Wanted: New leader for Australian rugby union
Roar Guru By Rickety Knees, 27 Jul 2012 Rickety Knees is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- ARU, Australian rugby, Rugby Union, Super Rugby
Australian rugby union chief executive John O'Neill. AAP Image/Paul Miller
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Confidential: You will be a successful sport administrator who has worked at the highest levels of sports management. Your mission, should you chose to accept it, is to revitalise Australian rugby.
As background it is important to understand that the current top down growth strategy through Super Rugby has failed.
You primary area of responsibility is to put in place a strategic plan to address the top down growth failings, specifically the following:
Player growth.
The perception is that the Australian Conference of Super Rugby is inferior when compared to the New Zealand and South Africa.
For example, the Western Force are on the verge of imploding and in need of assistance.
Somehow the Wallabies playing for the Waratahs cannot win for them but can for Australia, while in the process half of their supporter base have been driven away, continuing to live in a vacuum of denial.
The Waratah problem is of concern as it directly impacts on the largest source of juniors in our market. The jury is still out on Melbourne. Only the Reds and the Brumbies provide any real rugby credibility.
Declining referee standards.
Australia only has one referee on the IRB international panel and he is Steve Walsh – an ex-New Zealander. The panel for the 2012 junior world championships had no Australian referees on it. The only Australian Super Rugby referee is the same ex-New Zealander.
Poor coaching standards.
Only the Brumbies and the Reds have creditable coaches. The Australian under-20 side has just had the worst tournament in its history; they have had the same coach for the last four tournaments.
Public image.
With no free-to-air coverage, rugby is seen only by those that can afford to pay. This is at direct odds with the rugby ethos as being a game for all.
There is a requirement to consider an under-23 competition to dovetail into the Australian Conference games with a focus on providing young players, young referees and less experienced coaches an opportunity to further develop their skills.
In the process there will be more product for TV and a better chance of entering the free-to-air market.
Finally, it is important that the successful applicant comes to the position professionally unencumbered (i.e. no involvement with any other business or boards whilst in this position).
Anyone up to it?
- Explore:
- ARU, Australian rugby, Rugby Union, Super Rugby
July 27th 2012 @ 2:17am
DuffyV said | July 27th 2012 @ 2:17am | Report comment
#1 AU conference is extremely weak as the stats prove…..Reds & Brumbies have zero credibility this year.
#2 AU have no refs except for kiwi Walsh now on wagon prior to returning to NZ.
#3 Link is a multiple with one exception via inheritance failed coach and white is also most underwhelming WC winning coach next please……
#4 PUBLIC IMAGE, well you constantly take the worst of kiwi rejects plus a united nations of others, support them through assault, theft and general affray, even the springboks would not privately humiliate themselves to this degree but this is the time old AU strategy of win at all costs which does not seem to work in union, wonder why????.
Now that the wallabies are over 50% foreign passport holders, please could actual supporters identify themselves and why??
July 27th 2012 @ 2:43am
DuffyV said | July 27th 2012 @ 2:43am | Report comment
Do not misunderstand my comments:
It is extremely important that AU Rugby Union becomes much more competitive because eventually South Africa will go Northern Hemisphere.
However what more can NZ do for AU union than provide 20% of your players and subsidize your pay TV income.
That will ultimately be their (SA) loss because 3x more people in the world want to watch All Blacks rather than Boks hit meaningful rucks.
July 27th 2012 @ 3:02am
DuffyV said | July 27th 2012 @ 3:02am | Report comment
Sky TV in NZ (a super profit company ie NZ’s version of BHP) cannot survive without ALL Black rugby and next negotiations will make Adidas look like a third rate donator. (Imagine if Foxtel had 75% subs in NSW for RL what that would be worth, 5x what they are currently paying)
Then imagine all the dumb Kiwis like me who pay $200 a month in AU to follow all kiwis in union. (Platinum, Multiple Decoder, plus Setanta)
July 27th 2012 @ 5:00am
Damo said | July 27th 2012 @ 5:00am | Report comment
Duffy you don’t care. Don’t pretend you do. It’s about Australian rugby. It’s probably not any of your business.
Some of your remarks are rude and untrue.
It’s called trolling.
