John O’Neill ARU resignation: Live blog, updates
Roar Guru 
Australian rugby union player Ben Robinson, ARU chief executive John O'Neill and SANZAR CEO, Greg Peters. AAP Image/Paul Miller
The ARU are set to announce that Managing Director and CEO John O’Neill AO will resign from his positions with Australian rugby’s peak body. We’ll bring you live updates from this morning’s press conference from 11am (AEDT).
As reported earlier, Australian national media, including The Roar, will gather for a press conference at ARU Headquarters at 11am.
A media release from the ARU pointed towards “a significant announcement regarding the future of Australian Rugby”.
Following clarifications this morning, The Roar understands the press conference will announce O’Neill is standing down from his positions with the ARU. It is understood the move is made at O’Neill’s decision.
Reports have suggested current Deputy Chief Executive Matt Carroll will step up into an interim role, with a global search to take place for a replacement.
O’Neill held the position of chief executive of Australian Rugby Union between 1995 and 2003 before taking up the position as head of Football Federation Australia – a position he remained in until 2006.
O’Neill returned to Australian rugby in June 2007, and joined the Rugby World Cup board in March 2012. His role with the ARU was set to finish in 2013, after the British and Irish Lions Tour.
He has overseen the game for 14 of the last 17 years, and it is understood O’Neill, 61, will retain his roles with the IRB and the Rugby World Cup organising committee.
Join us for live updates as news breaks from the press conference.
>> Fox Sports is live streaming the event – Click here to watch.
The Crowd Says (56) | Page 1 of Comments
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3:00pm
John said | 3:00pm | Report comment
Get more Rugby on FTA tv, our kids dont have role models, you know monkey see monkey do. need to have all Super 15 away games live on FTA tv, ARU must do deal with FOX , I believe only 30% of Australian homes have Fox and of course these may be the upper middle classes, lets get out and sell the game to the other 70$ percent
3:58pm
Damo said | 3:58pm | Report comment
There is an opportunity here to set up a new structure in Australian rugby. An opportunity that cannot be wasted.
The cultural transition required may demand the leadership efforts of more than one person.
3:44pm
Tristan Rayner said | 3:44pm | Report comment
Spiro Zavos has now filed his thoughts: SPIRO: John O’Neill sort of does it his way
2:30pm
hog said | 2:30pm | Report comment
Whoever replaces Oneill must be given a clear mandate of what is required in oz rugby, with no excuses not to go down that path.
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Comment left via The Roar’s iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
1:41pm
Johnno said | 1:41pm | Report comment
Make aussy rugby more globally competitive now. New ARU head should do
-More imports for super rugby 5 per team
-3RD TIER
-Extend beyond private schools
-Expand rugby to wider audience beyond private schools
Promote womens rugby continue: ARU are doing which is good with womens sevens trials around OZ
-Get a free to air deal for super rugby 1 match per week live on Gem or on one
-Expand super rugby squads by 5 per squad to 35 full time contracts or even 40
- And realise we are in a code war fighting for market share and if we don’t change rugby will slip behined
2:07pm
Kuruki said | 2:07pm | Report comment
Are you going to donate the money to do that Johnno?
2:43pm
Johnno said | 2:43pm | Report comment
lol Kuruki. Well star imports will raise more money and tv ratings $$, 7evens popularity will help raise new money. SO squad sizes will be covered by star imports bringing in more tv ratings $$ kukruki. A great day for NZ i might add. You come across as a traidonsilist and probably don’t want the AB’S over commercialised with logos on the sacred jersey. You probably want to keep Southland in the ITM cup too, and don’t support the NZRU if they were to bring in more imports James Haskell style 5 per team kuruki.
1:32pm
Morgan said | 1:32pm | Report comment
This is now the most constructive day of the year in terms of moving Australian Rugby forward to a new era.
1:27pm
Valleys Diehard of Brunswick st said | 1:27pm | Report comment
Step in the right direction. The first in a series of decisions that will probably evolve to an eventual commission structure with the Super rugby teams included in the ARU banner. Whoever is JO’Ns successor must be provided with a mandate to construct a meaningful junior program. The challenge of creating a veritable pathway from secondary school to the Test arena must be the focus. Blooding the inexperienced and occasional players has been a disaster through the past 5 years. We have the talent, build the framework and in 5 years time reap the rewards. Tough, expansive, running rugby awaits.
