What was shaping up to be a thrilling and historic rugby occasion has been smothered by the Executive Committee of the Australian Rugby Union.

Plans to launch the first ever British Lionesses team, which would shadow the Lions on their tour to Australia this summer, have been quashed by the refusal of the ARU to summon the Australian women's squad and arrange the test fixtures. Despite the fact that the tourists had arranged to shoulder their own expenses and had a potential sponsor lined up, the ARU have argued that they cannot afford to put out a team.

Pic - England's Emma Mitchell was a key figure in planning the Lionesses tour.

Andy Conway, ARU Teams Administrator, explained that the ARU's decision was based on financial considerations. "The financial costs associated with a tour also include the assembly, travel, accommodation, outfitting etc of our own Australian Squad. There are also substantial costs incurred with the staging of matches, venue costs, match officials etc. It is the combination of these costs in the face of revenue issues that continue to be experienced with the promotion of women's rugby in Australia that help create the adverse financial situation behind our conclusion".

The ARU's lack of finances to support the Australian women's squad is surprising, given the fact that last autumn they announced sponsorship deals with Bunbaberg Rum and Vodaphone amounting to 44 million dollars over the next five years and that the Vodafone contract explicitly included the national women's squad in its remit.

"We are desperately disappointed with the decision but are really unable to do anything more", said ex-England captain and Lionesses organiser Emma Mitchell. "The Lions Committee were supportive of the Tour proposal and Roger Pickering, Secretary of the Lions Committee, wrote asking the ARU to reconsider their decision and grasp what would be a fantastic development and promotion opportunity".

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