Aussies will go it alone

RUGBY Australia has told its longtime ally New Zealand Rugby they are strongly considering leaving Super Rugby and instead running a domestic-only competition similar to the AFL and NRL.

RA chairman Hamish McLennan informed his NZR counterpart Stewart Mitchell over dinner they might call it a day on their partnership following the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season.

“We’ll honour our commitments in ’23 but we need to see what’s best for rugby in Australia leading up to the RWC in Australia in ’27,” McLennan said. “All bets are off from ’24 onwards with NZ.”

Former NZR chairman Brent Impey’s move to cast aside South Africa and Argentina following the onset of Covid-19 has caused bitterness between the parties and the disappointment continued when NZR told RA they only wanted two Australian sides to participate in their next Super Rugby iteration.

NZR has changed its tune in the two years since, admitting to RA officials they got it wrong, and have been pleasantly surprised by the vastly improved showing of their neighbours across the ditch.

Off the back of Australia’s muchimproved showing in 2022, which included three sides making the finals and the Brumbies going within a whisker of knocking over the Blues at Eden Park in the semi-final, NZR wants to extend their deal with RA beyond 2023.

However McLennan and RA board member Phil Waugh informed Mitchell they were considering walking away at a dinner this month.

Previously all the broadcast money, the majority of which came from SuperSport in South Africa, was split equally between the three inaugural SANZAR partners. That extended to Argentina when the South Americans were included in 2016.

However that is not the case today, with NZR paid $91m by broadcast partners Sky, compared to $29m for RA, and RA wants more.

“Some board members have strong opinions that a domestic-only competition like the AFL and NRL would generate more money for the game and that is fair comment,” McLennan said.

More than 40,000 supporters flocked to Suncorp Stadium to watch the Reds defeat the Brumbies in last year’s Super Rugby AU final.

Were RA to end their partnership with NZR, they would consider adding a second side in NSW and Queensland.

Fiji’s addition has also pleased RA, while Japanese representation in the competition remains a consideration.

Crucially RA have the support of their stakeholders, with Super Rugby franchises backing the governing body.

“I can definitely say that all the Super Rugby chairs are behind the thoughts of Rugby Australia and definitely want to explore, as we rightly should be able to, our options moving forward,” Brumbies chairman Matt Nobbs said.

“We need to act in the best interests of the game and our financial viability comes into that as well.”