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Comment left via The Roar’s iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
12:57pm
grew up during the golden era said | 12:57pm | Report comment
So many people state that he was a great negotiator, and no doubt he was in some aspect of the game, but can somebody explain to me what the thinking was behind selling the FTA TV rights to channel nine was??? This was not savvy negotiating; Rugby is now hardly ever on live tv and the world cup coverage was an absolute disgrace. People talk about the lack of grass roots development but never mention the poor tv coverage. You think talented kids growing up today are going to choose to play league where they see their heroes play every week, or rugby which is reserved to pay tv and late night time slots behind the karate kid?
selling rugby to pay tv is one thing, and perhaps the money justifies it, but selling the rights to international games to channel nine who will always give league, and apparently kids movies, priority is unforgivable and not mentioned enough.
2:42pm
Wayne Simpson said | 2:42pm | Report comment
Spot on; Nine’s coverage has been abysmal. Lets hope the new CEO fixes that real quick along with a free to air Super Rugby component included. There are 4 other free to air networks.
3:03pm
grew up during the golden era said | 3:03pm | Report comment
Yes, i would love to see at least one super rugby game on FTA per week; if australian rugby is ever going to expand its talent pool beyond private schools it needs much more exposure. How many games have been delayed due to league coverage receiving priority? How did the ARU not see this coming? Its like they have given up on competing. The majority of australians probably did not even know when the RWC was on, which is just unforgivable when it was in the same time zone. A huge marketing opportunity squandered.
8:52pm
Wayne Simpson said | 8:52pm | Report comment
Network Ten’s ONE HD channel would appear a good fit for the ARU, it is after all a “so called” sports channel and a bit more Australian content wouldn’t go astray. Besides 7 & 9 have the AFL & NRL, it looks like SBS has the future FTA rights for the A-League and advertising revenue would probably rule out the ABC.
10:39pm
grew up during the golden era said | 10:39pm | Report comment
Yeah ONE HD would be perfect as they would give it priority, and like you say, it needs some more australian content.
12:13pm
Sprigs said | 12:13pm | Report comment
Dear ARU,
We, the regulars who post on the Roar, are awaiting your communication to appoint us as joint CEO of the ARU.
We are surely the best choice.
We have have shown our dedication and selflessness by providing our expert advice on rugby issues without fear or favour or any promise of reward.
We promise never to publicly criticise the ARU, ourselves or our appointees and we will always claim the Wallabies to be World Number One.
Signing on behalf of all the Roar rugby regulars,
Sprigs.
(PS send the salary to my bank account and I will distribute it as I see fit.)
12:47pm
Scot Free said | 12:47pm | Report comment
Lol. They could do much worse, I reckon, Sprigs.
11:56am
Johnno said | 11:56am | Report comment
And why is rugby still in OZ still so dependant on the private school system the tiny private school system like no other rugby country in the world.
11:46am
Go_the_Wannbe's said | 11:46am | Report comment
Rat, meet sinking ship.
JO’Ns legacy to me:
1. A Tri-nations title while the other sides were focussing on the RWC.
Where’s the overall vision and why isn’t it explained to the public?
Where’s the grassroots development?
Where’s the 3rd tier?
Where are the structures and processes that will enable Wallaby rugby to grow in the future?
I hope the next CEO instigates a total revamp from top to bottom. TV rights are great and pay the bills but what about the long term vision? Without that, there won’t be anything to give TV rights for.
The ARU could do worse than copy the NZ model as much as possible……seems to work for them.
Dingo….you can pack your bags as well. You’ve had 5 years to instill belief and self confidence into a group of elite athletes and failed.
JON = 4/10.
Dingo = 3/10.
11:35am
Jiggles said | 11:35am | Report comment
Bye Bye Deans.
11:19am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:19am | Report comment
That wraps the very interesting and surprising news this morning from ARU HQ.
The Roar’s Spiro Zavos is at the press conference and will be writing his thoughts – keep an eye out later in the day.
11:25am
kingplaymaker said | 11:25am | Report comment
I can’t understand why Echo entertainment is such a fascinating enterprise that someone would abandon their life’s work for it.
In fact 61 is not the age to leave, not least when he is hardly retiring but carrying on millions of other things. Strange.
11:28am
Johnno said | 11:28am | Report comment
money KPM. I suspect but don’t know for sure money is behind his decision.
11:29am
Ryanno said | 11:29am | Report comment
Not ready to retire but looking for work life balance. I would suggest that Echo salary is more than the ARU and Echo might have actually been the ones to push for him to focus on Echo rather than the ARU wanting him to focus on rugby.
