(cont'd from last post)
Lynagh is sympathetic to the fact that RA has had a lot on its plate this year and is in the process of changing its chief executive. But he also is mystified. “When somebody comes in and says he wants to start up a new competition providing first-class rugby to the people of Western Australia and, by the way, wants to help out Australia by bringing players back from overseas or preventing players from going overseas, and wants to help with grassroots, schools, coaching — all sorts of things are possible — you’d think that the red carpet would be rolled out, with trumpets blaring.”
… [The] organisation which has, potentially, the most to lose out of the IPRC is RA. If it gives its blessing to the competition, it could be the ruin of its Wallaby selection criteria — with rugby going down the road of soccer, where all the good players head abroad. It could also leave Sydney’s Shute Shield and Brisbane’s Premier Rugby open to crippling raids as Forrest potentially attempts to fill out his playing rosters.
“Clubs are all worried about us stealing players,” said Lynagh. “We don’t want to do that. We don’t necessarily need to do that when you look at
all the players who are available, in Europe, in Japan and in the islands. Ultimately we’ll try to make it (the IPRC) equal to the best Super Rugby. But look at this year’s competition. Some of the games between lower-ranked sides (think, for instance, the game between the Force and the Kings) were exciting, even though they weren’t of the standard of the Hurricanes playing the Crusaders.”
… Australia could bury its head in the sand where the player drain is concerned, but for how long? The loss of 350 players, mainly to Europe, has decimated South Africa and the Springboks — and Australia could follow …
Long term, the IPRC could become the basis of a post-2020 arrangement after the Super Rugby broadcast deal expires. If South Africa does move north, the way would be open for New Zealand, with its five teams, to join Australia — with the Force reactivated — and Forrest’s five teams in Asia. “At the moment, that’s not our initial goal but it certainly is a prospect,” said Lynagh.
… The real test of RA’s commitment is whether it is prepared to come to commercially realistic terms about the length of its commitment. If Forrest is to go to the expense of pushing through this competition, he deserves a long-term “lease” not one that’s going to expire in five years’ time, or worse, when the SANZAAR broadcast deal expires in 2020.
“If you had a lease on a flat for only a year, you’re not going to spend $60,000 on a kitchen, are you?” he asked.
Lynagh has watched from afar as Australian rugby has gone through its annus horribilis but now he believes RA can begin to turn the game around.
“They’ve been in bunker mode and I think they are still in that mode with us.
RA needs a good news story and this is a good news story. As long as we are all mature and document things properly, we can make this work. We know we have to prove ourselves to Australia. I wouldn’t have got involved if I didn’t have that as one of my primary motives.”
Full article:
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