Aussie Pro Rugby
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The reasons for the current mess are many and varied. The issue I have with the signatories of that letter is that it once again makes the assumption that the fault for this rests with the current administration.
That is clearly not the case. Seeds were planted throughout the late 90s (with the initial CBA with RUPA which gave over too much cash to players), the 2000s (when we squandered the cash generated from the RWC) and the 2010s (where we let Super Rugby become a mess).
There's also a mistaken assumption that because we were successful in the late 90s/early 00s, that if we recreate the environment that allowed that success in 2020 then we will return to the glory days. Things like a 'strong grassroots' with players bleeding for their local clubs.
While some of these are nice to have, the core truth of the matter is our success was due to a rapid, efficient response to the game turning professional. While it took 10 years, the rest of the world caught up with us and now we sit roughly where we did before.
So when a crop of former players AGAIN come out and call for a change in CEO without any tangible ideas for improvement, I roll my eyes and so do many people like me.
Because under Castle we've actually seen a bit of progress. Our junior system is working and we have a great crop of youngsters coming through. We've signed key players to long-term deals. We've appointed a bloody good Wallaby coaching panel. We look like we've got a clear run to the line to get the 2027 World Cup.
The biggest problem that I can see is Super Rugby, and I am yet to see any viable solution that provides a better on-field product without losing tens of millions in TV $$. Until we have that I'm not sure we can start to turn things around at all levels of the game.
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@barbarian I had no idea who was on the RA board so more an observation on my behalf.
Have any of those 11 been part of the previous admin too?
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@Bovidae said in Aussie Rugby:
@barbarian I had no idea who was on the RA board so more an observation on my behalf.
Have any of those 11 been part of the previous admin too?
Nathan Sharpe was on the QRU Board from 2016-2019, only went to 4 of 9 Board Meetings.
Rod McCall was on the (then) ARU Board from 07-09, AND the Chair of the QRU.
George Gregan was on the ARU Board in 2012 and 2013.
Nick Farr-Jones was the Chairman of the NSWRU from 2010-2015.
Stirling Mortlock was on the Board of the Melbourne Rebels from 2013.
Poidevin, Kearns, Gregan, Mortlock, Lynagh and Sharpe have all held paid commentary gigs.
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An obvious question about pay for the players, how does a national rugby union pay them less if it causes more players to play professionally on Europe or Japan and the TV deal and sponsorship drop in value/revenue because the teams are less competitive.
It appears that the failure here is underestimating the effects of a pandemic - like many organisations, their BCPs are probably mostly predicated on regional disasters like the fires, or earthquakes in NZ.
To be fair, the total collapse of professional sport (no ticket sales or games at all, and the economic impact on sponsorship, advertising revenue and subscriptions which are used to fund professional sport) for a season was probably difficult to foresee, and keeping a season's worth of cash reserves separated from the normal reserves for the 4 year cycle is tough to convince people of the need for that until after it actually happens.
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I've also penned an open letter to the ARU today, emphasising some of the points made by our esteemed skippers:
An Open Letter to Rugby Australia - Green & Gold Rugby
It's time to go... Rugby Australia. The skippers and I have spoken.
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@barbarian said in Aussie Rugby:
I've also penned an open letter to the ARU today, emphasising some of the points made by our esteemed skippers:
An Open Letter to Rugby Australia - Green & Gold Rugby
It's time to go... Rugby Australia. The skippers and I have spoken.
Haha I read that earlier - quality work!
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@barbarian said in Aussie Rugby:
I've also penned an open letter to the ARU today, emphasising some of the points made by our esteemed skippers:
An Open Letter to Rugby Australia - Green & Gold Rugby
It's time to go... Rugby Australia. The skippers and I have spoken.
That was a great read, well done 👏
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@NTA said in Aussie Rugby:
@MajorRage said in Aussie Rugby:
@NTA , @barbarian - what's your thoughts on this?
On one hand, I see their point in that they used to have a lot more engagement with local "grassroots" clubs back in the day.
(I put the word in quotes because it means very different things to people in Australian Rugby, depending where you sit).
On the other hand, they can get fucked. Some of these guys played mostly in the pro era and took on bigger and bigger contracts to lay waste to the finances, and increasingly stepped back from duties to the lower tiers. Each and every one of them lined up to form a players union that sought a significant slice of the pie, and just happened to play in some teams that were successful / legends of the game. They took FoxSports money to do it, but would happily have taken any money.
Nick Farr-Jones and Simon Poidevin have both been involved in dodgy business dealings, so they can both get fucked squared to the power of goat rape.
Yeah both Nick Farr-Jones and Simon Poidevin more than one dodgy Business dealings.You wouldn't want those anywhere near Australian Rugby.
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@barbarian superb!! loved the SARS and Covid-19 bit at the end. Dude you should totally post that over here - could have got you a nomination for the fernies!