July 27th 2012 @ 8:58pm
DuffyV said | July 27th 2012 @ 8:58pm | Report comment
Never said I did care just that a strong AU Rugby environment was important for a seamless transition once SA departs otherwise NZRU is going to have to keep providing the handouts.
If what I have said is trolling then the Roar needs more trolls because the only thing that can lift AU Rugby is investment in grass roots and currently the free lunches are being spent on your top team only.
July 27th 2012 @ 4:10am
biltongbek said | July 27th 2012 @ 4:10am | Report comment
Why will SA go to the NH?
July 27th 2012 @ 8:51pm
DuffyV said | July 27th 2012 @ 8:51pm | Report comment
Hey BiltongBek
Initially substantially more money and smarter logistics combine to make it inevitable.
Plus eventually NZ will not put up a meaningful fight choosing to re-focus on the Americas and SE Asia.
It just makes good business sense but I will be as disappointed as anyone to see my life long South African foes depart.
July 27th 2012 @ 9:02pm
biltongbek said | July 27th 2012 @ 9:02pm | Report comment
Mate, we have too much to lose to go north.
Why would SARU want to move away from the system that provides the best quality rugby and keeps them firmly entrenched at the higher eshelons of rugby, to go north into joining a season which is as confusing as a chameleon in a tumble dryer?
The Europeans clubs gave huge squads of 40+ squads competing in a number of competitions at the same time, they work on a ranking system to decide who gets seeded where for a HC competition that doesn’t pit the best four or five teams filled with their best players per nation, but some have their best clubs with half of their top players missing because their clubs didn’t qualify.
Over their the premiership has more power and influence alongside the clubs with the national unions sucking on the leg of a donkey. Money there means the competitions are stacked and overlapping and a player could play as many as three different competitions in one month.
If that ever happened I would stop watching rugby in SA.
I don’t want to watch a bunch of gym bunnies slowing down every ruck ball. No thanks.
July 27th 2012 @ 9:57pm
DuffyV said | July 27th 2012 @ 9:57pm | Report comment
Hi BiltongBek
SARU could possibly be offered 5-10 times the money they receive from the SANZAR alliance.
What administrator could refuse such a profitable transaction?
I would even understand the NZRU coming to such a decision even though it is logistically impossible.
For SARU it is a gigantic oil well waiting to be tapped and conveniently logistically possible.
For the Europeans it is possibly the only hope of ending Southern Hemisphere dominance in the short term.
Long term it will diminish South African performances on the field but in every other way is a very very sound business decision,
It will quite possibly diminish the strengths of the All Blacks also and could even herald the realignment of a new rugby world order.
Not good for either of our respective countries but something that I conclude to be inevitable.
Oh and you and I will still be watching our brothers they will just be hitting less meaningful rucks.
July 27th 2012 @ 10:05pm
biltongbek said | July 27th 2012 @ 10:05pm | Report comment
Well all you have managed to do now is depress me, thanks.
July 29th 2012 @ 8:23pm
Bakkies said | July 29th 2012 @ 8:23pm | Report comment
The Europeans can’t afford the added expense of travelling to South Africa for away fixtures (a lot of clubs have small budgets), travelling to play away matches in the SA summer will be dumb and the NH will never move to a summer season, the European season is full and there isn’t room for more fixtures. The French are staunch about their Top 14 and will be dead against the extra long travel that will effect their clubs.
July 29th 2012 @ 8:27pm
Bakkies said | July 29th 2012 @ 8:27pm | Report comment
More to add the HEC is spread over several months which will have no benefit to SA rugby and what league will they play in. NH leagues run from August to May/June that won’t work logistically. The Currie Cup is shrinking every year because of the congested calendar.
July 30th 2012 @ 11:41am
AndyS said | July 30th 2012 @ 11:41am | Report comment
The only way SA is playing in the NH is if they completely restructure the season in the NH (which is being kicked around), went to a Super Rugby type of arrangement (which isn’t), and essentially accepted a global season. Frankly, for that outcome, it might be a price worth paying.
July 27th 2012 @ 12:22pm
Tigranes said | July 27th 2012 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
“That will ultimately be their (SA) loss because 3x more people in the world want to watch All Blacks rather than Boks hit meaningful rucks.”
