The Ghost of Raelene
John Eales (66)
I'd say that's about right for the SS. Helps when you have 4 different sides in 1st/2nd Grade and a belter of a day albeit windy. Rats also have a great crowd of Hillbillies.
Australian rugby/RA
- Thread starter Dave Beat
- Start date
Red Runner
Chris McKivat (8)
Tough to give a crowd number for GF as the crowd ebs and flows through the day. For instance there were a bunch of wests and easts supporters there for colts 1 who would have left right after that game.
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
It was a fantastic turn out for the SS grand final. The atmosphere would have been great.
PhilClinton
Mark Ella (57)
The Ballymore grandstand was a sellout, not sure how many seats it has now?
And then I reckon maybe another 1500 floating around the hill and other areas.
EDIT - new grandstand holds 3010 seats. So, I reckon probably closer to 4,500 at the venue when the 1st grade game started.
Apparently, Ballymore max capacity is now 6,000 and there seemed to be plenty of places to sit and stand and there were still tickets available on the day.
Rob42
Alan Cameron (40)
This is one of the times where the fragmentation of Australian rugby really frustrates me. Having the club rugby GFs on a weekend where there's no Wallaby match is perfect for some cross-promotion - really promote Wallabies attending the GFs etc, but of course, Rugby Australia doesn't work well with NSW Rugby, who don't work well with the Sydney RU, so it would be practically impossible for everyone to work together on something like that.
Alex Sharpe
Fred Wood (13)
The players knew the Grand Finals were on. Nothing stopping them heading down for a look.
Ben Donaldson was at the Colts GF, while I saw Luke Reimer getting amongst it with the Rats. There were others as well.
Strewthcobber
Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Wallabies are in Townsville aren't they?
Wilson
Tim Horan (67)
Pretty sure the wallabies squad members were all in camp in Townsville already
The Ghost of Raelene
John Eales (66)
The squad is in far north qld trying to win the RC.
Plenty of players and faces were floating around. Players posting on social media is more effective tbh and guys like Blyth were posting about Bond in the HC.
Plenty of players and faces were floating around. Players posting on social media is more effective tbh and guys like Blyth were posting about Bond in the HC.
Adam84
John Eales (66)
Squad assembled in Townsville on Sunday.. Josh Flook played for Brothers, looks like those outside the likely matchday 23 were allowed to play
Rob42
Alan Cameron (40)
Yeah, I get that there were a good number of pro players at the GFs, but I think promoting that ahead of time would be helpful to show to casual supporters the spectrum of Australian rugby. The club GF days are a great advertisement for the sport, showcase them to those extra viewers who are just tuning in, or tuning back in, because the Wallabies are interesting again. Maybe even, shock horror, have a few Wallabies leave camp for a day.
Rob42
Alan Cameron (40)
No problem then...only need to get RA, NSW Rugby, and SRU to talk. Ah well, it was a good idea for a moment.
Adam84
John Eales (66)
RA officially debt free after paying off the $63million PEP loan last week
www.afr.com
Rugby Australia is debt free, turns eye to future fund
The success of this year’s British and Irish Lions Tour has provided it enough financial headroom to run operations through to the 2027 World Cup.
Major Tom
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
“Accelerate the creation of an investment fund”RA officially debt free after paying off the $63million PEP loan last week
Rugby Australia is debt free, turns eye to future fund
The success of this year’s British and Irish Lions Tour has provided it enough financial headroom to run operations through to the 2027 World Cup.
Different to the Rugby Future Fund?
Wilson
Tim Horan (67)
Yeah, it sounds like it's a separate entity. Details are slim but this would be an RA specific future fund (rather than the ARF's one that is for private investors) similar to what the AOC setup after the Sydney Olympics:
The Red Baron
Chilla Wilson (44)
Townsville had their grand final over the weekend as well for all grades, the wallabies showed up there. That's just as important as showing up to an already well supported Shute Shield or QPR grand final, as it does wonders for engagement in the regions.
Crashy
Desmond Connor (43)
In today's AFR. RA is officially debt free...
Rugby Australia has wiped its debt and is planning to accelerate the creation of an investment fund after the success of this year’s British and Irish Lions Tour provided enough financial headroom to run operations through to the 2027 World Cup.
The governing body owed $63.5 million to Pacific Equity Partners as part of an $80 million loan provided in 2023 when rugby union was in deep financial turmoil. RA chief executive Phil Waugh and chief financial officer Richard Gardham said they had paid off the last of the debt and cancelled the agreement last Friday.
Rugby Australia will look to establish a future fund after becoming debt-free last Friday.
The repayment marks the first time RA has been debt-free since 2021, when it took out an initial $40 million loan with NYSE-listed Ares Management.
Waugh said becoming debt-free meant RA could try to accelerate plans for the creation of a future fund and reassess whether to put private equity back on the table.
“That’s the conversation we need to have with the board,” Waugh told The Australian Financial Review. “My ambition is to establish an investment fund as quickly as possible.
“Given the over-performance on the Lions and the 2025 year ... we’ll have cash flow to carry us through 2026, and ideally we have enough surplus to actually establish the investment fund sooner rather than later.”
The idea of an investment fund was first floated by former chairman Hamish McLennan in 2022, and the plan was to inject $100 million from the 2027 Rugby World Cup profits into a vehicle that could be used to invest in the future of the sport.
This type of fund was established by the Australian Olympic Committee using capital from the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
The last time RA hosted a World Cup – in 2003 – it received a $44 million windfall. Former chief executive John O’Neill wanted to invest the money in a future fund, but it never eventuated because of disagreements over how the money should be used.
