Australia

ARU cuts all Sydney premiership funding

ESPN Staff

Eastwood were the 2014 Shute Shield champions © New South Wales Rugby Union Enlarge

The Australian Rugby Union have reportedly cut all funding to Sydney premiership rugby for the 2015 season with the cash-strapped organisation said to have dropped funding from $100,000 to nothing over five years. The twelve premiership clubs were left disgruntled by the decision and The Daily Telegraph has reportedly obtained a letter that the clubs sent addressed to ARU chairman Michael Hawker voicing their opposition of the decision.

"The perception is that the ARU has abandoned Community Rugby, electing not to fund grassroots rugby while continually introducing new programs requiring a substantial commitment of time, resources and funding from the participants," The Daily Telegraph reported. "What is your Board's long- term vision for the game of rugby and specifically community or grassroots rugby?"

As several clubs continue to struggle financially, with Northern Suburbs recently selling their club house Cabana Bar due to lack of finances, the decision to cut all funding will further jeopardise grassroots rugby.

Parramatta president Brian Blacklock told The Telegraph that the funding cut would place huge amounts of pressure on the club, which has the smallest budget in the competition, and will affect the short-term development of the game out west.

"We just feel we are being abandoned," Blacklock said.

While Eastwood president Brett Papworth believes the ARU are failing to look at the long-term affects of their decisions, rather looking to make short-term financial gains.

"They have not made one decision for the long-term health of the game that I remember," Papworth told The Daily Telegraph. "We have supposedly a very intelligent, commercially minded board who don't see the blatantly obvious.

"They have lost their way … they are the guardians of the game and I don't think any of them give that a thought."

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