Australian Rugby / RA

[Rob42]

If RA had their time again, I'd imagine they'd only push for high-performance alignment and still let the clubs manage their own commercial ops.

Still somewhat baffles me that, not only did RA not have a clear picture of clubs' finances, they clearly didn't do their pre-takeover DD if they were surprised by NSW's debts. Although, I guess the events following the request to have a look at the Brumbies' books is pretty clear evidence of the relationships at play...

Supposedly, one of Eddie's gripes with RA was that they'd promised more progress on centralisation than they had delivered. At the time, it seemed like crap. But maybe that announcement a few months ago was partially to soothe Eddie and to try to push the process along, without the appropriate due diligence having been done...

 

[SouthernX]

Think there is a big difference in having your bum in a seat and watching them in person and no doubt interacting post game than saying yep, caught that game they really put in a great effort. Even if you did watch it, nobody believes you and it comes across as dismissive.

Agree but I bet you Phil flew first class across the ditch - meanwhile girls stuck back in economy.

it’s probably important that the CEO is there for the games… just not like Phil is doing anything groundbreaking.

absolutely disgusted former chairman flew all those stakeholders/board to the World Cup… that wouldn’t of been cheap

 

[dru]

Agree but I bet you Phil flew first class across the ditch - meanwhile girls stuck back in economy.

God help us, optics. On the whole I think we can get carried away with concern about airfare for execs at RA, but man, optics here are atrocious. No-one should be travelling 1st class, especially to watch the ladies travelling cattle.

 

[SouthernX]

God help us, optics. On the whole I think we can get carried away with concern about airfare for execs at RA, but man, optics here are atrocious. No-one should be travelling 1st class, especially to watch the ladies travelling cattle.

The girls program made a issue last year about how the boys got to fly business class… it was a fair point especially when they flew in the WAGS for the send off to the RWC.

I am unaware if Phil Waugh had a first class ticket - if he flew economy - more credit to him…

 

[stillmissit]

One reason I have not at all (yet) bought into the Waugh-mesiah thing.

Don't think it is necessary Dru. After the Jones and McLennan fiasco, I am over the trust thing, let's just sit back and wait for results and actions.

 

[stillmissit]

The girls program made a issue last year about how the boys got to fly business class… it was a fair point especially when they flew in the WAGS for the send off to the RWC.

I am unaware if Phil Waugh had a first class ticket - if he flew economy - more credit to him…

Most prob has enough F Flyer points to not worry about it anyway.

 

[dru]

Don't think it is necessary Dru. After the Jones and McLennan fiasco, I am over the trust thing, let's just sit back and wait for results and actions.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Mick The Munch]

Don't think it is necessary Dru. After the Jones and McLennan fiasco, I am over the trust thing, let's just sit back and wait for results and actions.

Agreed, so far I'm not convinced, the right words have been said but where is the strategy?

 

[PhilClinton]

I don't think anyone has sat back and said 'trust us' or 'we have the plan'.

In fact in the Schmidt interview that I saw today, he literally says "I've spoken to a number of people who've been involved and are involved in Australian rugby recently and the consensus is there is a lot to fix" (or along those lines).

I'm as sceptical as anyone with how we're going to climb out of this mess as a rugby playing nation, but it's hard to be disappointed with anything that's transpired over the last month at a national administration level, unless you're related to Eddie or Hamish of course.

 

[Adam84]

Some interesting reporting here

https://freshwaterstrategy.com/wp-content/uploads/Freshwater-Strategy-State-of-the-Rugby-Union-2024-Australia-Report.pdf?utm_medium=email&_hsmi=290879191&utm_content=290879191&utm_source=hs_email

 

[wamberal99]

God help us, optics. On the whole I think we can get carried away with concern about airfare for execs at RA, but man, optics here are atrocious. No-one should be travelling 1st class, especially to watch the ladies travelling cattle.

Is there first class on this route? He can travel business class like the vast majority (all?) senior executives.

 

[LeCheese]

Is there first class on this route? He can travel business class like the vast majority (all?) senior executives.

Emirates' Syd to Christchurch (the only current A380 service to AU to NZ I believe) has First; don't believe any of the others do

 

[dru]

Is there first class on this route? He can travel business class like the vast majority (all?) senior executives.

On the whole I think we can get bogged down over flights and attendance, it is the RA. BUT. The women's team was in cattle. It's a short flight. He really could have done better.

 

[Adam84]

Some interesting reporting here

https://freshwaterstrategy.com/wp-content/uploads/Freshwater-Strategy-State-of-the-Rugby-Union-2024-Australia-Report.pdf?utm_medium=email&_hsmi=290879191&utm_content=290879191&utm_source=hs_email

 

[Derpus]

Age breakdown of fans would have been interesting. Disappointed by the, in my view, low number of fans dont fucking hate McLennan and Eddie.

 

[dru]

Age breakdown of fans would have been interesting. Disappointed by the, in my view, low number of fans who dont fucking hate McLennan and Eddie.

It's in the full report.

 

[LeCheese]

I'd be very interested to see interest in other sports among younger fans. I'd dare say interest in basketball and soccer would be much higher, which is worrying, given they're the competing winter codes in schools (plus AFL of course).

 

[Pfitzy]

Still somewhat baffles me that, not only did RA not have a clear picture of clubs' finances, they clearly didn't do their pre-takeover DD if they were surprised by NSW's debts. Although, I guess the events following the request to have a look at the Brumbies' books is pretty clear evidence of the relationships at play.

If your bafflement is based on what was written in The Oz, remember: Murdoch Paper.

 

[Pfitzy]

I'd be very interested to see interest in other sports among younger fans. I'd dare say interest in basketball and soccer would be much higher, which is worrying, given they're the competing winter codes in schools (plus AFL of course).

View attachment 18102

That the Freshwater Report?

Sample size was not what I'd call significant. While I find the results interesting, I'm not convinced they're representative

 

[Dan54]

I am interested to read in the summary of the report point 3 where 'fans' are saying priotorise Grassroots etc over wallabies winning tests etc> I would suggest a a few of those 'fans' may actually stop being fans if the Wallabies don't do well?