Bill Pulver says decision to support Super Rugby expansion largely down to game’s greater good

BILL Pulver says his call to support Super Rugby expansion despite financial warnings for Australia was, in part, made for the good of world rugby.

New Qantas Wallabies coach, Ewen McKenzie announces his maiden 40-man squad for the upcoming Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship at ARU headquarters in St Leonards today. L to R, Bill Pulver from ARU, Ewen McKenzie.

BILL Pulver says his decision to back the expansion of Super Rugby despite warnings of dire financial consequence for Australia rugby was, in part, made for the good of world rugby.

“We don’t always make decisions that are exclusively for the good of Australian rugby,” Pulver told News Corp. “On occasion you have to make decisions for the good of all rugby.”

The surprising admission — which will raise eyebrows of several stakeholders in Australian rugby — was made by the ARU chief executive in regards to the decision to support the inclusion of a sixth South African team and Argentina in Super Rugby from 2018.

But with estimates of consolidated losses up to $15m over the new few years, RUPA has been among several groups insisting the ARU was not acting in Australia’s interest, and attempting to secure more local content — not less, as will be the case from 2016 — is the only way to stop Australian rugby going over a financial “precipice”.

RUPA boss Greg Harris even argued for Pulver and the ARU to push for a new trans-Tasman competition, cutting off the South African teams and their unworkable timezone entirely.

“People can take that view,” Pulver said.

“As I have said, my personal view was that an Australasian conference (within Super Rugby) was the preferred option. But the reality is neither New Zealand, nor the broadcasters, supported it.

“I could have attempted to bring New Zealand around, but at the end of the day, there is the potential influence on your national team. If your Super Rugby clubs are not playing the best teams in the world, you have to question whether they are being prepared properly for the national team.News_Rich_Media: Sean Maloney runs us through the top five premature celebrations.

“It clearly has the right revenue implication as well, if the broadcasters are telling you they are going to pay for a competition that includes a sixth South African team and Argentina’s team.”

Pulver said embracing Argentina and, effectively, the Southern Kings in South Africa was the right thing to do for rugby, in line with “the integrity that exists in our game”.

“There is a case to say including those two extra sides is not necessarily a no-brainer from an Australian rugby perspective.

But if you take it up a level to an international perspective, it is absolutely essential to include Argentina,” Pulver said, adding their players were stuck in an “extremely difficult” situation in Europe after the Pumas joined the Rugby Championship.

Pulver said the political sensitives of South Africa’s desire to have the Kings, a largely black province, were also worth respecting.

“I feel very comfortable that we are doing the right thing,” Pulver said.

“On occasion you have to make decisions for the good of all rugby, and I think those two qualify on that basis.

“Providing the compromise you are making is manageable. When you look at it in the context of all three broadcasters saying if you’re trying to optimise your revenue, that’s the way you should go anyway.”