Australian Rugby / RA

[Quick Hands]

Now you are being school-ist and career-ist. (in this day of identity grievances, any identity can be named!)
Phil should understand the frustration of the rugby public - he has had his fair share of rugby grief himself. Injury, WC loss, and missing a school premiership. He has also been at the bottom of enough rucks to understand danger and courage.
His background makes him just the bloke to take RA by the horns and turn Australian rugby around.
His failure to do so is very frustrating.

He's now in his post-rugby career and very much dependent on a network of people for advancement within that career path.

It's a symptom of how people are appointed to these rugby boards. Like any appointment, RA board members need to impress those who appointed them and this doesn't include members of rugby clubs let alone rugby supporters.

In contrast, the RFU in England: (ironic that in the land of egalitanarianism RA is run by the elite and in the land of entrenched privilege the grass roots have a say)

The Rugby Football Union is the national governing body for grassroots and elite rugby in England, with 2,000 autonomous rugby clubs in its membership.
The RFU endeavours to operate to PLC standards but it is neither a company nor a charity. It is a society established under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 and is, in layman's terms, a “Friendly Society”. This means that the RFU is owned by its member clubs and aims to make a profit to reinvest in rugby union in England.

https://www.englandrugby.com/about-the-rfu/

With a governing council representing grass roots clubs as well as the elite

https://www.englandrugby.com/mm/Doc...28/RepresentativestotheRFUCouncil_English.pdf

 

[Strewthcobber]

Waugh, Greegan, Eales, etc - it's the same old story said best by Upton Sinclair

It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.

 

[barbarian]

I agree the appointment of Waugh is symptomatic of a few wider issues the game faces.

But it does make total sense to have an ex-player on the board. It's a skill-set that should be there given the decisions the board has to make.

Waugh is not the right player, clearly.
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[liquor box]

I agree the appointment of Waugh is symptomatic of a few wider issues the game faces.

But it does make total sense to have an ex-player on the board. It's a skill-set that should be there given the decisions the board has to make.

Waugh is not the right player, clearly.
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The "right" type of ex players probably don't have interest in the corporate world.

I think the ideal person would be an ex player of a decent standard who is now coaching or has a lot to do with junior rugby and is doing it voluntarily. Someone who does it because they love the game, not because of a pay cheque.

This is who I would like
https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2018/03/14/steve-merrick-feature-singleton

imagine someone who is not paying back favors....


BTW a really good read too

 

[Warpath]

RUPA Awards is on, anyone got a live link? rugby.com.au ain't showing it even though they promised they will.

 

[Warpath]

nvm

- RUPA Medal For Excellence: David Pocock (Brumbies/Wallabies)
- RUPA Newcomer of the Year: Folau Fainga’a (Brumbies/Wallabies)
- NRC Players’ Player of the Year: Jordan Petaia (Queensland Country)
- Taylors Wines People Choice’s Australian Player of the Year: Evania Pelite OAM (Australian Women’s Rugby Sevens) and David Pocock (Wallabies)
- Australian Men’s Rugby Sevens Players’ Player of the Year: Ben O’Donnell
- Australian Women’s Rugby Sevens Players’ Player of the Year: Evania Pelite OAM
- Academic Achievement Award: Sam Carter (Brumbies)
- Community Service Award: Jed Holloway (NSW Waratahs)

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I agree the appointment of Waugh is symptomatic of a few wider issues the game faces.

But it does make total sense to have an ex-player on the board. It's a skill-set that should be there given the decisions the board has to make.

Waugh is not the right player, clearly.
.

Totally makes sense to have ex-players on the board and Phil should have been the right bloke. It's disappointing that he's not working out that way.

 

[I like to watch]

Totally makes sense to have ex-players on the board and Phil should have been the right bloke. It's disappointing that he's not working out that way.

To be fair,he’s one voice

 

[Quick Hands]

Totally makes sense to have ex-players on the board and Phil should have been the right bloke. It's disappointing that he's not working out that way.

