Eastwood Rugby Club is in advanced negotiations to sell its spiritual home T.G. Millner Field to North Ryde RSL in an attempt to secure the financial future of the Shute Shield club.

Under the proposed sale, Eastwood will continue to play at T.G. Millner Field for a period of time subject to negotiation as part of a sale agreement. Those negotiations are ongoing, however the club has began looking for a new home.

Chairman of Eastwood Rugby, Rob Cusack, said the sale was necessary to ensure a long-term future for Eastwood in a competitive and uncertain grassroots rugby environment.

“Anyone associated with Eastwood Rugby knows that the maintenance and other costs associated with T.G. Millner Field have been an ongoing and significant financial burden for the Club for many years,” Cusack said.

“In more recent times the limitation on our operations at T.G. Millner have severely restricted the club’s income.

“After looking closely at the landscape for club rugby and the challenges ahead, the Board has concluded that selling the T.G. Millner complex is the only way to guarantee our future as a force in the top tier of Sydney club rugby. As the long-term leaseholder over T.G. Millner, the RSL is a natural sale partner for us. We retain the right to play at T.G. Millner for a period of time, and our supporters and members will be pleased to know that the RSL’s plans include a new licensed premises to which they will have access,” he said.

“We know many of our supporters have an emotional attachment to T.G. Millner Field. But as the custodians of the 70-year tradition established by Eastwood we have a responsibility to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure our future,” Mr Cusack said.

The ARU’s Rugby Development Centre was originally set to be built at T.G.Millner, however the ARU and North Ryde RSL were unable to agree to terms. The centre is currently under construction at Moore Park.