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Opinion

The RA coup is light on detail

Roar Rookie
23rd April, 2020
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Roar Rookie
23rd April, 2020
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Normally in sport and business, competition is a healthy thing.

It’s not, however, when it’s in the form of a coup d’etat.

Phil Kearns seemed unable to accept the defeat by Raelene Castle for the Rugby Australia CEO position, followed by RA’s rejection of a deal by his employer Foxtel.

On Thursday night, Castle fell on her sword anyway.

The recent public vote of no confidence by several former Wallabies captains smells a little like Custer’s last stand.

The nitty gritty of this great document was short on answers and long on rhetoric – no surprises there.

An appointment of a committee to make rapid decisions seemed sketchy to say the least.

It seems RA might head in a new direction, trialing a subscription-based live streaming service based in Europe, Japan and North America. It will be interesting what deal comes of this.

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I doubt it would be any worse than the NRL-dominated Foxtel low-ball offer.

James Slipper

(Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

If these ex-captains really love the game as much as they say they do, why not bring sponsors to the table without an agenda? Will Kearns even have job himself at Foxtel if there is little to no rugby union on that channel?

Some light relief was brought by Rugby Union Players’ Association president Damien Fitzpatrick, who wondered where the NRL would be playing its games, suggesting “Fantasy Island”.

This is where Kearns is coming from with his dream to be RA CEO.

On a more serious note, at last rugby writers are calling for a performance-based Wallabies squad, unlike the shambolic reign of ex-coach Michael Cheika, who has a lot to answer for with the loss of confidence in the Wallabies and Australian rugby.

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If the All Blacks or England lost every second game they played, the public would respond in the same way with doom and gloom.

It was good to hear the Brumbies coach Dan McKellar put forward positives with game moving into a COVID-19-limited programme.

Perhaps more of that thinking will help put RA back on track, and less negativity.

I would like to hear more from Tim Horan and John Eales, who have a more balanced outlook on the game.

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