When Raelene Castle took on the job of Rugby Australia CEO in late 2017, everyone knew she had signed up for a tough gig. None would have foreseen just how thankless it ended up being.
Castle was not the problem with rugby in this country, nor is she the cause of the issues the game faces right now. It is an indictment on the game and, in particular, the way it is covered by some that she needed to resign in order to provide the clear air for rugby to progress.
The game is in better shape than what it was when she arrived in late 2017, and there’s little doubt some of the developments made in the last couple of years will bear fruit in the coming ones.
The revitalisation of the Junior Wallabies program saw them come within a point of winning the Under-20 World Championship. The bulk of that squad has been retained by the 15-man code, not lost overseas or to rugby league.
Had sport not been put on hold due to coronavirus, we’d be talking about the likes of Harry Wilson, Isaac Lucas and Noah Lolesio as potential Wallabies debutants in July.
Harry Wilson. (Photo by Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)
Indeed, it will be impossible to properly appraise the merits of Castle’s tenure without mentioning the horrid ill-luck which came in the form of COVID-19.
She would have been largely judged on the quality of the next broadcast deal. Had a lucrative one been struck with Optus and a free-to-air partner – and it’s believed just such an agreement was within weeks of being signed before the pandemic hit – her decision to take to the open market would have been lauded as one of the savviest and most important administrative decisions made in recent rugby history.
Instead, with negotiations on hold even as much of regular life was, there was easy fodder for Castle’s critics: “we don’t have enough money or a broadcast deal”, “she should have taken Fox’s offer when it was on the table”, conveniently ignoring that the money from said broadcast deal would not materialise until the following season, that COVID-19 has raised the spectre of force majeure cancellations, and broadcasters aren’t exactly coughing up previously agreed fees with sport on hold (see: A-League, NRL). A contract signed pre-coronavirus would not have offered the certainty some think it would have.
That the pandemic occurred immediately after a World Cup year – always the hardest on rugby’s finances due to reduced game-day revenue – was also unfortunate, the $9.4 million deficit another easy punching bag. Never mind the $9.8 million loss reported for the last World Cup year in 2015, nor that a tough financial year was forecast in advance of 2019.
Perhaps Castle’s finest achievement is the Wallabies coaching team assembled under Dave Rennie. Rennie, despite a lack of experience at Test level, is a proven winner at Super Rugby level and has experience coaching overseas.
(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
With gifted assistants Scott Wisemantel (formerly Eddie Jones’ attack coach with England) and Matt Taylor (the ex-Scotland and Glasgow defence coach) working with him, and director of rugby Scott Johnson above them all, the right structure is in place for the Wallabies to move in the right direction when they next start taking to the field.
Yes, some will argue those changes should have been made earlier, but it’s illogical to simultaneously criticise the state of Rugby AU’s finances and advocate for the removal of a coach still under contract – one signed under a previous administration.
At any rate, the board members who didn’t back Castle better have talked to Rennie and made sure this change of CEO hasn’t cost the Wallabies their extremely promising coaching set-up.
Add in that the 2027 World Cup hosting rights coming Australia’s way is looking more and more like a foregone conclusion, and it appears there may be positive years head. Just don’t hold your breath for Castle to be given due credit if they do eventuate.
Of course, it is impossible to evaluate her tenure without looking at the handling of Israel Folau last year, which rightly or wrongly pissed an awful lot of people off.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Castle herself admitted she would have managed certain parts of that episode differently, but – and try to put aside for a moment the moral, ethical and religious arguments which are so intrinsically linked to the Folau case for a moment – Rugby AU had to act to retain a range of major sponsors threatening to walk over Folau’s behaviour. I’m yet to see someone propose an alternate way it could have been dealt with that would have kept everyone happy.
None of this is to say Castle was perfect, that the administration she led made nothing but faultless decision after faultless decision. That would be naive in the extreme. The game is still in a precarious position, all the more so because of COVID-19.
But much of the criticism levelled at her has been lacking in its own merit, ignorant to the state of the game prior to Castle’s arrival. Whether it was coming from the News Corp monolith filthy at being spurned at the negotiation table or the group of eleven ten former Wallabies captains calling for the administration to step aside, very little of it indeed has been constructive.
Turns out being constructive doesn’t matter when you can instead be very, very loud. Castle herself was clearly capable of carrying on in the face of the criticism, but she could not continue in the role without the support of the board. No CEO can.
Those who have been loud now need be constructive. Continued in-fighting and squabbling will only harm rugby, no matter the chief executive.
If there can be one positive development from this sorry, shameful episode, let it be that all supporters and stakeholders take the opportunity to come together and work for the sport’s betterment, understanding they all want it to prosper, even if everyone is going to have different opinions about what that looks like and how to get there. And if there are any who don’t want that outcome, they can follow Castle out the door.
Jokerman
Roar Guru
I think everyone should ease up in ClassAct as I believe he has a strain of the corona virus and it’s effecting his brain. On a positive note, at least you haven’t had your brain zapped by Aliens so that’s very positive isn’t it? Go the darkness !!
