| Description |
1 online resource (streaming video file) (55 min. 6 sec.) ; 334025640 bytes |
| Summary |
In mid-1995, a group of Sydney businessmen backed by Kerry Packer made an audacious attempt to steal the amateur game of rugby union and transform it into a lucrative, world-wide professional sports franchise.At the same time, the custodians of the code in the Southern Hemisphere - the Union officials of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa - were negotiating with Rupert Murdoch's vast News Corporation. Their aim was to sell TV rights to the code for enough money to begin paying their players a generous wage. They, too, saw professionalism as inevitable.For two months both sides worked in secret to bring their dreams to fruition. Then, on the day before the World Cup final in Johannesburg, this secret war to control the brave new world of professional rugby burst into public view. What soon emerged was a classic showdown: while the Unions had secured an incredible $555 million from Murdoch for the TV rights, Kerry Packer's rebels had secretly contracted all their best players. It would be a fight to the death, winner take all. For the first time on television, Stealing Rugby tells this extraordinary story in the words of the major participants. We hear from the players, the officials and the businessmen, including Phil Kearns, Sean Fitzpatrick, Francois Pienaar, Sam Chisholm, Ian Frykberg, Simon Poidevin, Ross Turnbull, Dr Louis Luyt and journalist Peter Fitzsimons.The program also contains never-before-seen 1995 footage from a secret three-way international video conference held at the height of the rugby war. It features key players from all three Southern Hemisphere countries and the cream of Kerry Packer's management team of the time.Stealing Rugby documents an extraordinary moment when sport and business collided. It gives a unique insight into the turbulent events that helped make rugby the game it is today.PRODUCTION DETAILS:Written, Produced & Directed by David Salter, Executive Producer: Justin Holdforth, Head Of ABC TV Sport: Iain Knight |
| Event |
Broadcast 2011-09-19 at 02:00:00 |
| Notes |
Classification: G |
| Subject |
Rugby football -- Management.
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Rugby Union football -- Coaching.
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Rugby Union football -- Tournaments.
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World Cup (Rugby football)
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South Africa -- Johannesburg.
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| Form |
Streaming video
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| Author |
Murphy, Justin, cast
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Salter, David, director
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