Former Wallabies coach Alan Jones wants outgoing Commonwealth Bank chief executive Ian Narev to fill the shoes of departing Australian Rugby Union boss Bill Pulver.
Jones took a swipe at the ARU panel in April and another on Friday, leaving no senior head out of his firing line.
“Cameron Clyne, John Eales, Brett Robinson. Elizabeth Broderick; you know nothing about rugby, get off the board. Ann Sherry, nothing, get off the board,” Jones told Fairfax Media.
Pulver announced last Friday he would step down once a replacement was found, on the same day the ARU revealed they were whittling Perth-based Western Force out of the Australian Super Rugby franchise.
The names of former Waratahs boss Greg Harris and outgoing Canterbury Bulldogs chief executive Raelene Castle, who will leave the NRL club in December, have been raised as potential replacements.
But Jones, who coached the Wallabies to Grand Slam and Bledisloe Cup victories in the 1980s, isn’t having a bar of it.
“You can’t be serious about handing the game over to people like this, it’s nonsense,” Jones said.
“The whole board has got to change.”
He said Australian rugby needs people with demonstrated knowledge, passion and success at its helm.
“Narev would be an outstanding CEO,” he said of the CBA boss and Kiwi.
“He’s a passionate rugby fan. Secondly, he’s managed a stack of people.
“Narev knows that there have been some cultural problems in the Commonwealth Bank and they are significant cultural problems but he inherited a stack of them.
“I think he’s a very decent man but he knows the difference between black and red figures.”
Toilettrystsarefun
Guest
Narev? Another kiwi who should be deported as a criminal back home to unzud.
Glen
Guest
Alan Jones is a joke and nothing more than your average shock jock these days. The man with a thousand opinions. While he may have some points on some things, it is not worth listening to all his rubbish to find the one or two gems.
Stu B
Guest
More than enough shonk and underhand dealing in the last few years without employing a real expert.
Jimbo
Guest
The Chippendale Kid wouldn't know anything about business promotion or marketing. We need somebody with strong marketing and analysis skills. Look at what the Australian sporting market is and how sports succeed. Not with international "super football" competitions but with strong NATIONAL CLUB competitions. Get out of Super Rugby and develop an 10 team national club competition - two teams in Queensland, four teams in NSW plus a team from Canberra, Melbourne and Perth. Give them local names - not the NSW Waratahs or the Queensland Reds. North Harbour Rays, South Harbour Sharks, West Harbour Crushers, Western Sydney Blue Tongues, Canberra Brumbies, Melbourne Rebels and Perth Spirit. Teams non-Rugby fanatics can associate with and support.
Charlie Turner
Guest
I can just imagine Narev stroking his rugby ball while saying "my precious" over and over again. Jones must have his meds mixed up again.
Joe B
Guest
Andrew Demetriou would be worth considering if available, and only if he is interested.
garryowen
Guest
For Gods Sake not Clyne or another one like him.- now that some of the truth is coming out and after his behavior to Twiggy Forrest which can be read in today's [19th August 2017]Weekend Australian Australia needs a genuine honest person in caring and spreading Rugby Union throughout the country not just in Melbourne.
Sam
Guest
He probably is but I can't help but think he'd be good for the role. He helped out the Rebels bid in 2010 and was interim CEO after Harold Mitchell sacked Brian Waldron. I think we need some external to the organisation generally and perhaps someone from beyond the sport completely.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
He'd be retired by now wouldn't he ?
Worlds Biggest
Guest
If it gets him off the Fox commentary then yes please ! Honestly don't think Kearney would be a good choice. Another Mosman set like JON and Pulver. Whomever takes over absolutely must have a blue print plan for grass roots and I don't mean Rawson Oval on a Saturday morning.
Ian
Guest
Unfortunately has zero rugby nouse, though.....
Train Without A Station
Guest
But he was also a proven failure as CEO of the Rebels. Their biggest losses were under him.
Train Without A Station
Guest
Yes an ex Waratah with strong links to a Shute Shield club. And no real sports administration experience. Seems like the perfect way forward... For a guy that bemoans the cutting of the Force and criticises the ARU for being too Sydney-centric this is a ludicrous suggestion.
Train Without A Station
Guest
Interesting that Pulver hasn't followed your criteria. He took money away from the Sydney Clubs and started to NRC much to the displeasure of Sydney Clubs, for the good of all. He wasn't involved in rugby at all so not really an active member. Almost certain he doesn't choose rep teams so probably something to take up with the coaches, not the admin. As a note, do you know anybody that coaches at that level? I do know somebody who does in Vic, and it's interesting to hear the criticism he cops, such as bias against players, but he actually wanted to pick said players, they just didn't turn up to something they were supposed to, or didn't do enough on the day to get picked over others.
Train Without A Station
Guest
Sensible comments. I'm sceptical of what CEO we can find. People think Pulver is out of his depth? His 2IC is on similar money running the Adelaide Crows, a much smaller organisation. Why take the heartache?
Train Without A Station
Guest
Really? A guy that oversaw money laundering and unethical insurance practices can't be worse than a guy that has made a very unpopular and questionable decision for financial reasons in a financially struggling organisation? This whole saga has turned previously balanced people into almost caricatures who try and sell that ARU are the worst people on the earth because of this. Evidence suggests he could be much worse than Clyne. But most important, he won't be anything to Clyne as Clyne is Chairman and this is the CEO position.
kkovak
Guest
having 3 political correct appointees on the board the question has to be asked what have they done for Rugby ? other than satisfying the gender requirements of the loonies . people need to be appointed on merit not to fill quotas .
Sam
Guest
Ross Oakley. He is significant sports administration experience in a different sport. Proven track record, took the then AFL as a cottage industry and made it the big business it is today. Someone who'll allow the game a fresh start.
Rhys Bosley
Guest
I want Phil Kearns to run the ARU, he is a very smart man, passionate about Australian rugby and "gets it" that the game is supposed to be fun.
Cole
Guest
Narev would definitely get us back in the black and it may intimidate our opponents if the WBs are appearing to be doing business with organised crime and terrorist agencies like the the CBA.