The campaign against Raelene Castle and the current Rugby Australia administration has intensified, with a group of 11 former Wallabies captains signing a letter calling for those at the top of the governing body to “stand aside”.
The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting the group is led by World Cup-winning skipper Nick Farr-Jones, who has been one of Castle’s most strident critics in recent weeks.
Phil Kearns – who lost out to Castle when she was appointed CEO and has been touted as an alternative by Farr-Jones – has also signed the letter, as have George Gregan, George Smith, Stirling Mortlock, Michael Lynagh, Simon Poidevin, Stephen Moore, Jason Little, Rod McCall and Nathan Sharpe.
However, Australia’s only other World Cup-winning captain, John Eales, has not signed the letter, nor have the highly regarded Tim Horan and Andrew Slack.
According to the Herald, the letter contains the following:
“As Wallaby captains we feel privileged to have represented our country and led our respective teams into battle, facing difficult situations together.
“We lost some but we won many. Win or lose, every time we pulled on the gold jersey we were driven by the desire to earn the respect of Australian supporters across the country and around the world. We wanted them to be proud of Australian rugby and what Australian rugby stood for.
“In recent times, the Australian game has lost its way. It is a defeat inflicted not by COVID-19, or an on-field foe, but rather by poor administration and leadership over a number of years.
“Our rural clubs, junior clubs, sub-districts and community clubs have been let down and we firmly believe transformation is needed across the game in this country. There’s no time to waste.
“We speak as one voice when we say Australian rugby needs new vision, leadership and a plan for the future. That plan must involve, as a priority, urgent steps to create a much-needed, sustainable, commercial rugby business.
“No doubt there are now good people with good ideas and we must include them in the renewal. There has also been considerable work done in the background to quickly establish a list of urgent initiatives and action items.
“A number of highly experienced rugby and business leaders are standing by to mentor and lead. Our schools and clubs are populated with an army of amazing mums and dads and volunteers, and players of all shapes and sizes, who must have a game run for them.
“Our youth deserve to be inspired. They need to see a pathway and to feel a connection with the Wallaby jersey.
“It is with this in mind we ask the current administration to heed our call and stand aside to allow the game to be transformed so we emerge from this pandemic with a renewed sense of unity and purpose.
“There is only one question that needs to be answered at club level, at state level and at national level: Is this decision in the best interests of Australian rugby?
“Only when we can answer that question openly, honestly and transparently at all levels can we restore Australian rugby to greatness.”
The Australian reports the letter also calls for “the release of the numerous reviews into Australian rugby and the establishment of a cabinet to implement the best recommendations from those reviews.”
New Rugby AU chairman Paul McLean, who received the letter this afternoon, has offered to arrange a meeting between the board and the former captains “as soon as is reasonably practicable”, after the former captains demanded a special general meeting by April 30 to table the 2019 accounts and other business.
“These are respected former Wallabies captains and the board would value their input as we work through the challenges that rugby has faced over the last few years and that have been amplified by the coronavirus pandemic,” McLean said.
“The board is also prepared to work with the group to provide them access to the information requested in the letter.
“The board had commenced the process of establishing a review group to investigate a whole of rugby review… The board would welcome the input of the signatories of the letter into the review process. It is intended that input for the review would be sought from a wide range of stakeholders including current and former players.
“Now is the time for us to come together in the interests of the entire rugby community.”
piru
Roar Rookie
All fair enough, but hard to see why this is all Castle's fault. The entire board needs to step down, scapegoating the chair (again) while keeping the rotten foundation will put them back in the same position in 18 months time.
John
Good points you make, but I get the feeling the O'Neill reign was systematic of a wider cultural embracing( probably world wide, not just limited to Australia) of the corporate ethos ( read overpaid CEOs and board members and fallible, poor decision makers at that). It is only when it hits the fan, does suddenly all of these really terrible adminstrative decisions suddenly becone so glaringly illuminated. Not just recent decisions but those you have so eloquently listed tracing all the way back to 2003.
John
This may be unique to Australian rugby, nevertheless action had to be taken,RC's position was simply untenable ( as has been proven). Let's now hope those who fill the void present an astute, positive formula for future success.
Josh
Roar Rookie
i am not a castle fan or a greenberg fan. on this article i have defended the 11 captains right to send a letter and cant see anything wrong with that. i could not understand the attacks on these 11 captains of their country, by supposed wallaby fans. that said, i cant understand why she or greenberg have had to resign early. why cant each of these administrators given their full term to either prove us right or wrong. these are very difficult roles. good luck to the next person, and hopefully whether we like them or not, they are given their full term to do the job that they accepted.
Matt
Guest
Have you heard her accinct ? Castle aint no Aussie.
