Successful year for NSW rugby
New South Wales Rugby Union held its Annual General Meeting in Sydney on Monday with President Tim Gavin and Chairman Nick Farr-Jones reporting on a great year of rugby.
Gavin and Farr-Jones will remain in their current roles for the 2013 season, with both looking forward to another year of growth, buoyed by the arrival of The British & Irish Lions Tour in June.
Gavin said: "British & Irish Lions tours are a once in a generation tours.
With The Lions scheduled to play three matches in New South Wales, this tour will bring a great deal of attention to the game of rugby in our state and country, giving us many great opportunities to promote the game," he added.
New South Wales Rugby Union also announced its financial results for the year ending December 31 2012, recording a loss of $38,204. Of the Union’s total annual revenue of $1,679,000, 67 per cent came from the licensing agreement with Waratahs Rugby Ltd, highlighting the importance of the HSBC Waratahs to grassroots rugby in NSW.
Executive Director Bruce Worboys pointed out that the loss was a result of the timing of payments and said that Union budgeted for a break-even result each year and that, after fixed costs (which in 2012 amounted to $470,000), all revenue was distributed to the Union’s major affiliates through grants or the provision of resources.
Delegates were also briefed on the 2012 participation figures, which showed an increase in playing numbers across the state by 12.4 per cent versus the previous season. The number of NSW juniors increased by 3.3 per cent and seniors by 3.8 per cent, showing steady growth in community competitions.
The meeting received two nominations for Honorary Life Membership of the Union.
NSW Rugby Referees Association President John McCarthy spoke to the nomination of Mrs Robin Timmins.
Acknowledging her outstanding 50-year service to the game (including 44 as an employee of the Union), Mr McCarthy said that Robin’s service commenced in 1963 with the Eastwood District Referees Association and that she was widely regarded as the Woodies’ No. 1 supporter.
Life Members Laurie Maher and Peter Falk spoke to the nomination of Peter "Fab" Fenton. Peter’s involvement has included playing for Parramatta and coaching sides Parramatta, Eastwood and Penrith, as well as the Sydney representative team.
Highly regarded as an MC, keynote speaker and poet, Peter is known as a popular guest at rugby functions and was said to have friends in every club in New South Wales. Peter is currently Patron of Woy Woy Rugby on the Central Coast.
Both nominations were endorsed unanimously by acclamation.