Josh
Roar Rookie
unfortunately kiwi, we only ever got trialists never all blacks. spent time between 2007 - 2010 in nz, with ponsonby and college rifles. it was explained to me that every time you take the field...is an all black trial, bit of n eye opener of how they approach rugby.
OzKiwi74
Roar Rookie
I can’t argue with that logic. Why stop at trialist?
piru
Roar Rookie
ok replace 'to blame' with ' responsible for'.
Josh
Roar Rookie
you have raised some good points kiwi. i think however, you have left out the advantage of being kiwi. being kiwi means you can turn up at a club say you were an all black trialist and get a immediate start in first grade.
Dirkdiggler
Roar Rookie
It’s a joke isn’t it, that ex captains have had skin in the game in the past and still made a pigs ear of it. Aren’t they apart of the problem. Now they write a complains letter with no solutions and bully her out of the game.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
I don’t think we disagree on much to be honest bro. I think we disagree on the extent of certain things but not on the basics and principles. I agree that it will be hard for rugby to move away from its current ‘power’ base, but if it’s going to move forward and be bigger and better, then it needs to. Whether RA as a whole can recognise this and also act and follow through on this is another thing. If the power base was to become centralised with all areas moving in one direction with a shared target, as it did in NZ, particularly post 2007, then Australia Rugby might realise their true potential. Maybe they need to hit rock bottom, which essentially is what it took for NZ (sorry France). But what rock bottom looks like for RA, who knows? I would have thought being ranked 7th would do it, but maybe not.
Micko
Roar Rookie
I'm one of the people who've stayed objective here and listened to both sides Paulo. Castle wasn't great, but the sport isn't in great shape due to lots of other people before, and with Castle now. So I'm actually sceptical of the reasons they have to dump Castle. I'm also willing to accept some of these guys who signed up to the letter have vested interests (Kearns) and have dodgy business and administration dealings that need to be assessed and scrutinised (NFJ, Poidevin) moving forward if they seek to gain seats of power at RA. And I accept you kiwis for what you are. You come to Australia with your patriotism and nepotism. Maybe criticism might give you guys some self awareness, and maybe a change of attitude? I doubt it but I try my best Paulo. Australian soccer is rife with this Paulo, with immigrants holding on to their patriotism and nepotism. In fact South Melbourne are bitter about not being allowed in to the A League despite being called "Hellas" (Greece) and shouting "Hellas, Hellas!" at games even though the A League was formed to try to overcome the limited scope of ethnic nepotistic clubs that were holding Australian soccer back for decades. What I say is rugby union supporters need to accept that a significant power base of the sport nationally needs to involve these "old boys" networks of rugby of Sydney's east/north shore, as that is the strongest grassroots stronghold, and easily the single biggest population base of rugby supporters in Australia. The administration of rugby in Australia can't really ever divorce itself fully from this crowd, otherwise they'll just end up alienating them as they have done for the past 25 years since the start of professionalism.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Yes I saw that, good read. I like how you stayed objective without blaming individuals. It seems here you just have the partisan war of Castle camp and anti-Castle camps, Folau supporters/Folau haters etc, with both sides making good points the other side just refuses to consider.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
“What exactly does this guy expect to change by whinging about it?” Probably the same thing you expect to change by whinging about Kiwis... or the ex players expected to change by whinging in a letter... or any number of people wanting change and not willing to accept the status quo because they can see something better...
aussierad
Roar Rookie
"I oversaw a glorious period of on-field success, which made me look like a genius off-field" said John O'Neill, ex CEO of Rugby Australia. It's amusing how the apologists on this site keeps spinning out the excuses - she is a woman,she is a Kiwi, she is not from Sydney Eastern rugby stock, blah blah blah. If Raelene was half as successful as John, everyone would all be hailing the Vicar of Dibley.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Rugby union will ALWAYS be a small sport in Australia Paulo, no matter how many of you kiwis flood this side of the Tasman. Community grassroots sports will ALWAYS be a hive of parochialism, nepotism etc. What exactly does this guy expect to change by whinging about it?
Micko
Roar Rookie
Not really Ken. Sport and communities are full of these things, it's a fundamental part of human nature.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Exactly Paulo, it's a part of life. People connect and make friendships and acquantances, not to mention mention nepotism too.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
tsaru: Hope you enjoy them. 'The End of Science' I found very interesting.
tsuru
Roar Rookie
Thanks for those 2 references, stillmissit. Yes I’m interested. I read the New Republic article and I’ve started on the Kindle sample of “The End of Science”
Paulo
Roar Rookie
I don’t have first hand experience either way, And if I did I could only comment on my own experience, as he is his, and as you are yours. With the number of clubs around I am sure there are clubs that span the spectrum. What his experience alludes to though is an ‘old boys club’ attitude which is very evident and prevalent across the board, and not limited to Australian Rugby either. Jobs-the-boys is across a number of industries.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
I think we do try and do the humility thing a bit much to be honest. Especially in the cricket, would be nice to have a little bit of mongrel in the team.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Micko “ Why are you so bitter about it?” You are presenting an unfortunate stereotype.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
It’s not just Kiwis complaining Micko.