Bingo
Roar Rookie
I loved Smith, Little, Poidevin, Farr-Jones and Kearns as players. I liked Mortlock and Gregan. I never rated Moore and/or Sharp (after he deserted QLD and went to the Force) or that other bloke who played 12 for the Brumbies and commentates like his sh#t doesn't stink. This letter is prominent for who didn't sign it. Let me have Eales, Shaw, Horan, Ella, Slack and Loane in my team any day of the week for not only what they did on the field, but for what they have done off it as well. I see the fighting and passion being shown as great for rugby that there is significant care factor for the state of the game. But a letter? A letter that is in the public domain. That another legend (Lynagh) has now distanced himself from? Says it all. Please get together on this, but do it behind closed doors for the sake of the Wallabies and the future of the talented youth coming through in the next 5 years. If we get it right, it will be another golden era of rugby wattle.
Matt
Guest
Remember Sharpe destroyed the reds too.
Beedy Eyes
Guest
Nathan " Noodle Arms " Sharpe knows all about Mutiny`s. We will never forget pal what you did to the REDS. Never. Your signature is worthless.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
No. I said it should be. I did say the courts generally favour that from what I had seen. None of that stops somebody from taking legal action. Only possible winning after a long, drawn out and expensive legal battle.
Malotru
Roar Rookie
Yeah TWAS, I seem to recall you waxing lyrical at the way employers have a right to expect employees to abide by organisational codes of conduct and how this is completely enforceable in law. As such you claimed that Folau had no chance with his unlawful dismissal action and so on and so forth. And you accuse me of being deluded in my views?
enoughisenough
Roar Rookie
If just once, TWAS, you held yourself to the same standards of "proof"that you demand of everyone else, we'd see less of the circular argument posts you seem to use as your standard. You and your ilk (and strangely on this matter, you've fallen into line with a number of Kiwis whose only apparent yardstick of greatness or goodness is one's nationality...) have nothing to stand by in your mindless defence of Castle. Look at rugby participation rates, television viewing rates, SR crowds, the finances of RA, the loss of young players abroad (including some who didn't agree with RA taking political positions that weren't representative of their beliefs - Kerevi - ), the poor performances of the Wallabies, the unnecessary political virtue signalling from RA that has alienated a large part of their supporter base, negative press, poor contracts (Hooper to huge deal over 5 years), the cost of the Folau debacle (financial and reputational)....I could continue, but you probably don't want to understand that ultimately the CEO and BoD must take responsibility. Apart from going to one syllable words what else do you need?
ojp
Guest
Just wondering if this is the same Dept that looked into the recent ‘sports rorts’ affair and declared that ‘no rules had been broken ?’ Just to be clear, I don’t know the specific details of the NFJ matter and am not going to inquire further; just voicing my general distrust of politicians and those whose job it is to protect them from being outed for their misdeeds.
Lara
Guest
Ex Wallaby captain....very impressive. What else have you done since for Oz rugby, coach a local team, fundraisering for the local club, maybe worked on the local club board, paint the club rooms, wash the under 9’s jerseys, brought oranges at halftime, referee a game or two....the list is endless. It is easy to write a letter of discontent, sign it . The worst thing is RA jumps up and awards you a meeting ASAP. Give me some substance, let me know that you know some in-depth knowledge about Oz rugby from the lowest levels to the top. Show me, you have been working behind the scenes , doing your bit . I don’t want show ponies......give me substance....then maybe I will listen.....the last thing we want is more BS.
Realist
Guest
It’s not fictional as all TWAS. Chieka was leading the team off a cliff and breaking records in the process (worst seasonal record in decades). It was pretty clear he had lost Key parts of his dressing room and had divided the rugby public along state lines. He was furious the new selection committee had dumped Phipps but yet he still threw in an out of sorts Foley into a crunch match against Wales he imploded in. Jake White was champing at the bit for a shot in 2018 though didn’t have the spine to do a 2 year deal with him. The result was predictable and the board was ultimately responsible. Castle cannot hide from this.
Aussieinexile
Roar Rookie
I agree with TWAS, This is some serious rubbish spouted by the Ex-Captains What's the hidden agenda here? too many agendas which would make a Byzantium court proud. Fox pulling the strings, if Fox(Murdoch) is not happy then RA and the current management must be doing something right. Not one of them has any successful track record at this level in the sport or at club level as far as I know or ever been Senior managers let alone CEO's worthy of mentioning.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Well we have to be grateful to the malcontent eleven for one thing- we were having a very slow rugby week till last night. :happy:
Big Daddy
Guest
Geez, all they need is another signature and they'd have 12 disciples. But is his name Judas.
Davico
Roar Pro
Has Simon Poidevin and his firm been cleared of the market manipulation case that was brought against them? https://www.afr.com/markets/equity-markets/former-wallabies-captain-simon-poidevin-fights-asic-ban-20180625-h11tto
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
So many things we could be celebrating in anticipation Train. But instead we are discussing -this!
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
I dislike the bronco analogy too. Brumby is the Australian vernacular for a wild horse. Bronco is the american term :happy: