Professional rugby union in Australia is lurching inevitably towards a financial cliff, with rising costs and falling revenue expected to exhaust cash reserves midway through next year.

Five reports, commissioned by both the ARU and the players' association RUPA since 2008, have all pointed to this date with indebtedness, raising the question whether directors of the ARU are concerned about future claims on their own assets.

Chief executive Bill Pulver acknowledges the dire position, saying, “Australian Rugby Union has been upfront about the financial challenges facing rugby, and we are working with our members and the rugby community to build a sustainable financial model for our game.”

The ARU annual general meeting, scheduled for April 1 has been put back to May 26, with Pulver saying it will enable the ARU, “To fully assess our financial position and take the steps necessary to ensure the continued financial viability of our game.”