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Australian Rugby / RA

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Can anyone explain to me why this happens so much here in Aus? Whether trying to get rid of CEOs of sports, coaches or Prime Ministers etc, there is something in the culture that seems to lend itself to backstabbing or behind the scenes shenanigans here and I not sure what it is!

pack of fluffybunnys mostly
 

ruggy

Herbert Moran (7)
A tough outcome on a heavily debated topic, we all want rugby to reach its potential even though its on a slow decline. I love the thinking and logical ideas of GAGR faithful. We're the people coaching, playing, organising, spectating, parenting and volunteering on a variety of different levels (grassroots, elite etc.). I believe Raelene Castle and the ex-Wallaby captains both want, what we all want, the game to grow and achieve greatness with simply different ideas.

With that in mind looking forward, I'd like to see Rugby Australia avoid over middle management and take a really streamlined approach from here.

1. Make Rugby Union accessible to all children
- Get rugby union promotion in all schools, have club players going into schools and encouraging students and parents to sign up to local rugby clubs (this does not mean running a $300 Reds2Rookies session after school, and saves the hassle of running a school and club competition)
- Slash the registration fee's, cost is becoming a significant factor for all players
2. Fill the stands - makes the product better
3. Get on free TV - Foxtel/Kayo is becoming shambles

On a side note I'd like to see stronger affiliations with universities. I'm sure there's people on here with better ideas which I would love to hear! These key ideas may lead to a few years of not much significant growth and a financial hit short-term, but a temporary sacrifice for a long-term sustainable future.

I'm not a business man though, and I'm sure the new CEO role will be hard for whoever steps into the shoes.
 

The Honey Badger

Jim Lenehan (48)
I Just hope that Optus and Chanel 10 have a strong legal position with their bids and can hold RA to the process.

They just have to get the game more accessible to the masses. FTA and available to everyone with an optus phone.
 

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
I Just hope that Optus and Chanel 10 have a strong legal position with their bids and can hold RA to the process.

They just have to get the game more accessible to the masses. FTA and available to everyone with an optus phone.

Dreaming if you think it's going to anyone other than Fox
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
Name some names. Who should be on the board?

Unlike others, I don't have a list of preconceived names who should or shouldn't be on the board. If I was made rugby dictator for the week I'd call for nominations - a public call where anyone could be nominated not just a secret call amongst cosy cabal of corporate hacks. I'd want to know their history in rugby, their working history and probably most importantly I'd want them to detail precisely why they want to be on the board, what they want to achieve (for rugby not themselves) and how they would do this. I would want a balance of people from different levels and geographic regions. Ideally the process would include a democratic process where clubs are involved in the election process. Unfortunately the current structure makes the latter impossible.

Australia is one of the few rugby nations in the world and the only established Tier 1 nation where the game is in crisis and in danger of collapsing - maybe what we're doing and/or the way we are doing it are wrong? Just possible?

In England the RFU works on a structure where the clubs (all 2,000 of them) effectively own the governing body which operates as under the English Co-operative Societies Act.

The RFU is a members’ organisation of professional and amateur rugby clubs and a society registered under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act, reinvesting all profits back into the sport.
The members assign day-to-day operation to the Board of Directors, and regular oversight to the Council
The Council drives policy relating to the game and has oversight of the Board.
Representatives are elected by member clubs, or appointed by national bodies, such as Premier Rugby or the Rugby Players’ Association.
Constituent Bodies are groups of clubs, mostly based geographically on single or groups of counties, but also include the three armed forces, Oxford and Cambridge Universities, Schools, Colleges and Students Unions and the Referees Union.
https://www.englandrugby.com/about-rfu/structure-of-the-rfu

The process that you seem to like of people throwing up favoured ones is what has got us to where we are today and it's not something which I would even consider doing.
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
I Just hope that Optus and Chanel 10 have a strong legal position with their bids and can hold RA to the process.

They just have to get the game more accessible to the masses. FTA and available to everyone with an optus phone.

RA are like every other sport - they can sell broadcast rights to whomever they please. It doesn't necessarily need to be the highest bidder either. Just because someone makes a bid doesn't mean that they have the right to expect anything.
 

louie

Desmond Connor (43)
why is that a worry?


If super rugby is finished, we need a NZ/AUS competition to take over. We don't have the numbers to go it alone. Relationships with RA and NZ rugby have been bad for a while (bug gate). I get the feeling from this statement that NZ would have been willing to work positively with Castle on a NZ/OZ competition. I don't think their so keen to deal with NFJ/Kearns crew who, excuse my language, they think are fluffybunnys.

We need NZ far more then they need us. They could easily up the level of the mitre and have the most exciting comp in the world.
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
I’m not sure why someone would say that?

Do you honestly think her article is at all similar in tone to the material news has been publishing?

I saw no mention of Folau receiving a billion dollars in there...

Has anyone said that Folau received a billion dollars? Seriously?
 

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
Unlike others, I don't have a list of preconceived names who should or shouldn't be on the board. If I was made rugby dictator for the week I'd call for nominations - a public call where anyone could be nominated not just a secret call amongst cosy cabal of corporate hacks. Ideally the process would include a democratic process where clubs are involved in the election process. Unfortunately the current structure makes the latter impossible.

So the process that works for the corporate world cannot work for rugby? My understanding is that the selection process for board members and senior executives normally starts with the briefing of an executive search consultant. Sometimes there are some possible candidates in the selection mix, but on the assumption that every corporation wants to succeed, I assume that every corporation will want to get the best possible candidates. Sometimes they are already in the organisation, usually they are not.

