Rugby Australia makes players and agents wait for broadcast deal

Rugby Australia is yet to guarantee player contracts beyond this season despite requests for assurances from player agents.

Interim chief executive of Rugby Australia, Rob Clarke, is confident there is a bright future in Australia for players. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Rugby Australia is yet to guarantee player contracts beyond this season, despite requests for assurances from player agents.

Interim RA chief executive Rob Clarke said he hoped to provide more “clarity” as soon as possible for players and their agents.

RA is battling to secure its major revenue stream — a broadcast deal — beyond 2020 with the current $57m-a-year contract with Fox Sports expiring at the end of this year.

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“It’s not surprising we haven’t been able to give absolute clarity until we secure a broadcast partner for the future, those two things are linked,” Clarke said. “I am keeping (RUPA chief executive) Justin Harrison across all those discussions and where we sit. I can reassure the players I believe there will be a bright future for them. I’d like to reassure to them there will be every effort made to clarify the position as soon possible.”

The Weekend Australian has learnt several player agents have contacted RA staff asking for guarantees for their players’ contracts beyond this year, with many locked into long-term deals. There has yet to be a formal answer from the governing body.

The request followed a five-minute Zoom meeting on April 22 between coaching director Scott Johnson, national player contracting manager Nick Taylor and a group of player agents.

The Weekend Australian has received a transcript of the meeting where Johnson assured player agents they will answer all questions from the agents via email and put them to the RA board.

“I wanted to reach out to say I am really, really happy to address all questions but can we send the questions through to Nick for him to collate and then we can find adequate responses for all your questions because it is new ground that we are treading in,” Johnson told the meeting. “I will go to our board and we will talk through your questions … so as best we can, we get clarity for you and your players.”

In the same meeting, Johnson said it was a “difficult period” and he was trying to get “clarity” on the season and “what the future looks like”.

With uncertainty around RA’s future, many players are looking at their options or have already signed to overseas clubs in Japan, Europe and the US.

Clarke is renegotiating a deal with Fox Sports for the virus-affected season. He said the talks were “positive” but not finalised.

Clarke said there was a promising future for players in Australia.

“I believe there is a bright future here for them here in Australia,” Clarke said.

“The overseas market as a whole is suffering from many of the same issues as we are. Whilst the grass might look greener, some patches in every single union, is going through similar challenges. Work with us. We will work with RUPA closely, we will come up with a clear picture properly. That is my next priority after sorting out 2020’s broadcast deal.

“Foxtel have been brilliant partners for a very long time and I trust that will continue.”

Rugby Australia is due to lodge its accounts for 2019 on May 31.

“I am confident we will get them to ASIC in time for the deadline,” Clarke said. “I am very confident we are solvent and a going concern.”