Super Rugby side ACT Brumbies will not be increasing its high-performance budget "despite signing a record major sponsorship deal with Aquis," as the franchise looks to minimize its expected losses this year, according to David Polkinghorne of the BRISBANE TIMES. Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham has cut A$100,000 ($78,000) from his high-performance budget, "partly by leaving for away games a day later than they had in the past -- a move that brings the club in line with the rest of the competition." Brumbies CEO Michael Jones said the six-year, A$8M deal with Aquis "would not open the way for a reversal of that cut in spending." But he emphasized that the Brumbies were "not going without anything they needed." Jones has said from the "minute he took over" the CEO role that the Brumbies would have "another loss this financial year," on top of the A$1.07M deficit they had last year. But he is working to minimize that "before pushing to record a profit next year." Jones: "We're forecasting a big loss this year and I'm trying to get that back into black ink. ... I don't think our high-performance unit is wanting for many things and we're still the best high-performance unit in the country as far as resources and skill levels [are concerned]" (BRISBANE TIMES, 2/23).
