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Opinion
In Tuesday’s Sydney Morning Herald, former Rugby Australia CEO John O’Neill contributed to an article by Tom Decent providing advice for the national body on how to get things back on track. As a long-time rugby person, I find John’s claims a bit rich.
It is also offensive for him to have said his administration can take credit for a World Cup victory and final during his tenure of 1995-2004 and 2007-12.
The players and coaches involved in these campaigns came from the amateur days and were the products of the Australian Institute of Sport program run by David Clark. This program was world leading and copied by most overseas countries.
What John O’Neill can take credit for is dismantling the very program that fostered that World Cup victory and final. As such he can take credit for Australia’s steady descent in world rankings and the diminishing numbers of serious rugby players.
To see him calling for an independent inquiry is also baffling as he was the architect behind union heavyweight Mark Abid writing the constitution for Rugby Australia, which ensures the board remains a closed shop with no responsibility to the rugby public.
I would be interested in hearing how an independent body could be appointed and what authority they would have, especially when Rugby Australia’s dictatorial regime refuses to take note of anyone or anything that actually has skin in game.
I fully agree with John and his call for a “root and branch” review into the dislocation of professional rugby from rugby at the grassroots level. This is something club rugby proponents like Brett Papworth and many others have been pushing for a long time.
Rugby Australia needs to start focusing on the development of players, coaches, administrators and referees to create a road map for the clubs to recruit, develop the skills and to keep the funds they raise, thus protecting the club, helping them to grow and allowing for player numbers to increase.
Cricket Australia have implemented a wide-ranging program utilising clubs Australia wide, with development officers and access to an interactive website that provides a raft of resources and regular communication. By utilising the clubs, Cricket Australia has access to thousands of keen volunteers who work tirelessly to aid and grow the skills of junior cricketers across the country.
Rugby Australia has a top-down approach to the game, preferring to poach rugby league players, players from the Pacific Islands and coaches from overseas instead of up-skilling and assisting the hundreds of clubs around Australia working to bring through the next generation of players.
Any review needs to be comprehensive and without interference from anyone connected to the current CEO, chairman or board members. All appointments need to be put on hold and there should be an overhaul of who is in the decision-making process in our sport.
There are blueprints available to get the game on a stable and sustainable footing once more. It needs an open book with strong, experienced rugby people put in a position from which they can rebuild the rugby administration from the grassroots up, not the top down.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.