The second sitting of the senate inquiry into Australian rugby was expected to "get interesting," as former Australian Rugby Union COO Rob Clarke and Victorian rugby officials were scheduled to give testimony, according to Iain Payten of THE AUSTRALIAN. Clarke was expected to "officially fire back at claims made in the first hearing last month" that he undermined former Super Rugby side Western Force by acting as a Melbourne Rebels supporter during the Super Rugby downsizing this year. The Rebels and the Force were "under threat but the ARU eventually chose the West Australian club to be shut down." Disgruntled WA Senator Linda Reynolds "pushed for, and won, a senate inquiry," on "The future of Australian Rugby." In a "feisty" first day of hearings in which ARU CEO Bill Pulver was "grilled," the focus was on the reasons for the Force's axing and why the "financially crippled" Rebels were not chosen instead. Former Force CEO Mark Sinderberry "took aim at Clarke over a conflict of interest for running the ARU's assessment given he was once a Rebels CEO." Sinderberry alleged Clarke had given a copy of the confidential ARU-Force alliance agreement to Victorian Rugby Union President Tim North during the deliberations. Clarke denied the allegation but declined to comment further (THE AUSTRALIAN, 10/10).
