Rugby Australia adamant ACT Brumbies will stay in Canberra in centralisation push

The Brumbies have resisted RA's move towards centralisation amid concern about handing commercial, marketing and intellectual property to the governing body.

But RA officials say intellectual property will remain with the member union, and they are adamant there are no plans to shift the Brumbies away from Canberra, shooting down fears of what some have described as a "hostile takeover" in the capital.

RA insiders say their latest move - sending in auditors to see if they can pinpoint a time in which the Brumbies were insolvent - is an imperative move to create certainty around the club's financial state.

The Brumbies have already been asked to prove their solvency, with RA's decision to trawl through past records seen by some as a way for the governing body find a way to revoke the club's Super Rugby licence.

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But RA officials say it is crucial the governing body has certainty around the solvency of Australia's Super Rugby clubs, given insolvency "at any point would torpedo the competition".

RA's participation agreements with Australia's five Super Rugby clubs gives the governing body the right to send auditors into any of the clubs at any time.

Officials say it is inherent within the governing body's commitments with New Zealand Rugby, competition broadcasters and other partners to ensure all Australian clubs are solvent and will remain so in the foreseeable future.

RA officials have declared they need clarity over the Brumbies' financial position to take care of its own responsibilities which depend on the solvency of Australia's clubs, deciding it would be financially irresponsible to not seek clarity.

The solvency debate comes against the backdrop of RA's march towards a centralised model, following those used in New Zealand and Ireland in an attempt to streamline operations.

The five clubs would hand their Super Rugby licence to Rugby Australia, and cede any control of the professional arm of the business, leaving state and territory unions to run community-level competitions.

The NSW Waratahs have agreed to terms for RA to take over all aspects of the organisation, while the Brumbies and Queensland Reds have pushed back at the notion of a complete takeover.

Both clubs support centralising their high performance rugby programs but have publicly rejected an off-field operation handover.

RA officials say centralisation can be moulded to suit each club, with the plan mooted as a way to revive rugby union in Australia after a decline over the past decade, which has been amplified by the Wallabies' early exit from the Rugby World Cup in France.

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