There are far more rugby supporters in South Africa than Australia and New Zealand combined.
July 27th 2012 @ 8:44pm
DuffyV said | July 27th 2012 @ 8:44pm | Report comment
Tigranes, whip out your atlas because shock horror there are more than three countries in the “World”
July 28th 2012 @ 12:32am
Sircoolalot said | July 28th 2012 @ 12:32am | Report comment
Come off it Duffy. You’re obviously a Kiwi so you’re trolling this Aussie rugby site lol
The Allblacks aren’t that big a draw, and their Super rugby sides are certainly not! SA has much more of a say in SANZAR discussions because of their huge population and TV numbers
July 29th 2012 @ 9:51pm
Rickety Knees said | July 29th 2012 @ 9:51pm | Report comment
Cheers Sircoolalot
July 27th 2012 @ 2:21am
arbitro storico said | July 27th 2012 @ 2:21am | Report comment
Come on RK – a couple of good thoughts, but some factual errors weaken your argument. Angus Gardner attended the Junior World Championships as Australia’s representative in 2012. He also refereed a couple of Super 15 matches in 2012, as did Andrew Lees. The other Australian – Ian Smith – also refereed a half dozen or so Super matches during the 2012 season. None are as high profile as Big Steve (or as good), but they shouldn’t be ignored completely.
July 27th 2012 @ 8:36am
Rickety Knees said | July 27th 2012 @ 8:36am | Report comment
South Africans make up half of the positions on the ten-man panel of referees for the 2012 Super Rugby competition.
The 2011 Rugby World Cup Final referee Craig Joubert heads the five-man contingent that also includes veteran Jonathan Kaplan, Marius Jonker, Mark Lawrence and Jaco Peyper. They are joined by New Zealand’s Keith Brown, Bryce Lawrence, Garrat Williamson and Chris Pollock with Australia represented by Kiwi Steve Walsh.
http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2012/rugby/story/154014.html
July 27th 2012 @ 11:39am
referee accuracy said | July 27th 2012 @ 11:39am | Report comment
That’s for the Merit Panel who are the Referees charged with refereeing the majority of games. Smith is highly likely to be put onto that panel next year and the other 2 went very well in their games and will get a lot more next year!
July 28th 2012 @ 7:04pm
Spencer said | July 28th 2012 @ 7:04pm | Report comment
Good article RK, although the depression from being a Tah-man is obvious. Put you hand up about the refs. You got it wrong…it’s not a nice look to throw around more stats without first acknowledging that you were factually wrong. Looks like a Tahs response when they are told the kick too much?
July 29th 2012 @ 2:15pm
Rickety Knees said | July 29th 2012 @ 2:15pm | Report comment
Spencer, I coach seniors and my experience is that refereeing is in dire straits. We have geriatrics refereeing us who struggle to keep with play and clearly get befuddled by the complexity of the game these days.
July 29th 2012 @ 6:06pm
Spencer said | July 29th 2012 @ 6:06pm | Report comment
Rickety – yep, I understand your point, and am in general agreeance. However I think it is important to recognize when there is some ref talent. Specifically I think Lees is promising. I have seen him ref HK7s and he is fit, cool and, and accurate. I know the ref development system needs a lot of attention. No tunlike player development pathways.
July 29th 2012 @ 9:52pm
Rickety Knees said | July 29th 2012 @ 9:52pm | Report comment
Yes mate, where are the youngf refs coming from?
July 27th 2012 @ 5:21am
Damo said | July 27th 2012 @ 5:21am | Report comment
You raise some good points Rickety.
The main ones being – which way out of here, and who is leading us?
My keenness for JON was based on his success in his first stint.
But it’s beginning to look like macqueen, eales, and the other great players were more contributive tothat run of success, than O’Neill was.
The ARU has sat on its hands while the Tahs have fumbled along to their final collapse this season.
Their ‘top down’ policy has not worked. For either the ‘top’ or the ‘down’
The reliance on incremental changes to the status quo, relying on rugby mad private school feeders is an impotent path.
There are bigger decisions to make than Coach selection. Much bigger.
I hope we don’t get narrow responses here like ‘sack Deans’ or ‘sack Foley’ as if coaches are the problem.