Rugby union lost fans and players to other codes, including rugby league, for the past decade, but its financial problems were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The absence of matches made it difficult to meet the demands of broadcasters and sponsors, and in the year ending December 31, 2020, it had posted a $27.1 million loss. Things went from bad to worse – major sponsor Qantas ended its relationship after 30 years, and the governing body was forced to sign a new broadcast rights deal worth less than the previous agreement.
RA took a $40 million loan from Ares in May 2021 and by the following year began to reassess whether its long-term future involved private equity.
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh says being debt-free gives the sport more strategic options.
The Wallabies’ failure to reach the knockout stage of the Rugby World Cup for the first time in 2023 and the tumultuous 10-month tenure of coach Eddie Jones put further pressure on the already struggling sport.
RA’s enterprise value softened and it became clear that debt was the better path forward than an equity deal.
Ares was repaid when Rugby Australia refinanced its debt with Pacific Equity Partners in late 2023 after the Rugby World Cup. Since then, RA has signed a new $210 million broadcast deal with Nine Entertainment and its streaming service Stan, and the governing body undertook a restructuring designed to improve the sport’s focus on high-performance.
The Wallabies’ win rate has improved under current coach Joe Schmidt – currently at 47 per cent – and Waugh said earlier this year that he expected RA to make a $50 million profit for 2025.
PEP’s loan was not due to be repaid until 2028, but the agreement had flexibility that allowed RA to repay the money earlier.
Gardham said there was now enough cash headroom to run RA through to the 2027 men’s World Cup, from which he expects another windfall.
Waugh said becoming debt-free would also allow RA to reconsider other ways to expand the sport, such as a private equity injection into the Super Rugby competition.
“Do you have to [run another private equity process?] No, but it still might be the right strategic direction, and we obviously have optionality around Super Rugby and what it looks like going forward,” he said.
But Gardham said the immediate focus – until the investment fund was established – was to ensure the governing body’s financial position was stable.
“What we need to get to is a position where we’re stable, using the proceeds from those major events to then reinvest back in the game for growth in the future rather than to pay off debts,” he said.
Rugby Australia has wiped its debt and is planning to accelerate the creation of an investment fund after the success of this year’s British and Irish Lions Tour provided enough financial headroom to run operations through to the 2027 World Cup.
The governing body owed $63.5 million to Pacific Equity Partners as part of an $80 million loan provided in 2023 when rugby union was in deep financial turmoil. RA chief executive Phil Waugh and chief financial officer Richard Gardham said they had paid off the last of the debt and cancelled the agreement last Friday.
Rugby Australia will look to establish a future fund after becoming debt-free last Friday.
The repayment marks the first time RA has been debt-free since 2021, when it took out an initial $40 million loan with NYSE-listed Ares Management.
Waugh said becoming debt-free meant RA could try to accelerate plans for the creation of a future fund and reassess whether to put private equity back on the table.
“That’s the conversation we need to have with the board,” Waugh told The Australian Financial Review. “My ambition is to establish an investment fund as quickly as possible.
“Given the over-performance on the Lions and the 2025 year ... we’ll have cash flow to carry us through 2026, and ideally we have enough surplus to actually establish the investment fund sooner rather than later.”
Sellout crowds
The British and Irish Lions toured Australia in July for the first time in 12 years. The sellout crowds across the country and influx of tourism made it a major financial success – RA was expected to generate more than $100 million in profits.The idea of an investment fund was first floated by former chairman Hamish McLennan in 2022, and the plan was to inject $100 million from the 2027 Rugby World Cup profits into a vehicle that could be used to invest in the future of the sport.
This type of fund was established by the Australian Olympic Committee using capital from the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
The last time RA hosted a World Cup – in 2003 – it received a $44 million windfall. Former chief executive John O’Neill wanted to invest the money in a future fund, but it never eventuated because of disagreements over how the money should be used.
Rugby union lost fans and players to other codes, including rugby league, for the past decade, but its financial problems were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The absence of matches made it difficult to meet the demands of broadcasters and sponsors, and in the year ending December 31, 2020, it had posted a $27.1 million loss. Things went from bad to worse – major sponsor Qantas ended its relationship after 30 years, and the governing body was forced to sign a new broadcast rights deal worth less than the previous agreement.
RA took a $40 million loan from Ares in May 2021 and by the following year began to reassess whether its long-term future involved private equity.
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh says being debt-free gives the sport more strategic options.
The Wallabies’ failure to reach the knockout stage of the Rugby World Cup for the first time in 2023 and the tumultuous 10-month tenure of coach Eddie Jones put further pressure on the already struggling sport.
RA’s enterprise value softened and it became clear that debt was the better path forward than an equity deal.
Ares was repaid when Rugby Australia refinanced its debt with Pacific Equity Partners in late 2023 after the Rugby World Cup. Since then, RA has signed a new $210 million broadcast deal with Nine Entertainment and its streaming service Stan, and the governing body undertook a restructuring designed to improve the sport’s focus on high-performance.
The Wallabies’ win rate has improved under current coach Joe Schmidt – currently at 47 per cent – and Waugh said earlier this year that he expected RA to make a $50 million profit for 2025.
PEP’s loan was not due to be repaid until 2028, but the agreement had flexibility that allowed RA to repay the money earlier.
Gardham said there was now enough cash headroom to run RA through to the 2027 men’s World Cup, from which he expects another windfall.
Waugh said becoming debt-free would also allow RA to reconsider other ways to expand the sport, such as a private equity injection into the Super Rugby competition.
“Do you have to [run another private equity process?] No, but it still might be the right strategic direction, and we obviously have optionality around Super Rugby and what it looks like going forward,” he said.
But Gardham said the immediate focus – until the investment fund was established – was to ensure the governing body’s financial position was stable.
“What we need to get to is a position where we’re stable, using the proceeds from those major events to then reinvest back in the game for growth in the future rather than to pay off debts,” he said.