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An open letter to Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh and Chairman Hamish McLennan
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
20th July, 2023
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LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
20th July, 2023
52
3893 Reads

Phil and Hamish,

I am a passionate supporter of Australian Rugby. I am an ex-player, current junior coach, go to most Brumbies home games (even though I’m a Waratahs supporter!), and subscribe to Stan to watch the other games.

Bar going to the Waratahs win over the Crusaders nearly ten years ago, the last 15 or 20 years have been hard going. Things need to change, because as the saying goes, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Changing coaches in the Wallaby team does nothing to paper over the cracks. Recruiting NRL players won’t either.

Having a short crossover comp between a few Shute Shield and Hospital Cup teams might be good for a few fans who can justify a trip to Brisbane or Sydney, but does nothing to make any difference to the quality of Australian Rugby.

Like the Government’s budget, there are much bigger structural issues that need to be fixed to make everlasting change for the better. The fact the SRP sides and the Wallabies aren’t competitive is a symptom of the underlying issues, not the actual problem itself.

What we need:

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  • More opportunities for top level coaches to develop.
  • Across the country there needs to be more meaningful pathways for the players coming out of school.
  • More high-quality games for our professional players.

Address these things and the SRP teams will become competitive again, as will the Wallabies.

What we don’t need:

  • SRP coaches only having their players for 6 months a year.
  • Losing more great young prospects only to poach them back from the NRL when they are worth more.
  • Artificially strengthened Super Rugby franchises by parachuting in New Zealanders.
  • Randwick or Sydney Uni playing against Bond Uni.

I certainly don’t pretend that I have all the answers, and in more likelihood my plan raises more questions than not.

What I thought was needed 12 months ago has evolved over time thanks to the wisdom gained from speaking to others about it.

(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)

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So here is my broad plan:

  1. Leave SRP alone. Appoint an independent commissioner to run and market it better but tinkering with it (through things like a draft) is not going to fix Australian Rugby. Let the independent commissioner focus on whether there is a crossover comp with Japan or if there should be super rounds in Melbourne, but that should not be Rugby Australia’s focus.
  2. Work with the five Australian franchises to develop an academy, where the players play in a genuine competition that runs alongside SRP (ie from Feb to June). The squads for these teams wouldn’t need to be made up of all academy players but could also include Super Rugby players that don’t make the main team. Most franchises already have an academy, it is just formalising it. Ideally you would want a 7-team competition, so you could either have a representative team from the Shute Shield and Hospital Cup, or you could have the Waratahs and Reds fielding two teams each. Maybe treat the academy players like apprentices, where they are signed on for 3 years – if another franchise wants to recruit that player there could also be a transfer fee.
  3. From July onwards, run a home and away series for the five Australian franchises. SRP franchises already pay their players for 12 months, so there shouldn’t be any significant additional costs to running SRAU. I would be highly surprised if Stan, as the home of Rugby, wouldn’t cover the costs of this. Hell, let’s call it the Stan Cup.

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As I see it, the benefits from this plan would be:

  • SRP coaches get to have their players for the whole year. They will be able to teach them more, but more importantly the coaches will have more chances to learn and expand their own skills.
  • There would be a genuine professional pathway for players to learn and grow.
  • If this was adopted from next year, players from the up and comers to the almost there would have more game time heading into the Lions tour and the 2027 RWC.

Clearly the big impediment is money and how to fund it. I have no doubt both corporate Australia and fans would get behind it if there is a vision.

Over to you to realise the vision.
Regards,
Lucky Phil

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