The Sydney and Brisbane Clubs – the heart of rugby in this country for over 100 years – are standing up for the future of the game against a CEO of Australian Rugby who is hellbent on frittering the Game’s scarce resources on pie in the sky schemes and empire building.
The ARU’s recently outlined “Strategic Plan” has no funding for junior rugby, no funding for schools rugby, no funding for club rugby and a token amount thrown at Western Sydney. And.. those well-known hotbeds of Rugby activity – WA and Victoria – receive the same funding as Qld and NSW
Rugby World Cup winning Coach Bob Dwyer stood up for the future of Rugby in the SMH “It is gross stupidity in all ways” (Read the full article : http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/club-rugby/bob-dwyer-slams-aru-boss-bill-pulver-for-neglecting-sydney-club-rugby-20160212-gmshre.html#ixzz40IjkP9iI)
Brett Papworth interviewed in the Australian today:
“I have been arguing with them for a long time over their attitude to the game at grassroots level,” Papworth said. “Our issue is that Sydney and Brisbane clubs have effectively provided Australian rugby forever and they just don’t seem to get it.
“There’s no money spent. No money spent at all. Our issue is in the last published (ARU) annual report — we haven’t seen 2015 — he (Pulver) spent $106m. The ARU, they are the guardian of the game. Let me tell you where they spent it: $25m was head office salaries and benefits, which includes the Melbourne Rebels for which the ARU were picking up the tab.
“The game at grassroots level nationally got $4m. (Read the article here: https://eastwoodrugby.com.au/woodepedia/the-intangible-value-of-club-rugby/)
The CEO of the ARU in response said : The Shute Shield is a wonderful competition. It’s an important part of the Australian rugby development pathway….
The Shute Shield is an important part of the Australian rugby development pathway and gets not 1 cent.. Imagine what he’d do to it if he didn’t care?