11:32am
kingplaymaker said | 11:32am | Report comment
Johnno and Ryanno the whole JON second stanza is very peculiar. Supposedly over the next years teams from Japan or the U.S. are under consideration, MAYBE a third tier in Australia, who knows maybe more Super teams within Australia, exactly the kinds of massive projects JON should be ideal for and which he should love, but yet at 61, a very young retirement age these days, he chooses to abandon his life’s work. Bizarre!
11:40am
Johnno said | 11:40am | Report comment
KPM i know it is bizarre but if he is being offered more money to work for echo then he has taken that role for the higher pay cheque. And it was becoming obvious i suspect to both groups Echo and the ARU that he had a conflict of interest and was maybe given an ultimatum KPM to choose one or the other. And I think he chose Echo as maybe it offered him more money, it’s as simple as that.
11:47am
kingplaymaker said | 11:47am | Report comment
You could be right Johnno. Let’s hope whoever replaces him isn’t as disastrous as whoever last replaced him!
11:17am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:17am | Report comment
O’Neill defending Australia’s recent performances in Super Rugby – noting “We do not run the Super Rugby teams.”
11:19am
Red Kev said | 11:19am | Report comment
Very interesting washing his hands of super rugby but taking credit for the rebels. The ARU needs to be more involved at super level, it is a real weakness in our rugby set up.
11:16am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:16am | Report comment
O’Neill says the peak for rugby as a code was 21% market share, dropped to 13.7% and back to 17% as of 2011.
11:15am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:15am | Report comment
TV ratings are mentioned – 2011 was the best performance for growth and TV viewers since 2003.
11:14am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:14am | Report comment
O’Neill is asked (by Nine’s Danny Weidler) if he is disappointed to be leaving when rugby isn’t at it’s peak – he responds that the game is at a better shape than where it was, five years ago. “Are we satisfied? No, not completely, but there are positives – Melbourne Rebels (private equity team), Argentina into the Rugby Championship. It’s by no stretch, a 10/10 (more like 6-7) but that’s for others to judge” (paraphrased)
11:13am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:13am | Report comment
That finishes the official part of the press conference, now for questions and answers…
11:12am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:12am | Report comment
“Incredible privilege and honour – people like David Gallop, Andrew Demetriou, James Sutherland, Ben Buckley and all the others they know … it’s a labour of love, requires 24/7 attention … 99% of the time it’s been fun”
11:11am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:11am | Report comment
O’Neil says: “The Wallabies are a wonderful team, and I’m sorry they’re not [ranked] number one”
11:14am
Elisha Pearce said | 11:14am | Report comment
The Wallabies ARE a wonderful team! Hopefully though, the focus at ARU level widens to include more than the Wallabies in the main agenda a little more.
11:10am
RugbyRene said | 11:10am | Report comment
Feed isn’t working for me.
11:10am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:10am | Report comment
Keep trying! Working here.
11:10am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:10am | Report comment
O’Neill mentions some key supporters, amongst others Matt Carroll – deputy across two sports, and Robbie Deans, current Wallabies coach.
2:17pm
Kuruki said | 2:17pm | Report comment
Please take note of all key supporters and make them all redundant immediately.
11:09am
Elisha Pearce said | 11:09am | Report comment
My few cents on the announcement is this:
A good forward thinking organisation originates from a board that is able to set clear goals for its growth. When that happens it enables the organisation to choose the right executives – including and especially CEO – to carry out that vision.
Not all CEOs are created equally. Some are great at trimming the fat, some brilliant at balancing the books (JON), some negotiate ferociously (JON too), some are brilliant at connecting with the network of the organisation to boost morale, some build new structures etc.
Australian rugby will be relying on a positive, forward thinking plan from the board and appointment of a CEO with the demonstrable skills required to carry that plan out.
1:07pm
stillmissit said | 1:07pm | Report comment
Elisha Pearce: NO relation to the great Gary are you? I wonder where we will get one of these you describe with the states having their 2 bob’s worth in the political pie process?
1:16pm
Elisha Pearce said | 1:16pm | Report comment
No Stillmissit, no relation here! (You mean the Welsh rugby player?)
The idea is that the board has to have some strong vision (that negates a bit of the state politiking). That way the choice of CEO becomes easier as the role isn’t just the executive of the sport, it is the specific plan that’s been mapped out. Where? I don’t know ‘world wide’ is a pretty serious search. I’d say there are some people with the right mix of experience, strength and ability to do it out there.