The problems are structural. And significant and continuing.
Only significant structural change has any chance of addressing them.
The new leader would have to have tremendous vision and the hide of an elephant.
July 27th 2012 @ 7:21am
kingplaymaker said | July 27th 2012 @ 7:21am | Report comment
John O’Neill seems during this tenure to have been worried about making the slightest, smallest mistake and so has taken as few risks as possible.
He seems to have forgotten that he has the natural ability to take apparent risks but pull them off, like a good player.
Since the introduction of the Rebels in 2011, what new will he have done by next year? Nothing. No changes, no advance.
That is the pity: a loss of ambition, concern for reputation and fear of failure have turned him into a shadow of his former self. With the old ambition he could have turned Australian rugby into a real success and competitor during his time, rather than just avoiding mistakes.
July 27th 2012 @ 8:44am
Gary Russell-Sharam said | July 27th 2012 @ 8:44am | Report comment
For once I agree with KPM. But to answer Rickety’s questions and his points is a mountain that I can not climb. The points Rickety is making are very legitimate and are at the crux of what is wrong with Australian rugby.
The essence lies with creating a second tier of competition and enticing FTA television to come on board. I am old enough to remember when the ABC were broadcasting games with the late Paul Mooney (Phil Mooneys Father) and Chris Handy as commentators. Great viewing and watched by a large following of fans.
Maybe as KPM has mention on a few occasions that private ownership could be the answer. I know that most of you would poo poo the idea that I have said in the past that David Gallup might make a good CEO of Australian Rugby. I have long admired his approach when he was the CEO of League. He has had his detractors but on the whole he, IMO did a fine job of guiding league to the position of popularity that it is in today.
At present JON is a liability to rugby with his doing nothing attitude, he is just marking time until he goes to the IRB. I think this is hurting rugby more than most things. We need a new vibrancy within the ranks at the top and we need the old guard to call it a day. New blood is needed to inject some enthusiasm into rugby before it dies.
Mark my words rugby is decreasing in player numbers and supporters each year the grassroots have been left to rot and the pathway for young players is now virtually non existent unless you are discovered at a private school. I have nothing against Private schools as both my boys went through the private system but if you don’t make it then you might as well kiss your backside goodbye because you’ve got Buckley’s if you go to the obscurity of clubland.
July 27th 2012 @ 8:51am
Rickety Knees said | July 27th 2012 @ 8:51am | Report comment
GRS – JON has just taken over as Chairman of Echo Entertainment which holds Sydney’s sole casino licence, in a James Packer coupe. His eye is not soley on the rugby ball …. and ofcourse then there is the IRB opportunity for him ….
July 29th 2012 @ 8:30pm
Bakkies said | July 29th 2012 @ 8:30pm | Report comment
O’Neill will never get an IRB gig. He has an obsession with turning Rugby into league and is not easy to work with.
July 27th 2012 @ 9:26am
Jay said | July 27th 2012 @ 9:26am | Report comment
Good point re Gallop. A while ago, I remember reading that Cricket Australia also saw him as an heir apparent to James Sutherland.
One of the plus sides of getting Gallop is that he actually played rugby growing up, worked in a law firm (thus exposure to the rugby community).
July 27th 2012 @ 11:08am
Rickety Knees said | July 27th 2012 @ 11:08am | Report comment
Bringing Gallop in is making a lot of sense – a proven hard ball administrator with a thorough knowledge of negotiating big deals across the board. The right person to take the NRL on – could be just the man to turn things around and point rugby in the right direction.
July 27th 2012 @ 12:05pm
Jay said | July 27th 2012 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
Why does RU need to take the NRL on. Both sports have co-existed in essentially the same market in Australia for over 100 years.
If anything, I’d like to see the ARU working with the NRL to get better funding for facilities and better scheduling of games for fans of both codes.
