QRU in bid for president

QRU in bid for president






Wayne Smith | March 12, 2009


Article from: The Australian

THE normally ceremonial election of Australian Rugby Union president has become politically charged after Queensland yesterday nominated one of the game's greatest administrators to oppose the presumed president-in-waiting Ron Graham.

A decade after he played a central -- some would argue "the" central -- role in rugby turning professional in 1996 and then laying down the foundations of Australia's 1999 World Cup win, former ARU chairman Dick McGruther has ended his sabbatical and returned to the fray.

While McGruther yesterday self-deprecatingly said he had allowed himself to be nominated because he thought he had something to offer Australian rugby, Queensland Rugby Union chairman Peter Lewis threw down the gauntlet to Graham, NSW's candidate to replace Paul McLean as ARU president at the annual general meeting in a fortnight.

Citing Graham's central role in NSW rugby at the time it went bankrupt in 2000 and had to be administered by the Australian Rugby Union, Lewis said that conferring the ARU presidency on him would be "a reward for failure".

"Nothing personal but rugby is facing some serious financial issues in these difficult economic times and we need some good business people running the game," Lewis said.

"The (ARU) presidency is more than it sounds.

"David Crombie, the QRU president, is invited to all of our board meetings. He is a diplomat and a statesman and well-connected. The position can be very important and influential."

McGruther, who sits on a number of public company boards, was rated by past and current ARU chief executive John O'Neill as the best chairman he worked with in rugby.

Certainly McGruther's voice was one of the few on the ARU board O'Neill heeded and respected.

To win the presidency, McGruther -- whose nomination was seconded by South Australia -- would need the support of the southern states to offset NSW's voting strength. That is, of course, if NSW votes as a bloc, which might not be a given.


http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html

Assuming it hasn't already happened previously, I wonder how long it will be before a candidate is chosen from outside of those two states?

probably when hell freezes over

well its simple maths really, QLD and NSW provide the most number of avenues for the candidates so they will always be more likely to provide the president

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Burgs

Assuming it hasn't already happened previously, I wonder how long it will be before a candidate is chosen from outside of those two states?

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Possibly depends on what undertakings are given in order to outmaneuver NSW?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TOCC

well its simple maths really, QLD and NSW provide the most number of avenues for the candidates so they will always be more likely to provide the president

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Oh, I fully appreciate that TOCC, but if a great candidate did present, with outstanding credentials for leadership from outside Qld or NSW, you get the feeling that they would still get overlooked for one of the old tie network from either state as it was that state's "turn", even if they weren't anywhere near as good.
I would suggest that a neutral President for a term may be just what the ARU needs to facilitate a damn good enema from the top down to join the 21st century.
The same could probably be said for each state and territory Union as well!