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@barbarian said in Aussie Rugby:
I've also penned an open letter to the ARU today, emphasising some of the points made by our esteemed skippers:
An Open Letter to Rugby Australia - Green & Gold Rugby
It's time to go... Rugby Australia. The skippers and I have spoken.
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So League is starting up, really ozzie super rugby sides should follow suit. If nothing more than friendlies to generate some income, do you think?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12326823
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@Machpants May 28th ... that still a month away! Dammmmm
Exciting though, live sport! I said a few weeks ago I didn't miss it that much. That view has changed somewhat.
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@MajorRage said in Aussie Rugby:
@Machpants May 28th ... that still a month away! Dammmmm
Exciting though, live sport! I said a few weeks ago I didn't miss it that much. That view has changed somewhat.
Yeah me too. I may even watch League!
More than a month for Ozzie rugby
Castle flags possible Aussie rugby return dates
Rugby has jokingly asked for a second oval on the NRL's
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@barbarian said in Aussie Rugby:
I've also penned an open letter to the ARU today, emphasising some of the points made by our esteemed skippers:
An Open Letter to Rugby Australia - Green & Gold Rugby
It's time to go... Rugby Australia. The skippers and I have spoken.
I read it in the voice and cadence of John Clarke and it was superb!😀
Well written mate.
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@Paekakboyz said in Aussie Rugby:
@Bovidae a sign of the character of the man! and possibly a more savvy operator who nudges from behind the scenes... if at all??
I think that open letter approach is shithouse - Castle ain't flash but she's been dealt several shitty hands since taking over. Sure her bluff over Izzy etc wasn't great, but Oz rugby has been in a state for a while and Rennie's appointment was a really big deal and the best thing to happen to their game in a long time.
Where were all these guys earlier on in the piece? maybe they were providing support etc but this just seems like they want to ditch Castle for a good ol boy.
@voodoo I'd give Kearns props (not hookers) if he addressed his 'tv persona' versus his business persona. Like @Chris-B I loathe his one-eyed, lynch mob commentary approach. He may well be a smart guy but he's got a loooong way to go to convince me of that lol (as if he gives a shit ha ha).
But I am interested in hearing his motivations around the role. Is he knowingly going into a thankless and hiding to nothing role to try and save the game? or does he think he's the (only?) guy that can right the ship?
My view (which admittedly is pure speculation) is that, as CEO, we'd get a more watered-down version of Kearn's commentary persona - less rage in the tone and more use of big words. But - and I think this is the main motivator for his nomination - we would also see a much more parochial, Australia-first approach from him (which, for the record, he is more than within his rights to take). I imagine he'll try to create something in the image of what John O'Neill had in the late-90s and early -2000s - a time in which Trans- Ta$man relations were not at their best ("clean" stadia, Deans and all that).
I can see this playing out positively for Australian rugby in the short-term (perhaps a dead cat bounce effect), but I don't how he can put together something like the O'Neill era without (a) a compete root and branch overhaul of the game in Australia; (b) two to three sets of "once-in-a-generation" talents coming through in the next 5-10 years; (c) hosting and probably winning at least one world cup in the next 5-10 years; and (d) perhaps most importantly, an incredible amount of patience.
I can't see it panning out that well for NZ Rugby, on the other hand, at least in terms of having a cooperative relationship and unified "bloc" acting in the interests of the major SH unions. I imagine that a lot of what Kearns will try to do in terms of enhancing Aus rugby's prospects may come at the expense of NZ rugby (e.g. withdrawing from Super Rugby). Perhaps this might be the catalyst for NZ rugby to pivot more towards the Asia-Pacific region (or perhaps Aus rugby might get there first).
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@junior I caught a snippet in the news that Kearns knows of at least a hundred folks or organisations willing to invest in Australian rugby... I'm wondering why those people would hang their decision on whether Kearns is CE when they are about to hit rock bottom. Castle hasn't been stellar but she's done some good things from what I've read, including commentary from our Oz ferners - her balance sheet might be in the red overall but it increasingly feels like a Kearns revenge crusade after being jilted for the role - aided and abetted by an old boys club.
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@Paekakboyz said in Aussie Rugby:
@junior I caught a snippet in the news that Kearns knows of at least a hundred folks or organisations willing to invest in Australian rugby... I'm wondering why those people would hang their decision on whether Kearns is CE when they are about to hit rock bottom. Castle hasn't been stellar but she's done some good things from what I've read, including commentary from our Oz ferners - her balance sheet might be in the red overall but it increasingly feels like a Kearns revenge crusade after being jilted for the role - aided and abetted by an old boys club.
It's News Limited going after her for not accepting their under valued offer.
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Occasionally I agree with Peter Fitzsimons.
This is one of those times.
