The Canberra Vikings are keen to continue investing in a third-tier rugby competition to develop Australia's next group of stars as uncertainty grows about the future of the National Rugby Championships.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The competition's fixture is expected to be finalised next week, with the Vikings to start their campaign on August 31 in what will be the sixth season since the NRC was created.
Organisers are expected to schedule games around the Wallabies' World Cup matches in the hope Australia's rugby community will throw their support behind the team.
But the NRC's long-term existence appears to be a year-to-year proposition, especially with broadcaster Fox Sports scaling back its investments in second-tier domestic competitions after a $417 million loss in 2018.
The NRC and soccer's FFA Cup were believed to be in danger, while Rugby Australia was working with Fox Sports to come to a solution.
The Vikings Group took charge of running Canberra's NRC licence two years ago as part of a four-year deal, although the ACT Brumbies are still involved.
MORE CANBERRA SPORT
The Vikings Group spends between $250,000 and $300,000 running the team each season and chief executive Anthony Hill wants to see the competition thrive.
"I think it's a year-by-year proposition at this stage. We're keen to be part of the competition, whatever it looks like," Hill said.
"It hasn't been able to get the tribalism they've been trying to achieve and it's been confused at times in the talent identification.
"It's a big thing for players to take time out of full-time jobs to try to get a crack at it.
"We've got one more year after this. We have an agreement with the Brumbies to run it, we understand our place in the system.
"I think there is a future in Canberra, the two largest rugby organisations in town are working together.
"I'd like to see it go froward. It will depend on the success of this year and the engagement teams get. I think [Rugby Australia] will make some decisions around that. It's a terrific product, it would be sad to see it not reviewed, improved and continued."
Canberra's best players will be jostling for Vikings selection in the coming weeks when the John I Dent Cup finals campaign ramps up.
Several Brumbies players, including Tom Cusack and Lachlan McCaffrey, will be unavailable for the NRC season, paving the way for others to stand tall.
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar will be waiting closely as he searches for players to replace Christian Lealiifano, David Pocock, Henry Speight and Sam Carter.
The Vikings will wear an ACT Kookaburras heritage jersey again this year.
"The NRC is a competition that shows up without any fanfare and you do your best to promote it ... but it's not an offering that is marketed to the greater public as entertaining football," Hill said.
"It's exciting rugby, it just needs to be marketed that way."
