The Brumbies are facing renewed off field battles with chief executive Michael Jones shifted aside by his board following national intervention from Australian rugby boss Bill Pulver.
Jones indicated the Brumbies would collapse and shake Sanzaar to the core if he was forced into a war with some of his detractors about some financial concerns in the 2009-13 era.
Jones took over the job at the start of 2015 and in September urged police to investigate a deal struck by previous Brumbies officials in the sale of the Brumbies headquarters to property developers.
Jones responded to attacks on him by declaring he would fight his detractors.
"It will have a major impact on Australian rugby, because if the Brumbies cease to be an entity, which is one of the very foreseeable outcomes - and has been a stated outcome of some of the people having a hack at us - if that is allowed to happen, the ARU will be in default of the SANZAAR agreement, because they are required to field five teams every week," Jones said.
"And if this organisation folds and goes into administration the ARU is in default. They are big stakes games that a lot of these guys are playing, and it's fairly irresponsible of most of them to do it.
After Jones' outburst, ARU boss Bill Pulver flew to Canberra yesterday for urgent talks with franchise officials.
At an emergency board meeting last night, Jones was replaced with Craig Leseberg appointed temporary chief executive.
