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'Toughest decision in history': Rugby Australia stand down 75 percent of staff, could lose $120m

(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

By NZ Herald

Rugby Australia will stand down 75 percent of their staff in what they have called “the toughest decision in the game’s history”.

The announcement has come as a result of the coronavirus pandemic which has halted sport worldwide, and sent economic shockwaves through the sporting world.

Rugby has been one of the hardest hit, including Down Under, with Super Rugby being suspended a result of Government-imposed travel restrictions, before Rugby Australia’s plans for a domestic competition were also suspended given the advice of the Government’s health experts.

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As a result of the lost revenue, Rugby Australia will now stand down 75 per ent of its workforce from April 1 through June 30, while remaining staff have been offered significant salary reductions or reduced hours.

They are projecting a worst-case scenario of up to a $120 million loss in revenue, should the Super Rugby season and the entire Wallabies domestic test calendar be cancelled as a result of the virus.

“Today we have had to deliver the hardest news imaginable to our incredible, hard-working and passionate staff, that many of them will be stood down for a three-month period so that the game can survive this unprecedented crisis,” said Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle.

https://twitter.com/RugbyPass/status/1244781240881831936

“Since the suspension of our proposed domestic Super Rugby competition, we have been working to understand both the immediate and long-term financial implications for the game as a result of the suspension of the competition, and potential further loss of revenue-generating content as we look ahead to the international season.

“Our extensive modelling shows that as a code, we could lose up to $120 million in revenue should it not be possible for any rugby to be played in 2020. Of course, that is the worst case scenario, and we are very hopeful that we can recommence the Super Rugby season and domestic Wallabies test matches at some point this year.

“The measures we will implement from April 1, although extremely painful, are necessary to ensure the sport remains financially viable and to ensure that we are able to come out the other side of this global crisis, fully-operational and ready to throw everything into the rebuild. It is our priority to keep all of our valued team connected and engaged through this period.”

Castle has taken a 50 per cent pay cut, and Rugby Australia’s executive team will also take 30 per cent pay cuts.

This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.

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Flankly 1 hour ago
'Absolute madness': Clive Woodward rips into Borthwick in wake of NZ loss

Borthwick is supposed to be the archetypical conservative coach, the guy that might not deliver a sparkling, high-risk attacking style, but whose teams execute the basics flawlessly. And that's OK, because it can be really hard to beat teams that are rock solid and consistent in the rugby equivalent of "blocking and tackling".


But this is why the performance against NZ is hard to defend. You can forgive a conservative, back-to-basics team for failing to score tons of tries, because teams like that make up for it with reliability in the simple things. They can defend well, apply territorial pressure, win the set piece battles, and take their scoring chances with metronomic goal kicking, maul tries and pick-and-go goal line attacks.


The reason why the English rugby administrators should be on high alert is not that the English team looked unable to score tries, but that they were repeatedly unable to close out a game by executing basic, coachable skills. Regardless of how they got to the point of being in control of their destiny, they did get to that point. All that was needed was to be world class at things that require more training than talent. But that training was apparently missing, and the finger has to point at the coach.


Borthwick has been in the job for nearly two years, a period that includes two 6N programs and an RWC campaign. So where are the solid foundations that he has been building?

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