Rugby Australia on the cusp of the ‘biggest change since rugby went professional"
Christy Doran from Fox Sports
October 4th, 2021 4:50 pm
from here
In one of the most important moments in Australian rugby history, Rugby Australia is on the cusp of moving to a more centralised model.
After years of being stalled by bureaucracy and political factions, the governing body has managed to convince the states of the necessity of becoming “leaner and meaner”.
Rugby Australia will follow the lead of the Irish Rugby Football Union and New Zealand Rugby, who have for years operated under centralised programs.
But Rugby Australia‘s own centralised program will be unique from both of the aforementioned nations.
By doing so, duplication will become a thing of the past and Rugby Australia will be involved in all the appointments of head coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, player signings as well as have greater control around sponsorship and finance.
Rugby Australia is also intent on making sure member unions don’t warehouse players, starving other sides of talent in key positions.
The governing body also wants to ensure players move to other Australian franchises instead of taking up contracts overseas if relationships sour with their teams.
Wallabies star Quade Cooper was frozen out of the Reds at the end of 2017 by Brad Thorn, who wanted to move in a new direction when he took over.
Izack Rodda, meanwhile, wanted to leave the Reds in 2020 and ultimately left to go overseas before returning to the Western Force in 2021.
The streamlining of the rugby programs will save the governing body millions of dollars.
Rugby Australia chair and former News Corp executive Hamish McLennan is the driver towards the centralised model.
“For the good of the game, we’re absolutely committed to doing it,” McLennan told foxsports.com.au.
Rugby Australia is hoping to capitalise on the momentum forged from four straight Wallabies wins over the coming months.
McLennan is supported by RA boss Andy Marinos and the board, including former Wallabies Daniel Herbert and Phil Waugh.
Importantly he has the support of the Super Rugby franchises, with sources confirming they are principally aligned with the governing body.
It was a little more than two years ago that Scott Johnson, who was announced as RA’s DOR in late 2018 and formally started in the autumn of 2019, poured cold water on the idea and said “we are not a copy cat country.”
“The big part of me coming back, we talk about centralised programs and models and then we talk about alignment. I don’t think we can as a country be centralised,” Johnson told Fox Sports, with RA having four Super Rugby franchises at the time.
“We like the point of differences that the provincial teams bring. I do believe we should have an aligned system. One stick doesn’t make that much damage but if you put them all together it’s a pretty good weapon.
“I think we have four really good provincial teams, and if we start working and working together, we can be pretty strong and formidable.”
But the change of administrations, as well as the enforced ones from Covid, have seen RA re-evaluate its bottom line, while trust has been built between the various member unions.
Although the intricacies of the centralised model have yet to be drawn out, sources believe an agreement could be reached by year’s end in what one official described as “the biggest change since we went professional”.
“I think there’s more transparency and trust between ourselves,” one RA source responded, when asked why the centralised concept would get off the ground after years of being spoken about.
“There’s nothing hidden.
“There’s a sense we need to change.
“We’ve suffered a lot as a code.
“We’re committed to fixing the problems.
“Whether that’s commercial deals, from hosting the World Cup and the TRC, I think they believe we’re very genuine.”
Ahead of the 2019 World Cup, the IRFU brokered a deal to see rising playmaker Joey Carbery move from Leinster to Munster.
The deal was done to ensure Carbery could continue his development wearing the No. 10 jersey where he was stuck behind British and Irish Lions playmaker Johnny Sexton at Leinster.
By moving to a centralised program, RA would similarly be able to influence where players end up across the five Super Rugby franchises.
A case in point would be Jordan Petaia, where Wallabies selectors are keen to see him play fullback but, at this point, the prodigious talent has played predominantly on the wing or at outside centre with Jock Campbell instead preferred in the No. 15 jersey.
But with Campbell not in the selection frame at the Wallabies, Petaia has been denied the chance to play in his preferred position, with injuries also playing a strong part in Brad Thorn’s decision making regarding selection.
Last month, Thorn didn’t guarantee Petaia would play at fullback in 2022 and said they rated Campbell highly.
McLennan is resolute in his desire to make positive change for rugby in Australia, with their private equity pitch moving closer also.
“We want to make meaningful decisions around structure,” McLennan said.
