The Rugby Union Players' Association is "hoping people power can save Australia's five Super Rugby franchises, launching an online petition to put pressure on the Australian Rugby Union," according to Wayne Smith of THE AUSTRALIAN. Barring all the "usual caveats" from the ARU, it is "almost certainly the Western Force that may need saving, although the national body is correct that no decision has been taken to drop any team." But "clearly an in-principle decision was reached" at the SANZAAR crisis meeting in London three weeks ago that Australia would drop one team if South Africa agreed to drop two -- "assuming the broadcasters were prepared to pay the same money for a 15-team competition, scaling down from the existing 18 franchises." If all those conditions are met, then Australia "will be forced to make a huge call" -- whether to put the new expansion teams, the Sunwolves of Japan and the Jaguares of Argentina, ahead of one of its own teams, "which SANZAAR clearly wants," or to exercise its power of veto. But the RUPA launched its "Stronger as Five" campaign with the online petition, insisting that what Australian rugby needed was "not a cutback but a comeback." RUPA CEO Ross Xenos said, "For the ARU to prioritize expansion teams in Argentina and Japan ahead of one of its own Australian teams would arguably not be looking after the interests of Australian rugby." Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan has written to ARU Chair Cameron Clyne "pledging his government's support," while Sport & Recreation Minister Mick Murray "went a little further, offering help if Rugby WA needed to enforce any of its legal rights under the contract it signed with the ARU when the national body took it over last year" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 3/31). In Sydney, Georgina Robinson reported the RUPA "cannot take industrial action during the term of its current collective bargaining agreement," which expires on Dec. 31, but it is understood to be "mulling the option" during the Super Rugby preseason next year. It is understood RUPA also "plans to go into negotiations for the new agreement arguing for an increase in squad sizes and salary caps to factor in the 30 or so players that would be cut adrift if a team was surrendered." Former RUPA, NSW Waratahs and Force CEO Greg Harris urged the body to "seriously assess" what industrial action it could take. Harris said, "The professional game evolved out of player militancy. It might well be that player militancy again is the only action which looks after the best interests of the game in Australia because there are no indications that the ARU are performing this task at present" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 3/30).
