Rugby Governance
Members of Rugby and Annual Reporting
Annual Reports

Other ARU and Rugby Australia Annual Reports via request only.

The Constitution of the Australian Rugby Football Union was ratified on 25 November 1949 at the inaugural council meeting of eleven delegates from the state unions of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. The ACT Rugby Union gained membership in 1972.

The Northern Territory Rugby Union joined in 1978, initially as an associate union before later being granted membership and voting rights. In 1985 the Australian Rugby Football Union was incorporated as a company and, in 1997, it became simply the Australian Rugby Union Limited, known as the ARU.

2012 saw the Australian Rugby Union usher an historic Constitutional change at a General Meeting in Sydney, where members voted to adopt a new Governance model following recommendations from the Strengthening the Governance of Australian Rugby (the Arbib Review), which was released in October that year.

In 2017, the Australian Rugby Union Limited was re-branded Rugby Australia Ltd, coinciding with relocating to their new premises in Moore Park, Sydney.

Our Member Unions

Rugby Australia Limited is proud of its association with its member unions encompassing each state and territory in Australia.

Through this relationship, Rugby Australia are able to provide a strong and united front for Australian rugby.

Member Unions include:

  • Australian Capital Territory Rugby Union
  • New South Wales Rugby Union
  • Northern Territory Rugby Union
  • Queensland Rugby Union
  • South Australia Rugby Union
  • Tasmanian Rugby Union
  • Victorian Rugby Union
  • Western Australia Rugby Union

Click here to download a copy of the Constitution of Rugby Australia Limited.

Affiliated Unions

Rugby Australia is also proud of its association with its affiliated member unions from around Australia.

The Affiliated Unions include:

  • Australian Junior Rugby Football Union Ltd
  • Australian Rugby Football Schools Union
  • Australian Defence Force Rugby Union
  • Australian Universities Rugby Union
  • Australian Barbarian Rugby Club
  • Australian Women’s Rugby Football Union
  • Classic Wallabies

Affiliated Unions are Non-voting Members of Rugby Australia.

Voting Rights
  • At general meetings, each Voting Member has the number of votes as set out below:
  • Each State and Territory Union with 50,000 or less Participants. (1 vote)
  • Each State and Territory Union with more than 50,000 Participants. (2 vote)
  • Each Super Rugby Licensee - 5 in total. (1 vote)
  • Rugby Union Players Association (1 vote)