Players end World Cup contract feud with ARU

THE bitter feud between Australia’s players and their governing body over World Cup contracts ended peacefully yesterday.

The long-running dispute was resolved when the Rugby Union Players Association (RUPA) decided not to continue legal proceedings against the Australian Rugby Union (ARU).

RUPA had begun legal proceedings against the ARU over the terms and conditions in the International Rugby Board’s (IRB) Participation Agreement for the World Cup in Australia which starts in October.

But RUPA agreed not to pursue the case when the ARU presented a revised contract and the promise of A$10,000 (US$6,800) and increased match fees for every player who signed the contract.

“We received from the ARU a further revised agreement which addresses adequately a number of the concerns we have had about the IRB Participation Agreement,” said RUPA chief executive Tony Dempsey.

Dempsey said RUPA was still not satisfied with certain parts of the new agreement but was confident they could resolve them through the ARU.

ARU managing director John O’Neill said in a statement he was confident the players would now sign the agreement.

“The roadblock to the settlement of this matter has been removed,” O’Neill said.

“We are confident this additional matter will be quickly concluded.”

Players from all of the world’s leading rugby-playing nations refused to sign the original agreement because of concerns over the use of player images, indemnities, anti-doping regulations and disciplinary regulations.

They were also concerned at the failure of the IRB to award prize money, as well as a clause allowing the IRB to change the terms and conditions of the agreement after the players had signed it.

The IRB refused to deal with the players representatives but agreed to change the contract after hearing complaints from individual unions.

The deadline for signing the agreement is July 31. South Africa is the only country to have signed the new agreement so far.