July 27th 2012 @ 1:13pm
Rickety Knees said | July 27th 2012 @ 1:13pm | Report comment
Actually Jay – I too would like to see a greater connection between the games …
July 27th 2012 @ 3:06pm
robbo said | July 27th 2012 @ 3:06pm | Report comment
GRS – your last point used to very true but with the opportunities now provided by the Force and in particular the Rebels i think that is changing. Look at the opportunities now being offered to young men like Pyle, Neville and Jones – a selected from Sydney club rugby when they had not been considered by other – Pyle was 22 when he got his chance with the Rebels. And there is a whole bunch of them coming through, many of whom will be more apparent next year. They have 10 spots to fill next year and only one has gone to big name, my mail is that most of their new recruits next year will be no names (my only problem with the Rebs is that all of their scouts seem to be in NSW – they need start poaching some young Queenslanders). The Rebel Rising played a curtain raiser every home match this year before the break – but the only other franchise who would play with them was the Force (home and away). If the other three franchise did the same that would be great but all you would hear would squealing from the Sydney and Brisbane clubs. And look at the Brumbies – where did all those young guys come from all of a sudden.
Super Rugby expansion in Australia is a five year project to develop the depth we need to retain or better our No 2 ranking. We are two years into it. But even now something must be working if we are still No 2.
July 27th 2012 @ 9:18am
Sailosi said | July 27th 2012 @ 9:18am | Report comment
Australian rugby will never evolve, improve or raise it’s awareness levels nationwide until the ARU make the distinction between what is good for Australian Rugby and what is good for Rugby in Australia. These are two very different things and must be addressed in a variety of different ways. People continue to stress that we should not allow imports into Australian rugby teams because it hinders the develpoment of a local player. This could not be further from the truth. The Western Force as a club and its players will never develop whilst they continually fail to make the finals. The Western Force need to be exposed to finals football as a benefit to the organisation and also its players. Kyl;e Godwin will never fully develop with Nick Cummins and Will Tupou outside him and conversely Nick Cummins and Will Tupou will never fully develop with Kyle Godwin inside them. I think the benefits of having for example a Gordon D’arcy or a Selelia Mapusua in the midfield would benefit all parties. The knowledge and experience these players would bring to a team are imeasurable. A coach can only do so much, players need experience around them. There is no greater example of this than Bangladeshi cricket, for years thet have performed and at times dominated under age cricket but when it comes to international senior cricket a 23 year old telling a 19 year old in the heat of battle what do to has hinderd their progress.
Whilst having some quality imports i believe would aid in development i think it could also lead to an improvement in overall team performance. When a child asks his dad that he wants to go and watch the Western Force he does not say ‘Dad let’s go and watch the Western Force because they have all Australian players’ KIds want to go and watch winners and entertainers regardless of where they come from. This is what has made the great sporting leagues and teams all over the world successful and an inspiration to kids all over the world. Does a kid living in Spain not watch Barcelona because Lionel Messi is hindering the development of a local player. As John Plumtree pointed out, sometimes its not all about international rugby, it’s about rugby as a whole. The last thing we want is Super Rugby to become a glorified academy system in a similar mould to whatb the Sheffield Shield has become.
July 27th 2012 @ 9:26am
Sailosi said | July 27th 2012 @ 9:26am | Report comment
On another point, i know i have stressed it time and time again but the recruitment of players in this country is disgraceful. Rugby has continued to increase its playing numbers and the grass roots landscape is immeasurably different from the one i encopuntered when i first moved here 20 years ago. I can still remeber my first u/19 training session when only 2 of the 20 boys had ever seen rugby. And to see the system my younger brothers and nephews have gone through has been fantastic. But it is such a shame that so much of it goes to waste, left to go overseas at 19-20 years of age and never to be heard of again. Two boys i coached last year have just signed deals to play in Italy at 19, now they may have never played super rugby but it’s another example of 2 good players having left the Australian system.
July 27th 2012 @ 10:35am
Rickety Knees said | July 27th 2012 @ 10:35am | Report comment
Great posts Sailosi!
July 27th 2012 @ 10:52am
kingplaymaker said | July 27th 2012 @ 10:52am | Report comment
Too true Sailosi.
I don’t understand the equation the ARU makes:
One team=almost all Australian instead of:
two teams=each with several high quality imports.
You could have two teams of similar strength instead of one, meaning in the medium and long term far more development of the game, many more opportunities for young Australian players, the growth of two instead of one player bases.