1:54pm
JohnB said | 1:54pm | Report comment
He was Pearse I think?
2:08pm
stillmissit said | 2:08pm | Report comment
Think you are right JohnB. Used to play against him we was excellent as a state player and went pretty well in Internationals as well.
It will be interesting Elisha the big hope is that Hawker will be controlling the process and he is no mug.
11:09am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:09am | Report comment
O’Neill confirms that he will retain his roles with the IRB and Rugby World Cup and will not be “lost to rugby”.
2:21pm
Kuruki said | 2:21pm | Report comment
Ahh so O’Neill is not jumping into the ocean from the burning vessel he has left, he is jumping across onto the luxury fleet headed by the All Blacks and the NZRU.
11:09am
Red Kev said | 11:09am | Report comment
I see Russell-Reynolds are conducting the CEO recruitment process…how do I get my name in front of them
1:16pm
Grahame said | 1:16pm | Report comment
Write your name on one of their toilet rolls!
1:22pm
Red Kev said | 1:22pm | Report comment
Is that an urban legend? Because now you’ve suggested it I think it’s a brilliant way to go about it, if you can pull it off – I reckon it would impress executive recruiters, thinking outside the box, guerilla marketing and all that jazz…
11:09am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:09am | Report comment
O’Neill is currently paying respects, pointing towards his age as well as his full-time role with Echo Entertainment (quote “my involvement not on my bucket list … at a challenging time” as reasons for his departure, with a “fork in the road” presenting itself.
“It made sense to reach a decision by mutual agreement that I’d bring forward my departure date.”
O’Neill’s professional life:
24 years in banking
18 years in sport
25 years in total as a Chief Executive
11:06am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:06am | Report comment
Current Deputy Chief Executive, Matt Carroll, will be installed as acting CEO from November 1 while a global search is conducted for a long-term replacement.
11:25am
BetterRedThanDead said | 11:25am | Report comment
Give Peter Cosgrove a shot – lifetime lover of rugby, former service rugby patron and cracking leader. He would bring back the passion required!
11:05am
Tristan Rayner said | 11:05am | Report comment
We’re underway: It’s confirmed – John O’Neill will retire.
O’Neill’s recent undertaking in the new role of Chairman of Echo Entertainment has substantially and unexpectedly changed his workload, meaning an early resignation.
ARU Chairman Michael Hawker says:
““John’s workload beyond Rugby has recently grown significantly, and unexpectedly, through his chairmanship of Echo Entertainment,” Mr Hawker said.
“John had previously indicated he was standing down when his contract ended next year, so the timing of his resignation is now logical for both him and the ARU.
“Under his leadership, a Governance review into the game has been initiated; planning for the 2013 Lions Tour is well underway; the Qantas Wallabies have improved from fifth in the world when John returned to the game in 2007 to now second behind the All Blacks; participation levels are at an all-time high; the ARU has strengthened its financial position; we have increased influence at the International Rugby Board; Rugby has been further expanded with a fifth team in Melbourne; and the new Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship has been launched with the inclusion of Argentina, refreshing the Southern Hemisphere Test competition.
“John has been a great servant of Rugby in Australia over two decades and has achieved the key objectives of a five-year strategic plan since re-joining the ARU in 2007.
“John’s resignation enables the Board to put in place new leadership to build on that platform and to drive our substantial agenda over the next five years, while enabling John to focus on his broader business interests.””
11:04am
Elisha Pearce said | 11:04am | Report comment
I wouldn’t be too unhappy if the announcement was extended to include details of an Australian Rugby Championship framework. Just spitballin here.
11:00am
Johnno said | 11:00am | Report comment
JON to me. A very good tv rights negotiator, one of the best in the business. But when it came to allowing more imports in super rugby, and spending more money on grassroots, and developing a 3rd tier he was below average. The game apparently has grown at grassroots level but it could be so much better. Time for some fresh ideas. Did JON resign as he did not want to cop humiliation for the Lions loss and cop the blame for keeping Deans. Who knows. But hopefully the next CEO will install some fresh idea eg more imports into super rugby, a 3rd tier, and more people plying in places like west sydney.
10:54am
Tristan Rayner said | 10:54am | Report comment
Goor morning, Roar Nation. We’ll have news as it comes to hand in our live blog.