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.
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.
(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.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Hear Hear! The real issue is what has Castle done to fix the issues that she apparently inherited? A $9.4m loss in 2019 seems to indicate not much change has occurred!
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
What do you call a zoo with no dogs? - A shitzu...
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
There's a thing called happening at the moment called a Pandemic, suggest you google it ...
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Yep, comments on her appearance is just an indication of primary school level intelligence..
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
It’s the vibe JC. You know.
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@Ken Yes I'm with you in hoping it all turns out great :thumbup:
A.J. Woodgate
Roar Rookie
This whole Castle saga has become far too polarised. It is not a simple matter of shes either succeeded or failed in her role. Could she have done better to this point, I think undoubtedly, could she have done worse, absolutely. As many have pointed out context is important, and Castle inherited a pretty tough job. However, accepting a tough job and collecting the large remuneration package to go with it, should not afford her greater concessions on measures of success or accepting lower standards. The notion that Rugby is still suffering from the prior mismanagement, does not excuse further mismanagement. It is completely unreasonable to expect any leader in any business and industry (except maybe epidemiology) to have forseen the impact of Covid-19. The dire situation facing rugby right now is the culmination of a global disaster no one would have reasonably prepared for, years of poor financial management. It is unlikely Castle could have righted the ship financially to prepare Aus rugby for this even if she knew it was coming when she took the job. And she is handling the situation right now as well as anyone could, although that is not hard, given there is virutally no action that can be taken to resolve this as of yet. Hopefully she and her team are developing plans to help get rugby back on track not just in the short term, but for the future. Maybe she could take a bigger paycut, I feel like $100k will still tide her over. The suggestion that her handling of the Israel Folau situation was anything but terrible is entirely incorrect. Weather you agree with the moral or ethical issues at play is irrelevant. Her snap reaction, to appease a small but loud segment of the community cost RA huge sums of money. Acting without undertaking proper due diligence exposed RA and eventually cost them millions of dollars. Similarly the mishandling of the Stephen Larkham contract is another example of poor attention to detail that cost RA money it couldn't afford. Her relationship with head coach Michael Chieka was a disaster. There is no doubt he caused a significant amount of that stress and tension, however as the CEO it is her reponsibity to make these relationships work. It may not have been possible but she didnt seem to get close at all. Whilst I think Rennie is a good choice, from what information was leaked it seems clear that the decision to hire him was made months before it was announced without any indication of a formal or extensive search. The process is troubling here. That also touches on the anti-kiwi bias. To me I dont mind having Kiwis in charge but it is not comparable to Guus Hiddink coaching the soccerroos, or americans involved in basketball australia or Eddie Jones in Japan. In all of those examples the nations are mid tier at best and it is obvious that overseas expertise might be more valuable than that grown at home. Australia is a tier one rugby nation, and whilst I do agree with tapping into elements that make New Zealand such a power house it is reasonable to assume Australia should be able to produce talent on its own (which it has if you look at Eddie Jones work in the test arena recently). Add to this the fact that New Zealand are our deepest rivaly and the bias makes sense, I do not agree with it and it might be silly to let the bias get in the way of decision making but it is not propsterous,
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
Well that answer indicates you don't have any answers to the question and attack the questioner instead. I’m with TWAS, where has Castle got it wrong and what has she done or not done that wasn’t already in place before she took over?
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
A few things disturb me about the whole Raelene Castle saga.. As a Saffer who only got to know who she is through the Israel Folau saga which was also pretty big news in South Africa given the strong Christian even evangelistic influence on rugby here so all was widely reported....... Those disturbing threads that appeared both in Aus and here were absurdly hateful towards her ans seemed not to be based on strong facts or evidence.. From questioning her ethnicity despite the fact that she is Australian, to blaming her for financial and structural problems which existed prior to her appointment.. To hammering her on her salary (too much), despite the fact that clearly the board would have determined it, to.. And this gets me the most.... Criticizing her appearance and using that as a reason for her to be dismissed.. Have anybody ever seen a male CEO being called out cause he doesn't look like Brad Pitt.. I admit Aus Rugby has problems and as CEO if not dealt with she must take responsibility.. But surely the ugly and inaccurate stuff is unnecessary.
derano
Roar Rookie
Yep, and when Australian rugby was in financial trouble in the 80s NZ helped them out. O'Neill kicked NZ off the RWC '03 joint hosting rights and burned that bridge.
Doris Sadlier-Horomia
Guest
7 tests for the Walloroos to be played in 2020.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
I agree with your first paragraphs Waxhead. But regarding Rennie, I am hoping that we may have enough critical mass in the maturity department to see class and competence irrespective of nationality and support it. Of course we have a stubborn rump on us, and I may have underestimated it.
Habu
Roar Rookie
That’s a great idea. Could start a petition at changes.org or something like that. :thumbup:
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I think fantastic is over-egging it. She has done what she should have, but has had very little capacity to really achieve much given the many limitations of Aus Rugby. Fantastic would be seeing sustained improvement over a period of a few years, which begins to work its way into the senior game.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Maybe. But that is a reality that any CEO needs to deal with in Aus Rugby. I do know he wanted to be an executive chairman which would essentially make him CEO and Chair of the board that the CEO reports to.
Iain
Guest
I could be wrong but didn't O'Neil leave because he couldn't actually implement his plans for Union due mainly to the self-interested infighting of Union's 'elite' [I'm thinking management here, not players]?
Jacko
Guest
DR I think she has had a lot of great achievements since becoming CEO and as they are already listed here i clearly dont need to point them out to you again. And I am here just as much as those who are anti Castle. All the pre Castle decisions which she could not change are now past so give her a chance.....Certainly her achievements re youth are fantastic so maybe she can transfer some of that thru to senior level
Jacko
Guest
Gloria she has definately had some very good successfully implemented policies since becoming CEO. A high portion of the things she gets rubbished over were not of her making.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
And another person when asked to articulate why, won't respond. "You know, it's the vibe"
LED
Guest
Suggestion. Has any socially networking savvy rugby fan thought of doing an online petition in support of Raelene Castle? Perfect way to upset the message being controlled by the usual plotters and Fox interests etc. I'd support it and send it around to friends. Unfortunately I have zero social network presence so its not gonna go far.