Players to be slugged to play in SIRU premiership

After decades of Riverina clubs footing the bill, individual players will have to pay the fees required to play in the SIRU senior premiership next year.

Under the new format, implemented by the cash-strapped Australian Rugby Union, SIRU clubs will no longer pay a standard $1800 levy to register a "team" to play in a competition.

In a dramatic change to the process, each player will now be "slugged" a minimum $168.50 to register with a club for 2015.

Unveiled at the SIRU annual general meeting in Wagga on Sunday, the controversial payment system quickly raised "concerns" across the Riverina rugby union fraternity.

SIRU Community Rugby manager Mick McTaggart yesterday confirmed the user-pay format had been met with "shock" at the AGM at the weekend.

McTaggart said representatives of the 12 SIRU clubs had expressed fears the hike in costs could force prospective players to shun rugby union.

"It put alarm bells out there," McTaggart said.

"I think it came as a shock to some of the clubs.

"It's a big shift, and they were stunned."

Brumbies Community Participation Manager Craig Lesbergh travelled from Canberra to deliver the ARU directive on Sunday - and was caught out by the reaction.

"He (Lesbergh) was taken a little aback," McTaggart said.

"The response was different to the Canberra clubs.

"Regional football has its little idiosyncrasies."

For McTaggart, the changes to the payment structure were a "welcome to the real world" for SIRU clubs.

"They've been very luck in the past," he said.

Unlike many sports, rugby union has always operated on a simple team-only insurance and registration basis, allowing clubs to play an unlimited number of players across a grade.

In stark contrast, rugby league, touch, soccer and Australian football work on a per-player basis.

"On the raw figures it is going cost you more to play rugby union," he said.

"There's no doubt about that, but what the final figures will end up is debatable."

Sparked by the concerns of clubs in regional areas, the ARU will be asked to provide "discounts", reducing the cost for players who only want to play a limited number of games in a season.

However, barring a back down, individual senior players will be hit before the 2015 season with a $168 bill, which involves components of $75 (National Participation Insurance Levy), $33 (National Participation Registration Fee) and $60.50 (Member Union Registration Fee).

Likewise, the parents of teenage players will also feel the pinch, with the levy to jump to $79.50 a player.

Senior and junior players will also be required to play an additional "club registration fee" which could be as much as $60 each.

While some clubs provide players with track suits and other apparel, others are not so generous.

McTaggart said he has an open mind on the fee structure.

"I can see both sides of it, but at the end of the day you need the peace of mind that comes from insurance," he said.

"The clubs have been put on notice that players need to be insured to play."

SIRU FEES

Old figure: $1800 per senior team

New figures: $168.50 (senior player), $79.50 (8-18 years player), $44 (6-7 years player)