Australia is one of the few rugby nations in the world and the only established Tier 1 nation where the game is in crisis and in danger of collapsing - maybe what we're doing and/or the way we are doing it are wrong? Just possible?


Or maybe we are not actually a Tier 1 nation now, and the reality is starting to sink in.


No doubt there are lots of factors that have caused us to be where we are today. The only certainty that I hold about this is that most of those factors are totally outside our ability to control them. I have posted many times on this subject. So of course it is obvious that they way we have done things is wrong. But what is not obvious is what on earth the most talented and grounded board and executive could have done better.

The process that you seem to like of people throwing up favoured ones is what has got us to where we are today and it's not something which I would even consider doing.


I do not "like" any particular process. I have worked in the corporate world, in some very successful corporations (and a couple of dogs), for the RBA, and also for a very large and very successful sporting organisation. The best and most successful ones went to great pains to use expert guidance of a reputable executive search firm (and some inside knowledge) to find the best candidates. Your solution, to do it yourself, is probably out of the question.


So maybe just have a lottery. Throw it open to all rugby supporters, and draw the 8 or 10 board members out of the hat. See how it goes. Or emulate the Greens, and allow all the membership to have a vote. My betting is that the membership would want to have the same type and calibre of board members and executive that we have today.
 

KOB1987

John Eales (66)
I’m not sure why someone would say that?

Do you honestly think her article is at all similar in tone to the material news has been publishing?

I saw no mention of Folau receiving a billion dollars in there...
I didn’t mention Folau.

FWIW I’m referring to the article pointing out more fails than passes by RC, and that she doesn’t think that it was the letter from the 10 captains that brought her undone.

I do agree with her that the News attacks on RC were vile, however it’s also enlightening to see that the other mob could identify and publish her failures.
 

dru

David Wilson (68)
Sorry for the re-post, but this is from GRob's SMH article:

"Wiggs runs private equity firm Archer Capital and is chair of Supercars after Archer bought the business for a reported AU$180 million from SEL in 2011. It is now reportedly worth about half its purchase price and is in the middle of difficult broadcast negotiations to renew its deal with Fox Sports and Ten."

I have had, and continue to have, mixed feelings with the involvement of Wiggs. Damning him the down valuation of Supercars is harsh and almost inevitably there is more going on. They did well harnessing the last remnants of Australian motorsport bipartisanship - Holden and Ford - and then Holden backed out. They have seen a potentially legitimate competitor build in TCR. And that is where my viewing will go (depending on broadcaster) with luke warm interest in TCR itself and a complete fascination with s5000 which is part of the TCR family.SUpercars will struggle as the next iteration can't deviate too far from the re-clothed V8 format that exists at the moment.

OTOH, something that Supercars did very well, and we could seriously learn from, is self recording/commenting/pushing the marketing themselves. Then providing a completed product to interest the broadcasters.

I don't know enough about Wiggs to write him off, but suspect there may indeed be some elements of interest to us in the rugby world.
 

gel

Ken Catchpole (46)
If super rugby is finished, we need a NZ/AUS competition to take over. We don't have the numbers to go it alone. Relationships with RA and NZ rugby have been bad for a while (bug gate). I get the feeling from this statement that NZ would have been willing to work positively with Castle on a NZ/OZ competition. I don't think their so keen to deal with NFJ/Kearns crew who, excuse my language, they think are fluffybunnys.

We need NZ far more then they need us. They could easily up the level of the mitre and have the most exciting comp in the world.

I'd be totally fine with our better players being drafted into their NPC and watching their games instead of what has become of super rugby. The very best will of course be cherry picked off to Europe where the bigger money is.

Australian club rugby won't disappear just because Super rugby disappears.
 

Pfitzy

Nathan Sharpe (72)
By all means, let's have Wiggs in the chair. He's perfect.

EWUvNbUVcAAeMxS
 

The Honey Badger

Jim Lenehan (48)
If super rugby is finished, we need a NZ/AUS competition to take over. We don't have the numbers to go it alone. Relationships with RA and NZ rugby have been bad for a while (bug gate). I get the feeling from this statement that NZ would have been willing to work positively with Castle on a NZ/OZ competition. I don't think their so keen to deal with NFJ/Kearns crew who, excuse my language, they think are fluffybunnys.

We need NZ far more then they need us. They could easily up the level of the mitre and have the most exciting comp in the world.

Think you are reading way too much into this.

Its a nice gesture by NZ Rugby thanking and wishing RC all the best.


Doesn't matter who ends up with the job. Its pretty obvious the only way forward for both unions is some for of trans Tasman comp.
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
I do not "like" any particular process. I have worked in the corporate world, in some very successful corporations (and a couple of dogs), for the RBA, and also for a very large and very successful sporting organisation. The best and most successful ones went to great pains to use expert guidance of a reputable executive search firm (and some inside knowledge) to find the best candidates. Your solution, to do it yourself, is probably out of the question.


.

You're the one who asked me who I would nominate, I merely answered your question in quite a rational way. I didn't say that I would do it myself. In fact I was at pains to point out that the idea of people throwing up names of their favourites (which you seemed to suggest) is precisely the wrong way to do it.

If you ask a dumb question, don't then try to cover it by writing nonsense like this which is a gross misrepresentation.
 
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