Eales should have been the right bloke as well. Both outstanding Wallabies, but Eales became an apologist for the status quo and Waugh looks like following the same path.

We obviously want some corporate knowledge on the board, but as long as the whole board is made up of corporate networkers there'll be no change as it's not in their interest to promote change.

In the race of life, always back self-interest; at least you know it's trying. J.T. Lang

 

[Rebels3]

I'd like to see someone that spent a number of years at different clubs both domestically and abroad.

Someone that has played for the traditional states as well as the non traditional states, just so they understand the establishment but have also been exposed to what its like outside it.

I think this is where Phil gets caught out, at least from a resume point of view.

Waugh i am sure is a great bloke, but even watching him on Fox every now and then, his bias/pro thinking towards the Tahs/Wallabies makes Eddie McGuire and Phil Gould seem like amateurs towards their clubs

 

[barbarian]

I'd throw a name like Morgan Turinui in the hat. Yes he's a privately educated Sydneysider, but he's played and coached at a high level (spread across multiple Aus teams, and overseas). Non-anglo background, and still slogs it out with the Classic Wallabies and does a heap of work at the coalface.

He might not be the ideal candidate, but he's got a few characteristics I'd like to see in a Board member, many of which are not shared by Waugh.
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[Boof1050]

Another name I’d throw into the mix would be Brendan Cannon. Certainly played for a few different teams and is a fairly astute operator.

 

[Clavis Ruo]

I think it's strange to keep the head coach and get rid of his assistants. Were they not his choices, which means they are a reflection on him? I think if they go, he has to fall on his sword too.
I'd be curious to see how Jake White would go, even if he has been out of the game for a while.

 

[Quick Hands]

I think it's strange to keep the head coach and get rid of his assistants. Were they not his choices, which means they are a reflection on him? I think if they go, he has to fall on his sword too.
I'd be curious to see how Jake White would go, even if he has been out of the game for a while.

To sack the assistants and keep Cheika, who as you rightly indicate were appointed by RA at the insistence of Cheika, would be bizarre even by RA standards.

But as we saw with the Clyne 50 second press conference the other day, just when you think RA can't be any worse they come up with something to prove you wrong.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Just a rumour, but a good source.

Cheika gone by Christmas, and probably replaced by Larkham, but they want to announce the replacement at the same time so are looking at a few other options

 

[Quick Hands]

Just a rumour, but a good source.

Cheika gone by Christmas, and probably replaced by Larkham, but they want to announce the replacement at the same time so are looking at a few other options

Hmm, sacking the organ grinder and replacing him with the monkey. I don't see the point.

I'm not convinced that Larkham is up to coaching at super level, let alone test level. Leaving that aside, and assuming that he has the potential to at some point in the future has the potential to coach the Wallabies, then I don't see how throwing him in at this point is going to help his coaching development.

Wonder if Castle and Clyne have made any secret calls to Jake White?

 

[Bandar]

Wonder if Castle and Clyne have made any secret calls to Jake White?

I hope so - incentive based 12 month contract with potential for extension if he achieves certain result.

 

[KOB1987]

Just a rumour, but a good source.

Cheika gone by Christmas, and probably replaced by Larkham, but they want to announce the replacement at the same time so are looking at a few other options

I don't buy that they would sack Cheika and replace him with Larkham. If however Cheika were to walk and everyone else stayed then Larkham would most likely become the head coach by default, temporary or permanent. So perhaps that is what has happened if the rumour is true and, as you imply, they are looking for a better option.

Interestingly Pocock has publicly stated his support for Cheika at yesterday's RUPA awards.

 

[Derpus]

Just a rumour, but a good source.

Cheika gone by Christmas, and probably replaced by Larkham, but they want to announce the replacement at the same time so are looking at a few other options

Fuck me that'd achieve nothing.

 

[barbarian]

Just a rumour, but a good source.

Cheika gone by Christmas, and probably replaced by Larkham, but they want to announce the replacement at the same time so are looking at a few other options

Fair bit of this floating around. Have heard the same.

I reckon the odds are shortening that Cheika is gone.
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