SYDNEY, May 29, (APP/AFP) – Australia’s rugby board Monday
promised to honour players’ contracts if their club is axed from
Super Rugby — but conceded legal difficulties could force them to
keep all five Australian teams.
The Australian Ruby Union, lifting a moratorium on Super
contracts, gave assurances to players for the threatened clubs,
Western Force and Melbourne Rebels, who have been in limbo
over their futures.
“If the process does result in a team leaving the competition,
all player contracts will be honoured,” ARU chairman Cameron Clyne
said.
“The best we can do in terms of certainty is to say to players,
‘No matter what the outcome you’ll have the certainty of having
your contract honoured.'”
The governing body announced plans to cull either the Rebels or
Force from the 2018 competition seven weeks ago, as part of moves to
slim the bloated Super Rugby schedule from 18 to 15 teams.