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The same article also expressed a pretty confident opinion that David Mortimer (The Sydney Uni President guy) was the chosen one. It appears that McLean will hold the fort (stop the bleeding, milk the slush fund, whatever it is a RA Chair does) until Sydney Uni "take their rightful place as the ultimate controller of all things rugby union."
the article was penned by Wayne Smith, I'm not sure where he stands in the RA propaganda unit at the moment, the veracity of his claims will depend heavily on that.
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Well he was also President when the board voted to grant WA a franchise. We'll probably never know what his position was on the axing. The cynic in me agrees with GIGS. This as possibly just a (piss poor) distraction to give the impression of change, while then appointing another SURU functionary anyway. I hope I'm wrong about that and Geoff Stooke is also reappointed.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Know him well. Will reveal his nick name if he stuffs up.
Had words to him about the Force but the reason given was it was the recommendation to the board and if the likes of Pulver et al gave the board bad advice, so be it.
He was a crack goalkicker in his day and doesn't have much like for the Sydney brigade. He was constantly being dropped from the Wallaby side in favour of Ella who would then stuff up and McLean would be bought back in.
Was part of the Qld side that handed NSW a 48-10 flogging at Ballymore which was the turning point of Queensland Rugby.
Will Clyne get a payout?
So be it? That’s an appalling attitude to have. Should have had the guts to tell them to get farked and/or resigned. I have lost a lot of respect for McLean, Robinson and Eales for approving these charlatans’ decisions.
What was McLean’s explanation for continually reappointing farkwit as Chairman?
Last edited by Bakkies; 24-02-20 at 17:21.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
I'd suggest his real position was closer to the one stated than the one that Bakkies suggested simply because stookie highlighted the issue and lead the way to the door. With somebody showing him an alternative, he chose to stay. I think I've got enough information on his attitude in that discussion thanks.
C'mon the![]()
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WAYNE SMITH
SENIOR SPORT WRITER
New Rugby Australia chairman Paul McLean has set himself a time limit of July 31 to hand over the reins to his long-term successor, but former and perhaps future RA board member Geoff Stooke believes he should be persuaded to stay on for the long term.
The controversial term of former RA chairman Cameron Clyne came to an abrupt end on Monday, right in the middle of broadcast negotiations that are intended to carry the game forward over the next five years.
Clyne had intended to stand down at RA’s annual general meeting on March 30, but seemingly he realised that his continued presence as chairman wasn’t helping.
However, despite the change, News Corp, owner of broadcaster Fox Sports, insisted again on Monday that it would not be entering a bid for the rugby rights.
RA still adamantly believes that News Corp could make a bid, perhaps even coming in from outside the formal tendering process but, either way, new RA chairman McLean was insisting that Clyne left for all the right reasons.
“I’m not aware of any pressure and he (Clyne) certainly didn’t make any comment in that regard,” McLean said.
“From Cameron’s perspective, and he didn’t discuss this with the board, I think (he decided) it’s time to step down now, given that we’re getting to the sharp end of a number of things and just to clear the air and to give us the best opportunity.
“We thought we needed to clear that noise. And that was his thinking: If I am part of the noise, well let’s move me and see if we can get the results that we are after.”
Clyne was chairman during the most dramatic off-field period in Australian rugby.
He was the man who steered the then Australian Rugby Union in 2017 in the direction of culling a Super Rugby team — which ended up being the Western Force – and was then at the helm as the newly minted Rugby Australia dealt with the fallout of Israel Folau’s religious social media posts.
Either issue by itself would have been a crippling blow for any sport. Coupled together, they sent rugby reeling. Whether it can now regain its feet – ironically at a time when the Brumbies and, to a lesser extent, the Queensland Reds are showing signs of a recovery for the code — will depend ultimately on whether RA chief executive Raelene Castle can produce a tactical masterstroke with the broadcast deal. Right at this moment, that is looking unlikely, but RA has given itself until mid-March to get the deal done.
Clyne’s departure went largely unlamented and even RA’s press release stuck strictly to the facts, although it may be that it is saving its formal farewells until the AGM, when he winds up as a director.
But McLean believes that rugby insiders have a far better appreciation of Clyne’s worth than the general public.
“There have been a lot of things that have been outside of his control,” McLean said.
“I think he has been a tireless worker and I think he is a person who can put his head down at night and sleep comfortably knowing that he has done his best and the best thing for rugby.”
McLean’s plan is to remain in charge of the organisation through to the end of July by which time the three new directors – one of whom is intended to take over as chairman, with Sydney University’s supremo David Mortimer now the favourite — will have had four months to bring themselves up to speed.
But Stooke, who resigned from the board the day the Force were cut from Super Rugby but now has been nominated to make a return, believes McLean should not be in such a hurry to leave.
“I’ve just contacted Paul,” Stooke told The Australian on Monday.
“I said to him that you should look at the long-term because the big thing that Australian rugby needs right now is unity. I think he is the sort of guy who can promote that.
“Paul is a very measured, intelligent guy, a quality individual. There are a lot of bridges that have to be repaired, a lot of engagement to be done across the Australian rugby landscape and I think Paul is capable of doing that.”
McLean, a practising Catholic, has a long record of working with the community.
He is a director of Youngcare, a charitable organisation that works to create choice in care and housing options for young Australians requiring high care.
What does his religion have to do with anything?!
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
Or is it Wayne Smith stirring the pot, bringing the topic of religion into the conversation about the ARU & it's Chairperson?
Especially using the word "practising"
"The whole point of rugby is that it is, first and foremost, a state of mind, a spirit." - Jean-Pierre Rives
It’s like he’s saying ‘he’s a practising catholic therefore he must be a good person.’ There’s a long Royal Commission report that would suggest that’s a crock assumption.
It reads like a copy/paste from his CV, where it is relevant. So it is more likely an example of lazy journalism than any attempt on the part of McLean to claim his personal religious views make him a better person. Sectarian bigotry cuts both ways folks.