ARU reveals million dollar surplus

The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) has announced a surplus of $1.07 million for the year ended 31st December 2010 at its Annual General Meeting, held at ARU offices in Sydney on Friday.

The surplus was recorded after allocations of $6.1 million to each of the ARU's member unions and was above the original forecast in the 2010 Budget.

The overall operational surplus of $7.1 million and $1.07 million surplus increased ARU's capital reserves to $22.8 million. Revenue was up 6% on 2009, with gate takings, hospitality and sponsorship all providing better than forecast returns.

The AGM was also informed that over the past three years the ARU has, out of necessity, been rebuilding capital reserves. Through 2008, 2009 and 2010 the organisation has returned an accumulated surplus of $1.5 million after allocations to Member Unions.

To further highlight the prioritisation of fiscal responsibility, overall employment costs for the organisation in 2010 were down almost 20% - and almost 25% in real terms - compared to 2006.

Two new ARU Board Members were elected at the AGM with General Peter Cosgrove AC, MC (ret) returning to the Board as one of the NSWRU nominated Directors, joining John Mumm and replacing Mike Brown, who did not seek renomination.

General Cosgrove is joined as an incoming member of the Board by former Wallabies flanker and former General Manager of the ARU's High Performance Unit, Dr Brett Robinson who replaced the retiring Dick McGruther as one of two Queensland Rugby Union nominated Directors alongside John Eales AM.

Also at the AGM former Wallabies forward and long serving office bearer Peter Crittle AO was elected as a Life Member of the ARU.

Crittle's contribution to the game over more than five decades included coaching NSW and serving as President of both the ARU and NSW Rugby Union. He also received the Vernon Pugh Award from the International Rugby Board in 2005 for distinguished service to the game.

The newly re-established Sydney Rugby Union was also accepted as an affiliate of the ARU at the meeting.

ARU also announced that 2010 saw increase in participation numbers, which included an unprecedented number of players registered at Junior and Senior levels while total participation exceeded 200,000 for the first time in history.

Highlights of the participation census included:

• The total player base stood at an all-time high 209,571;
• Seniors were at a record 40,292;
• Juniors were at a record 47,474;
• Regular Rugby Players were at a record 132,471; and
• Overall numbers were up 8.8% on 2009 with an additional 16,990 players registered.

A record 88,000 children also 'sampled' the game in 2010 through development programs - an increase of 33% on 2009. However, the sampling numbers were not included in the overall participation figure as those involved did not play in a competition.

From an 'on-field' perspective the Qantas Wallabies, under the guidance of coach Robbie Deans, achieved some significant results in 2010 including the Wallabies first win at altitude in South Africa for 47 years and a drought breaking win against the All Blacks in Hong Kong, which ended the Qantas Wallabies 10-match losing streak against the New Zealanders.

In 2010 the Qantas Wallabies returned a 60% winning strike rate for the year with their away Test record reading 5 wins from 8 matches for a 62.5% return, which was Australia's best away record since the 80% recorded in 2000 when the Wallabies won both the Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cup silverware.

The home Test record of four wins from seven matches included two desperately unlucky one-point losses in Sydney ï¾ one to the All Blacks and another to England, while the Wallabies also won three from seven matches against the All Blacks and Springboks compared to one from seven matches in 2009.

The ARU's other national teams also achieved some significant results in 2010, including:

• The Australian Men's Sevens team who won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, their best performance since Sevens first entered the Commonwealth competition in 1998. The side also finished third on the IRB Sevens World Series standings after the eight legs of the competition. This was Australia's best result on the increasingly competitive Sevens circuit since the 2000-2001 season. The team also secured a victory at the London Sevens, which was Australia's first on the IRB circuit in eight years.
• The Australian Women's team contested the Women's Rugby World Cup for the 15-a-side format and achieved a best ever result reaching the semi-finals. The Wallaroos were beaten by England and went into a third place playoff against France, which Australia won 22-8. Australia's leading Women's referee Sarah Corrigan, was accorded the honour of officiating at the tournament.
• The Australian Under 20s team who, coached by David Nucifora, also enjoyed a milestone achievement at the Junior World Championships in Argentina reaching the final for the first time in the tournament's history, before going down to an outstanding New Zealand side in the decider.

From a broadcast perspective 2010 delivered another favourable outcome – and a vital element to the ongoing stability and prosperity of the game – with the announcement in April of the new SANZAR broadcasting agreement for the five year period from 2011 to 2015. 

Agreements involving the Australian, New Zealand and South African national bodies across their own territories and the UK alone will deliver SANZAR $US437 million – the previous five-year deal from 2006 to 2010 realised $US323 million.

The Nine Network emerged as the new free-to-air rights holder, finalising a deal with Fox Sports to simulcast the Qantas Wallabies June Tests and Tri Nations matches.

The ARU also acknowledged the ongoing support of Fox Sports who have been a broadcast partner since the inception of Super Rugby in 1996 and have continued to provide high quality Rugby content over the past 15 years.

In 2010 the International Rugby Board, via the International Match Schedule, agreed on what effectively is a return to the 'traditional' tour, where European countries will travel to SANZAR nations to contest a series of three Tests.

This decision opens the door to midweek matches for the touring team, enabling the host country to build momentum and interest throughout the visit.

ARU Managing Director and Chief Executive, John O'Neill AO, addressed the AGM and said that at the end of 2010 Australian Rugby was in a position to contend that both on and off the field there was justification to look to the future with optimism.

O'Neill explained that "the financial, participation and on-field results show that the game is headed in the right direction."

At the ARU Board meeting that followed the AGM Michael Hawker was re-appointed as a Board appointed Director.

Image: General Peter Cosgrove 

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