British and Irish Lions tour saved Australian rugby financially, ARU boss Bill Pulver reveals The Lions may have left with the trophy, but their visit boosted Australian rugby. THE Wallabies may not have won the Test series, but ARU boss Bill Pulver has revealed the British and Irish Lions tour saved Australian rugby financially. One of the year's biggest sporting events, the Lions tour put rugby back on the map in Australia with a red wave of British and Irish rugby fans creating a wonderful atmosphere throughout June and July. And while the Wallabies became the first side to lose a series to the Lions since 1997, the six-week rugby feast injected crucial funds into the ARU's "precarious" coffers. "It would have been very precarious," Pulver told Fox Sports" Rugby HQ when asked about the ARU's financial position had the Lions not toured this year. Basically, historically, we have survived on periodic windfalls right. At the end of the 2003 World Cup Australian rugby had $35 million in the bank. We lost some money, pretty significant money in 2011 and 2012, then along came a Lions Tour. In essence, what you've got to understand is the next big windfall for Australian rugby is 2025. So that's why the key issue we've got to grapple with is we've got to create a sustainable financial model for the game. That sustainable model has already seen a major cleanout at ARU headquarters and also is rumoured to include pay cuts for Wallabies players, who've long enjoyed a favourable contracting system. The biggest change is likely to come in the form of Wallabies" match payments, which are guaranteed at $14,000 regardless of the result. And while Pulver rejected suggestions Wallabies players would be more motivated to perform if their finances were to suffer through a defeat, he did admit he's a fan of an incentive-based payment structure. "Look, in the ideal organisation - forget rugby - in any organisation I like the concept of performance-based pay," Pulver said. And we actually have that in some cases. In relation to the World Cup in 2015, there are performance-based bonuses. There are bonuses surrounding certain series. While that's an element I would like to develop, I have no doubt in my mind that the Wallabies who run on in that gold jersey give 100 per cent regardless. I know there's been some commentary about the team would benefit, the performance would benefit, as a result of a performance-based pay system. I don't believe that. I go into a change-room after the games, I see the pain those guys feel when they lose a game and I have zero question about the amount of effort they're putting in. Pulver also said the ARU were keen to explore a similar model to that of Cricket Australia, where only the country's top 25 players are awarded a national retainer. "Yes look I can and that's one of the issues we're talking to RUPA (Rugby Union Players Association) about; how the entire contracting process works," he said. But I don't mind telling you that I quite like a model where the ARU has more direct involvement in the entire contracting of those players. So that's on the agenda.