The Australian Rugby Union have announced former Brumbies CEO Andrew Fagan will take over as General Manager of National Teams and Competitions.
Fagan left the Brumbies in late 2013, after 12 years in charge of the ACT-based club.
When announcing his departure last year, Fagan said that he was “presented with a number of opportunities” that he had been unable to explore with his tenure at the Brumbies.
The move had been rumoured earlier this week, with ABC radio in Canberra reporting that Fagan was set to join the ARU.
The newly created role would see Fagan overseeing the national teams including the Wallabies, Wallaroos, men’s and women’s sevens and under-20s teams, with a heavy emphasis on returning the Wallabies to the top of the rugby tree.
ANNOUNCEMENT: ARU have announced that former @BrumbiesRugby CEO Andrew Fagan has been appointed General Manager -National Teams & Competitions
— Qantas Wallabies (@QantasWallabies) March 5, 2014
ARU CEO Bill Pulver hailed the announcement as an opportunity to grow the profile of the game nationally, including the expansion of sevens rugby.
“Andrew Fagan has extensive experience in sports administration, including 12 years leading the Brumbies and will bring a strong commercial focus to ensure our national teams, sevens programs and national competitions are successful,” said Mr Pulver.
“He will be responsible for identifying additional commercial opportunities for the terrific assets we have in Australian Rugby including the Qantas Wallabies and sevens.
“He will also be accountable for further expanding sevens domestically and developing the new National Rugby Championship as a competitive and profitable development competition for Australian Rugby.
“This appointment recognises that we need to throw more effort behind our sevens program to ensure we can maximise on opportunities through the inclusion of Rugby sevens at this year’s Commonwealth Games for men and at the 2016 Olympic Games for men and women.”
Fagan said the prospect of growing sevens rugby as well as the new National Rugby Championship were two focuses:
“I’m really excited at the prospect of helping sevens become a truly iconic Summer sport and to work with Australian Rugby’s commercial and non-commercial partners including Government agencies to maximise the opportunities for rugby and enhance the success of our national teams, including the highly-regarded Wallabies brand,” said Mr Fagan.
“The National Rugby Championship is an important way of creating a better pathway for players to move from club competitions to Super Rugby and I’m looking forward to ensuring this new competition flourishes through commercial opportunities.”
The role will assume some of the functions performed by former ARU high-performance manager David Nucifora.
The Brumbies are yet to replace Fagan.
Andrew Fagan:
– 2002-2013: Held the positions of General Manager from 2002-2005, and Chief Executive from 2005-December 2013 at Brumbies Rugby/ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union.– 1993-2002: Held a number of roles at the Australian Sports Commission, including policy development; working to develop national sports programs in Asia-Pacific; and working with national sporting organisations to improve productivity.
Bakkies
Guest
The Brumbies played in and won the world club 7s event in London last year. The Tahs are participating in a similar event in Limerick in August.
Stray Gator
Roar Rookie
Is your cousin pretty? available? a rugby lover? all of the previous? If the answer is yes to one or more of these questions, yes, I'd like your cousin's number. Please.
Johnno
Guest
That was about reforming the ARU governance stuff, I think. About hoe the voting system at board level works. More inclusive ,wasn't so much about management but more about the board. But that cost a lot, it could end up like the Argus review in cricket, a waste of money.
Magic Sponge
Guest
What happens if it is a total disaster , is anyone accountable. What ever happened to the Peter Cosgrove and Mark Arbib million report. Did the ARU get anything out of that.
Kiwi Rugby/Rugby League Fan
Guest
So let me guess this right. The ARU hav cut player payments an grass roots support to create a new management type job somone else employed allready could do ?
Brett McKay
Expert
Oh my goodness, you think he's been appointed as the Wallabies team manager, don't you...
rugbyfuture
Roar Guru
The High performance unit already exists at the ARU. Lead I think by Ben whitaker whos been handling alot of the NRC stuff so far and can probably slow down with being the public face. I suspect Andrew Fagans role will verge on that of the CEO's of the other comps in Australia such as previously andrew demetriou and David Gallop when he was at the NRL. The biggest difference of course is that Rugby in Australia isn't the controlling body of the sport and so has many different levels. This probably means Pulver can focus in on the higher performing grades like super rugby and the wallabies and even community rugby whilst hopefully avoiding alot of the responsiblities which will come from a competition that is allowed to experiment WITHIN the structures of the IRB and ARU.
Rugby fan
Guest
Crowds for the brumbies matches have really fallen off a cliff under Fagan. Not sure he has the runs on the board to be honest.
Johnno
Guest
I'm being civil and boring for once Brett, but i have my doubts about the relevancy of the role. I just can't see why this job is needed, as most teams will have a manager, and Bill Pulver as ceo, do they need a futher extension of this role. I could be proven wrong, time i'll tell. If I was ARU ceo, and the limited funds I had, would'a spent it on an HP manager, I reckon anyway that's an important role, but the ARU scrapped that role, after Nucifora left.
Brett McKay
Expert
So you're wishing him luck, suggesting it's a big role, yet you're not sure if it's relevant? You're circumnavigating yourself with your logic, Johnno..
Johnno
Guest
No
jameswm
Guest
Are you the same Johno who went to CB?
Johnno
Guest
Well im gonna do that and see if his role is relevant. But i still reckon the ARU need a HP manager, but they don't for now seem to have the funds. Good luck AF, a big role.
Brett McKay
Expert
Johnno, who's about you let him start the job and find out what his role is, rather than convince yourself it's something that you've just invented to suit to suit your preconceptions?
Johnno
Guest
I still a think a High performance guy is needed. Pat Howard at CA, ironically he's be perfect in rugby, a former wallaby. As long as the HP manager, wants that job and not the wallaby job it works fine. The problem with the job for AF is, it seems half managment of the ARU almost, half HP manager, there doesn't seem to be a deifniing role. Is he the drinks waiter too, who organises the Hotels, or does the ARU have it's own logistics manager, or is he the bussiness manager, who basically has to be a telemarketer and cold call clients or potential clients. His job role, seems vague, rather than broad and wide ranging. Todd Greenburg in the NRL, basically is the go to guy, who handles, the media scrutiny, and acts as a road blocl for Dave Smith, and liases with clubs, and goes back to Dave Smith. Is AF doing that for Bill Pulver, being his bodyguard. Starring Kevin Costner, or singing a bit of Paul Simon 80's I can be your bodyguard. whitney houston would be a bit to camp, Bill Pulver likes easy listening,so well do some Paul Simon. But that's what he seems to be, Pulver's bodyguard or Pulver's roadblock.
Johnno
Guest
lol I did well spotted Brett.
Brett McKay
Expert
You forgot generalisations and stereotypes, Johnno. They love them, too...
Rugger
Guest
ARU negligence of sevens Rugby as promotional and development tool is hard to understand. Even England RU has jumped into sevens frenzy and organised 7s game during 6 Nations. Why have Brumbies not done something under Fagan's watch? I reckon ARU should have gone left field in appointing someone from outside Rugby like Reds have done with its CEO. Super teams need to be more involved in 7s rugby as an important KPI given its the mostly likely source of growth for Rugby.
Johnno
Guest
tc plenty of people do, you always disagree with me, and I have always disagrede with you. We don't get on tc. You tc seem to think the ARU are doing a good job, and people like me should give them a break. Do you work for the ARU tc, seems like it your always so pro ARU. Why?
tc
Guest
Johnno Have you noticed no one really answers you, have you ever thought why. My cousins a psychologist do you want her number.