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Fast five: Talking points from the latest raid on rugby's 'Castle'

Roar Rookie
14th April, 2020
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Roar Rookie
14th April, 2020
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It’s been a nauseating few weeks watching the Australian rugby fraternity try its absolute best to self-destruct over a range of complex matters.

With no footy to watch, we’ve all been forced to watch this shitshow unfold and the social media storms have been plentiful. It’s symptomatic of a divided game (tell us something we don’t know).

Here are five takeaways from yet another opinionated rugby tragic:

1. Raelene Castle has presided over the most difficult period in the game’s history. Jumping into a troubled code, Castle has had Israel Folau, Covid-19 and the broadcast negotiations, all highly complex matters.

The fact she’s still standing deserves some respect regardless of how you think she’s faring. Her rate of pay is basically the same as previous CEOs and likely the same bonus package. It’s not her fault the board is still shopping around for an administrator at that remuneration (mind-boggling).

2. The suggestion that Dave Rennie may walk away from the Wallabies job makes perfect sense. Castle courted Rennie, explaining the working conditions of the position and the strategic plan of the organisation, which would have included the nurturing of the next generation of talent to the World Cup.

These are players Castle has made a priority of locking down. You can forgive Rennie for having some anxiety if this clarity is lost and the likely successor to Castle has widely expressed a disdain for a foreign coach (particularly a New Zealander).

3. The anti-Kiwi sentiment has to stop. A coach is a coach, a CEO is an administrator. It is up to the board to maintain the values and principles of an organisation. Did anyone care that Guus Hiddink, a Dutchman, coached the Socceroos in 2006? No we did not.

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Did the Cherry Blossoms lament appointing Jamie Joseph and Tony Brown? Foreign coaches are the norm in global sport regardless of how sacred and pure you think your national jersey is.

4. Tim Horan’s suggestion to change laws to make the games more watchable is not really the answer. NRC standards of rugby were exceptional, open and attacking. The issue was the lack of tribalism and disconnect with the rugby public.

The Super Rugby played this year was terrific, there is no issue with the footy. More so, Australia’s two losses at the World Cup came against more disciplined, more accurate northern hemisphere teams. I’m all for running rugby, but not having the full armoury of skills come World Cup time will see us come up short again.

Marika Koroibete

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

5. There are incredibly important conversations to be had in the top tiers of Australian rugby over the coming months. We need some experience and some seriously progressive minds at the table as we plot a way forward for the game we all love. I hope we ensure the brightest business minds, administrators, coaches, players, states and the grassroots are all equally well-represented.

As ‘rugbah league’ struggles to maintain the status-quo in propping up debt-riddled clubs, financial administration might be the blank canvas rugby needs to turn the tide of the last 20 years.

On a final note, God I miss the rugby.

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