They say never make a decision when you’re angry, so assuming almost a week is enough time to cool off, can I ask Michael Lynagh to consider this: would you take the reins as the ARU’s next chief executive?
Lynagh’s post-Bledisloe spray not only encapsulated the fury and exasperation a lot of Wallabies fans would’ve been feeling. It also made me think that Bill Pulver’s replacement was sitting in a TV studio in London.
“I can’t overestimate how angry I am at seeing an Australian team who have skills that are non-existent,” said Australia’s 1991 World Cup-winning five-eighth in commentary for Britain’s Sky Sports following the Wallabies’ 54-34 stinker in Sydney.
“Passing and catching and making tackles and trusting the bloke beside you are pretty basic, even at schoolboy level.”
Two weeks ago, just after announcing that the Western Force had been axed from Super Rugby, Pulver added that he would step down as boss of Australian rugby as soon as a replacement could be found.
Don’t call off the search, but ARU HQ should at least be aware that an excellent candidate has been located. In London.
If something good can come from the Sydney slaughter, it’s that Lynagh’s tongue-lashing will hopefully put him in the frame as a genuine contender for Pulver’s job.
And why not?
Michael Lynagh (Photo by Ben Hoskins/Getty Images)
Some seem willing to blame Pulver for the destruction of Aleppo, which betrays the fact that Australian teams – despite anger over the handling of the Super Rugby expansion and rejigged format – have been woefully underwhelming. Nonetheless, there’s no escaping from the fact the Pulver years have been difficult and his successor will be expected to kick some arse.
Lynagh is 53. He’s got 20-odd years of corporate experience in London.
After he finished his playing career in the English Premiership with Saracens, club owner and chairman Nigel Wray helped Lynagh out with a job and he’s stayed in England ever since. He’s worked in commercial real estate, high-end investment firms and is currently managing director of Europe, Middle East and Africa for media company Dow Jones.
He’s got three sons with his Italian wife. His oldest, Louis, recently won selection in England’s under-16s team. He’s firmly entrenched in England.
But he’s Strayan, awroit! His outburst on Sky proved his 20-year stay in London hasn’t frozen off any love for Australian rugby.
The biggest challenges for the next CEO will be to heal the wounds of the recent cull, bring the states and territories together, solidify the NRC and lead the way when it comes to preparing which direction Australia should go in the post-2020 Super Rugby world.
In 2002, Lynagh worked for the IRB assisting with rugby’s pitch for reintroduction to the Olympics. His experience in the sports business world isn’t extensive.
But most importantly, Lynagh would be respected. Respected by the professional players, the administrators he would be dealing with and the fans he would be preaching to.
He might lack the coalface sports management CV, but he would be a revered figurehead, he’s long-enough retired and been sufficiently removed from the politics of Australian rugby. Negotiating multi-million dollar television and new media deals might not be his thing, but these big sports bodies tend to rely heavily on top-end corporate consultants anyway.
Give him the job – It’s one way of getting his three sons back in Australia and available for the Wallabies!
Perhaps he can share the role with Nick Farr-Jones?
levelheaded
Guest
Blimey, you would need a full bar fridge for NFJ - he's not a bright lad.....
republican
Guest
Dear me, this is so sad. As if a change of CEO will make an iota of difference to Union in this county. The game is exactly where it should be in the context of its status, GR and profile, while all this scape goating and grasping at straws is what in fact should be addressed because it is this denial that is impacting so negatively on the culture of Union in Australia...........
Bakkies
Guest
Absolutely Jeff. The so called mass transit systems in Aus cities are artrocious. In London you have the Underground, DLR, Overground, National Rail. First Capital Connect and now Cross Rail. Melbourne doesn't even have a rail link from its outdated airport in to the city
Offside
Guest
A brilliant piece. Sadly, the ARU's record of making good decisions is about the only thing worse than the Wallabies Bledisloe cup results this century. Nick Farr Jones would also be ideal. I think the rugby clubs and schools around Australia should collectively demand they be employed, whatever it takes.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
And with all this talk about the state of Oz rugby we haven't had a chance to blame the ref for anything in tonight's game .. gotta be something there..
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
And chieka performing in the coaches box... ... one of the highlights these days..
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Yep No 3 was definitely the best... :)
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Pulver was there before clyne so probably had input in to bringing him on board.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Keep up the good fight Dan in Devon, the kids are the future..
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
I wonder if eales will have a question and answer session or just hide behind.. its in court so cannot comment... I'm picking the latter...
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Just scarfies sticking together...
Jock Cornet
Guest
Watching tonight as I will enjoy the comedy. Better than three stooges with Genia, Beale and Hannigan.
Bakkies
Guest
Plenty of reasons to resent the Shut Shield - Their treatment of Canberra and Newcastle - Súcking off the ARU after O'Neill tried to professional the comp leaving clubs broke - Presenting themselves as the 'grassroots' - The attitudes of Papworth and Roger Davis who want to send Australian Rugby back to the 80s - Refusal to release players that were contracted elsewhere (eg Hegarty and Coleman) - Crying to the ARU so they can fork out for their tv coverage - The treatment of Parramatta, Penrith and West Harbour - Trying to get a seat at the ARU table - Club presidents trying to sabotage the ARC and NRC
Jeffrey
Guest
Getting around London is still a lot easier than getting around Sydney (or Melbourne). The Tube is infinitely better than the train network in Sydney. It's much more regular and extensive. The highways in Sydney are terribly clogged up, and most Sydneysiders spend well over an hour each way to get to work. For a city of only 4.5 million, I can't believe how bad the traffic is in Sydney, and it's due to its very poor infrastructure. And based on my recent visit to Melbourne, it looks like Melbourne traffic will soon give Sydney a run for its money. Have a go at issues such as the climate, the over population and the small houses by all means, but don't give me this talk about how difficult it is to get around the place. It really isn't.
BeastieBoy
Guest
He may be OK, but we have enough figureheads in the ARU without any business sense now, so why go down the same old mates way of thinking. We need talent like Twiggy Forrest and people like that.
Bakkies
Guest
That is expected of Smit having been named CEO barely a year after retirement. Players just retired shouldn't be hired in the position at their former team where they are responsible for the hiring and firing of players and coaches
Bakkies
Guest
Macqueen is nearly 70 he shouldn't be chased. Blokes that age don't need wasting their good years left dealing with ARU bullshít
Bakkies
Guest
On Nick Xenophon he said that he was told by the Home Office that he Citizenship of U.K. and the Colonies was useless. That's only so if he doesn't have right to abode which allows him to live and work in the UK without restrictions
Bakkies
Guest
Yup according to British nationality law any Australian that is born before January 1st 1983 is a British subject. Australian law might have changed that to rule out Aus citizens as British subjects, UK law didn't. Further to add according to the British nationality act any Commonwealth citizens (had a different title of Citizen of the UK and Colonies) that had a role under Crown Service (which includes the Australian armed services given the official title of the Navy for example) are a U.K. Citizen. To be a citizen by descent your father has to be in the Crown Service at your time of birth. https://www.gov.uk/check-british-citizen
Bakkies
Guest
That's rubbish Wolman. On Eales from what I have heard about him recently is that he actually contributes little at ARU board meetings