Little logic in big statement from Wallabies captains bashing Rugby Australia
The letter criticising the RA administration, signed by 11 former Australia skippers, is long on complaint and short on solutions.
Little logic in big statement from Wallabies captains bashing Rugby Australia
Peter FitzSimons
Peter FitzSimons
Columnist and author
April 22, 2020 — 6.30pmGoodness!
The last time a dozen good men and true – former Australian rugby captains – put their name to a public letter was when the Australian Rugby Union was under attack from the forces of Kerry Packer in 1995 as the game went professional. I know a bit about that public plea - aimed at getting the Wallabies, led by captain Phil Kearns, to stay loyal to the ARU - because I wrote it. The basic idea was that, for all its sins in that supremely difficult time, the ARU was the bearer of the torch for Australian rugby and deserved support.
Not this letter though, which bears many of the same signatories.
Put together by my dear friend Nick Farr-Jones and signed by 10 others, including such famous Australian rugby figures as Kearns, George Gregan and Michael Lynagh, the letter released on Tuesday evening does not defend Rugby Australia.
Rather, it bitterly criticises the whole operation. It calls upon the current board and administration to stand down, go away and throw the keys to a new crew as yet unnamed – with the promise that those who go might be allowed back if they go quietly – but very likely involving some of those very same signatories.
"In recent times, the Australian game has lost its way," these Wallabies captains said. "It is a defeat inflicted not by COVID-19, or an on-field foe, but rather by poor administration and leadership over a number of years. We speak as one voice when we say Australian rugby needs new vision, leadership and a plan for the future. That plan must involve, as a priority, urgent steps to create a much-needed, sustainable, commercial rugby business."
This, as it turns out, was just the warm-up before the main game.
"It is with this in mind we ask the current administration to heed our call and stand aside to allow the game to be transformed so we emerge from this pandemic with a renewed sense of unity and purpose. There is only one question that needs to be answered at club level, at state level and at national level: Is this decision in the best interests of Australian rugby?"
Right.
These are singularly good men, with only the best interests of Australian rugby at heart. I know and admire every man-jack of them. But if your starting point is what is in the best interests of Australian rugby, can I, gentlemen, refer you to the words of Sir John Kirwan a fortnight ago when the first flurry of criticism from famed Wallabies made it into the public domain. Tell ’em what you said, Sir John: "They should be working together. As ex-All Blacks, we very rarely go outside with our criticism before we’ve said it inside ... Some of these famous ex-Wallabies maybe need to knock on [Raelene Castle’s] door or have a Zoom, and just say, ‘These are my concerns and these are my solutions’."
Bingo. I - and I might add the many Wallabies captains I talked to on Wednesday who refused to sign – concur with that sentiment.
The letter is seriously long on complaint and singularly short on solutions.
Australian rugby has lost its way? Absolutely. As a game we are, as the saying goes, on the bones of our arse and make rugby league’s finances look like they have the glowing, rosy red cheeks of good health. I have urged Rugby Australia to put more money into the grassroots game and less into the professional end, and have been saying so for 25 years. But blow the whole thing up? Publicly say that the value of any broadcast deal is unbankable? Imply that the people running the show don’t have the first clue what they are doing?
helping? How does this fit with "acting in the best interests of Australian rugby?"
And how is it fair to the good rugby people of recent times who have given their all to get the game back on track? Rugby Australia chairman Paul McLean is as good a man as you’d find in six days march in any direction, with great and proven business acumen. Ditto recent board members like John Eales, Brett Robinson and current member Phil Waugh. Double ditto recent chairman Cameron Clyne, who is rugby to the marrow of his bones, a former CEO of NAB, who, like all of them, did the job for nothing but a love of the game.
At a time when these fine rugby people are circling the wagons, what is the angle in setting those wagons alight? I can’t see it.
Solutions they offered?
I couldn’t see any of those either – but it would surprise me if it included a starting point of burning the said circled wagons.
The one demand they made was "for the game's finances to be made available at a special general meeting no later than April 30."
In receipt of the letter including that demand at 3.04pm on Tuesday, McLean replied at 4.19pm saying, very mildly, no need to wait that long.
"I have received the letter (and happy to share with our board), and would invite this group to meet with RA at any time to interrogate all the materials they wish, as encapsulated in points 1. and 2. of your letter. RA is happy to supply this information without the need for you to request it via the media. I would welcome the signatories at any time, to discuss any of these matters."
He never heard back and the letter went public anyway.
It will go down as one more upsetting episode in a very upsetting era for rugby. In the meantime, my deepest admiration goes to the likes of McLean – a former Wallabies captain – who soldiers on, giving an even greater service to the game now than he did on the field. What he and his administration deserve right now is support. Rugby has indeed lost its way. But the way back needs unity, not public squabbling.
@Peter_Fitz
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