5 Aus Super teams per se, I'd love 5 teams. My conviction was that _given the demonstrable poor calibre of our ARU and equally most if not all of the State RUs as were supported by the ARU_they the ARU could not and would not...

That is an extremely revealing article, quoting with extraordinary frankness the CEO of South African rugby. Three big highlights: - he says it's probable that Super Rugby 'should have stayed at 12 teams only' - the hunt for more revenue drove the too-big expansion of Super Rugby (at the...

You'd know I'd agree with much of that. Btw: the notion that 'lots of high-prestige directors from 'big' corporate careers' sort of automatically equals good governance practice and superior strategic oversight is bunk. Many spectacular corporate or institutional failures have had just these...

No. But THE big issue facing the ARU is categorically NOT that of 'is it a good idea or not to drop 1 Super team' but rather 'How the fuck are we going to fix the badly deteriorating commercial, financial and game outcome problems of the other 4 Super teams?' IMO, not nearly enough...

Mate don't forget Cox said he was assured some weeks ago by a 'senior ARU person' that the Rebels were safe in this culling process. He's thus stated that he reacted with absolute shock when on Monday Clyne announced the 'fast due process' evaluation with both the Rebels and the Force involved...

That was an impressive, calm and highly articulate defence of the Force's 'keep us' case by its President Sauer. Whatever one's views on this matter, it's very well worth listening to.

The ARU has had no less than _8 months_ to think this entire process through - after all they up-front volunteered to SANZAAR a desire to cull one Aus Super franchise*. They could thus, with all leisure, consider and carefully assess every nuance and possible eventuality arising from this...

One thing for sure these tawdry revelations demonstrate: The deal the ARU did with Cox has way more ARU expensive and risky commitments, complex burdens, contingent guarantees and other mysterious clauses of obligation than the ARU has even vaguely admitted in all its hoopla of 2015 re this...

Many, many good points above. But the heart of the matter was and is surely this: - the ARU badly wanted to enter the Vic market - any such high-risk venture with large financial investments required etc requires a first-class business plan, outstanding and experinced management and risk...

What of course the ARU failed to remark upon yesterday is that by no means does culling a Super team here mean the remaining 4 are healthy and viable. The truth is they are not, and with every appalling win-loss ratio trend line in the Super comp, crowds are declining along with TV viewership...

.....many good posts here.........shows the flame of passion for this great code is far from dead in Australia.

The below is an extract (my emphasis added in bold) from a GeoRob article in the SMH Online tonight. If all or most of it is even vaguely true, it beggars belief as to how the ARU has gotten itself into such a ridiculously exposed situation with the Rebels/Vic Govt, a team that was deemed to...

That improves the 'look and feel' of 'pissing $4m bucks up against the wall' does it?

Nope, the real issue is - why has that occurred, and why does it continue to occur, and what has brought that condition about.

Just btw: a neglected fact that arises from a possible decision to cull the Force is that the ARU will totally kiss goodbye to the c.$4,000,000 it has only very recently spent baling them out. Up in smoke, all of it. No one seems to notice or care about that, after all, it's only a fraction of...

At any time in that S18 formulation process, whatever SARU said or banged the table over, the ARU could have said 'this will kill rugby in Australia if it proceeds, we categorically veto it until a proposal is found that meaningfully equates to the survival and prosperity of rugby in Australia'...

Words totally, just totally, fail me (see link below). The ARU today say they knew from the very moment they established the Rebels that 5 Super teams were not financially or commercially viable and could not be sustained. Yet this is what they created, they wanted, they designed it. But...

You know things have gone from bad to (very much) worse when a journo who was a near-sycophant to the QRU for years, today says: Capitulation to Brumbies shows Queensland Reds in dire straits .......and, can you believe it, in the linked article also says some blame must be shared by the QRU...

Very amusing that the ARU Chair, in identifying Pulver's 'extraordinary' efforts, can only particularise his achievements in improving 'international relationships' in the Southern Hemisphere where such were 'badly burned' before his arrival. These are the 'newly positive' relationships that...

TOCC - just re that ESPN article you quoted from - the remainder of it also mentioned that the NZRU do not respect Pulver and have no regard for the competency of the ARU. Which would not surprise any of us here.