Rebels Skipper Brands Arc's Death A Backward Step

The Age

Wednesday December 19, 2007

Rupert Guinness

MELBOURNE Rebels captain David Croft yesterday led player condemnation of the decision to terminate the Australian Rugby Championship after only one season, calling it a "big step backwards".

While the Australian Rugby Union may still hold an interim competition in its place to bridge the gap between club and Super 14 rugby, it yesterday labelled the prospect of continuing the ARC as an "untenable financial risk".

The state unions yesterday expressed disappointment over the ARC's demise, but said they supported the planned review and would accept the ARU's position, despite conjecture over the size of losses cited by the ARU.

The ARU said in a statement yesterday that the 2007 ARC produced a $4.7 million loss that was "more than $2 million over the budgeted investment". It also forecast a further loss of $3.3 million if it were held next year. It is hoped the review, to be conducted early next year, will devise the best format for a third-tier competition.

The position taken by the states did not quell the disapproval over the decision among the playing ranks, which embraced the semi-professional competition that was contested by eight teams.

"As custodians of the game I believe that we as a community need to look further into this competition than merely a financial balance sheet, and its true success cannot be fully measured at this early stage," said Croft, whose team lost the ARC final to the Central Coast Rays this year.

"There are many long-term important benefits of this competition that can't be recorded on a balance sheet.

"The players all bought into this concept and built teams and established cultures. It doesn't seem right for it to be that easily taken away. The decision to withdraw this competition is a big step backwards."

Western Force forward David Pusey fears Perth players have had their pathway to professionalism cut.

"There is no pathway for Perth players. How does a club player in Perth get into a Super 14 team? The answer is easy. He doesn't," said the Perth Spirit player.

"What happens to players 23 to 40 who don't play much Super 14. Don't tell me 10 games of club rugby in Perth is all they play."

NSW Rugby and WA Rugby both expressed "disappointment" in the ARC's death. So did the Victorian Rugby Union, but not without also calling upon the ARU to act swiftly to ensure that the growing interest in rugby in an AFL-dominated market does not drop with the ARC's axing.

"It is important from our point of view that the ARU outlines Victoria's place in the national footprint," said VRU president Gary Gray. "The Rebels gave an enormous uplift for rugby in Victoria."

While excited at the prospect of a Super side in Melbourne, Gray said Victorian rugby couldn't wait that long. "We're looking at 2011 (for a Super side) - four years away. That's quite a long time."

The ARU stressed it was still possible that a downscaled competition could be held in the ARC's place.

"We will meet with the states in the new year to see if we can design a new competition affordable and of a standard of football that is suitable," said ARU deputy chief executive Matt Carroll.

"You can't just can't change things at the top. You have to look through all the fabric of the game. By making this hard decision now, we can get on with that job."

? Wallabies full-back Chris Latham yesterday confirmed he had signed a three-year deal with English club Worcester from 2008.

Latham, 32, offered only a two-year, incentive-based contract extension by the Australian Rugby Union, will play his final Super 14 season with the Queensland Reds then head to the UK after the Tri-Nations.