July 27th 2012 @ 9:44am
Steve said | July 27th 2012 @ 9:44am | Report comment
As sad as it is to say, there is a rugby revolution going on around the world and Australia is being left behind in a big way. Both KPM and Sailosi are right. Private ownership is a must and Australian rugby has to get over the whole Wallaby thing. It’s this thiking that is hindering rugby in Australia. When you put all your eggs in one basket and that basket is no longer the best your left with borken eggs. There are many rugby followers out there that don’t really give a rats about the Wallabies as much as people don’t like to hear it. When i turn on Super Rugby i want to watch thew best, i couldn’t give a stuff if the team are Australian. People don,t turn on the tv to watch Australians, they trun on to watch the best and watch winners. One player all my league and AFL mates used to watch and still talk about was Caucau, i’ve never seen non rugby people ask what time the Auckland Blues were playing like when he was was runing around.
July 27th 2012 @ 11:10am
Johnno said | July 27th 2012 @ 11:10am | Report comment
Some facts about what needs to done or Ideas or re-modelling. And whoever comes in next will have there hands full:
-Allow private ownership of super rugby teams
-more money for grassroots rugby
-Have a 5 import per super team rule eg gareth delves types have been immense for rebels why not get 5 gareth delves harden men with test match experience and experienced rugby players not 20-23 yr old rookies. NZ is having the same problem , they jut have more depth of youngsters who are decent but it is a problem for NZ more about player drain than eveer finding the depth but it is causing problems in NZ too the no import rule just aussies have weak depth, and it’s been highlighted in NZ rugby too same problem.
-When a steve donald or luke mcallister , or nick evans type leaves. Guys who a fringe AB’S 50% in and out of the All blacks or a chris jack when he left , these men are hard to replace as are the stars like Carl Hayman and and Kaino.
-Coz when the guys leave NZ, it is so hard to find experienced men 25 plus eg 25-28 or 25-30 who have hard nose experience to guide the 20-23 yr olds. Same in South africa , these 2 nations have just got away with it a bit this year coz aussy depth is so bad. But i guarantee you NZ can not afford to keep bleeding steve donald types to overseas clubs, it hurts them a lot. Steve donald gareth delve, types are hard nosed experienced men , that are hard to replace as you have to put young fellas in who are not ready or have the maturity to lead the team.
-So that is where imports like gareth delve come in or james haskell or tusk pusi , or sonny tomaalo experienced men with hard cor rugby experience at test and super level or french rugby level.
-So 5 imports per team
-Also more connection between players and fans.
-And a re-modelling of schoolboy rugby competitions too to be more competitive.
-And also a grass roots campain to move rugby away from an elitist sport and out into mass society.
-I don’t think no free to air coverage of super rugby is a problem. English soccer is only on pay tv in england and it hasn’t suffered.
-The wallabies tests are all on free to air anyway so plenty of exposure on tv via the national team to get grass roots kids into rugby.
-But defiantly the players have to connect with the fans or kids more.
ANd aussy rugby is losing depth like this young man this massive man going to toulon isotope maka’s nephew, and taolesi gray.
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,9818_7904548,00.html
July 27th 2012 @ 11:50am
Jutsie said | July 27th 2012 @ 11:50am | Report comment
The aru just released the pricing for the lions series, $95 for the cheapest seats in the house at all the test matches.
Disgraceful stuff and typical of the ARU, more concerned with the short term revenue gain than any long term promotion.
July 27th 2012 @ 11:51am
Jutsie said | July 27th 2012 @ 11:51am | Report comment
I tried to post a link but the board blocked it.
July 27th 2012 @ 10:13pm
Damo said | July 27th 2012 @ 10:13pm | Report comment
That’s what is called ‘dumb rugby’
July 27th 2012 @ 10:44pm
DuffyV said | July 27th 2012 @ 10:44pm | Report comment
So the ARU is living off SA & NZ handouts but should subsidize local ticket prices with rand and kiwi dollars.
Damo & Juts you would have to be the AU definition of glass not even half but quarter full…..
July 27th 2012 @ 10:49pm
DuffyV said | July 27th 2012 @ 10:49pm | Report comment
These Lion tests are going to sell out regardless of price and if they don’t the Lions need to cross AU off the schedule.
Reality is the Bledisloe ticket costs in Sydney are a much more pressing issue but I guess this got lost in your respective minds constantly negative translation.