Wednesday’s rugby news has Brumbies board changes, Super Rugby 10s talks, funding reallocation and Hansen contracted past the RWC.
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Brumbies board shake-up
In response to the well publicized financial losses of the club this year, the Brumbies have opted to make four changes to the board at the annual general meeting, the largest of which was ousting chairman Sean Hammond and replacing him with new board member Rob Kennedy.
The massive shake-up at board level continues the recent period of instability at the Brumbies. In the past 15 months, the club has seen head coaches Jake White and Laurie Fisher quit, while the Brumbies are also searching for their third chief executive in just over a year.
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Possible Super Rugby 10s
Rugby officials are in early discussions to host a 10s competition between Super Rugby teams, emulating the popularity of the Auckland Nines league tournament. It is understood that the promoters behind the Auckland Nines, Duco Events, have approached SANZAR representatives.
While rugby has an existing short-format version of the game in Sevens, players have generally enjoyed the 10-a-side version, particular because there is more of a traditional contest in scrums and lineouts but more of the open space lacking in the 15-man game.
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WA trying to level the playing field
RugbyWA is hoping that new levies imposed on players by the ARU will lead to a fairer distribution of income between the states. WA currently receives less than every other State governing except for Tasmania despite registering the third most players.
Under the new system, players who register for next season will have to pay $130 – $75 for insurance, a $33 ARU levy and a $22 competition fee – directly to the national body. Rugby WA is hoping that these new levies will lead to a greater share of ARU finding to boost the game in the area.
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Hansen extends contract
New Zealand rugby chiefs have reappointed coach Steve Hansen to the end of 2017 – regardless of results in next year’s World Cup. Hansen has forged an impressive 90 per cent win-rate since 2011 when he took on the head coach role of the All Blacks.
NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said that All Black coaches generally live and die on World Cup records, with Hansen saying that he’s “honoured by the faith and confidence the Board has shown in me by offering an extension to my contract”.
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