Super Rugby structure is sending Australian rugby broke, says Simon Poidevin

Poidevin, a former Wallabies captain who was also part of the 1991 World Cup-winning side, has made his feelings clear on the eve of an important ARU board meeting that will see rugby's key stakeholders discuss the topic of whether to cut an Australian Super Rugby franchise.

The ARU are expected to come up with several options for when they meet with SANZAAR officials next month, with the topic of team numbers high on the agenda.

The five Australian teams at present have had their fair share of financial difficulties in recent years and while it is not the ARU that has the final say over the make-up of Super Rugby, they will put forward a proposal to SANZAAR.

There have been calls for the five teams to remain in the competition – notably from the Rugby Union Players' Association and Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham – however Poidevin is convinced the time is right to chop a franchise for he betterment of Australian Rugby.

"The current structure of Super Rugby is sending Australian Rugby broke and something needs to be done about it urgently," Poidevin said. "SANZAAR have to run a very strong financial model and so it's not just Australia that has to make the hard decisions, it's South Africa and New Zealand as well.

"The ARU has got financial data I understand that indicates very strongly that action has to be taken. The ARU has to decide which team it has to chop.

"Clearly there's a need for consolidation and they [SANZAAR] have built a competition which has been successful geographically but it's got to be successful financially, especially in Australia.

"Cameron Clyne, the chairman of the ARU, was a very successful banking CEO and he knows better than anyone else out there that you can't sustain a model which is financially weak and some hard decisions have to be made.

"Napoleon tried to conquer the Russians with 450,000 soldiers who left France and only 10,000 returned ... you just can't stretch yourself too wide."

Poidevin did credit SANZAAR for its ability to make such a complex tournament work given there are teams from five different countries playing across multiple time zones.

It seemed like the Western Force and Melbourne Rebels were in the ARU's firing line, however recent speculation suggests the Brumbies may actually be the ones on the chopping block.

Poidevin said it was almost inconceivable to think the Brumbies could be cut and threw his support behind the Canberra-based franchise, citing past performances and their place in Australian rugby folklore as two reasons why they should remain afloat.

"The Brumbies have gone through a particularly testing time and a couple of bad years at the Brumbies doesn't signal they have to leave the competition," Poidevin said. "They have been a tremendous success from day one in Super Rugby.

"The rest can't be said of the Force and Melbourne Rebels. For all the great passionate support locally and people driving those franchises down there, they haven't achieved success. At the end of the day you have to succeed."

There are concerns one less Australian team would reduce the talent pool when it comes to picking a Wallabies side.

Poidevin believes more local teams dilutes the talent pool and a reduction would make Australia more competitive against New Zealand sides in Super Rugby and international matches.

He also hoped there would be more trans-Tasman matches in future.

"Fewer teams will see strong Australian teams on a week-to-week basis," Poidevin said. "Part of my hope out of this re-negotiation is that Australia play New Zealand teams more often because at the end of the day that's our truly competitive neighbour and what Australian sports fans have been bought up for a century with.

"Daryl [Gibson] makes a very good point that playing more New Zealand sides is better for spectators but also good for our players. New Zealand teams make Australian sides play rugby."