You can’t help imagine that whoever was tasked with writing Hamish McLennan’s Rugby Australia obituary this week revelled in the schadenfreude moment – while not believing a word of it.
“Mr McLennan has always acted in what he genuinely believed was in the best interests of our game, and his resignation today is a demonstration of this,” read the statement from the six unions that wanted him gone, and had won the power battle that saw Dan Herbert installed as replacement.
“It is an honourable decision that recognises his continued service had become a distraction to the game.”
Best interests. Honourable. It took no time at all for McLennan to make a mockery of those words and show he had no intention at all of acting in rugby’s best interests, or doing anything to end the distraction.
Ego is a given for anyone who has risen to the professional heights that McLennan has achieved, so we shouldn’t be surprised by his selfish reaction to the coup, or the commitment to continue fighting a battle that he has already lost.
On Wednesday, McLennan accused Herbert and Queensland Rugby Union Brett Clark of being responsible for a “Queensland takeover” of Rugby Australia.
Newly appointed Rugby Australia Chair Daniel Herbert poses for a portrait during a press conference at GPS Rugby Club on November 20, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
The proof of this, according to McLennan, was a succession of text messages mysteriously “obtained” by his favourite News Corp newspaper, The Australian. (Bet that took some serious digging).
The texts purported to show that Herbert and Clark had been sending messages to McLennan at the same time they were discussing his downfall as RA chairman. To McLennan it appeared to disprove Herbert’s suggestion that he had no intention of running as chairman until after the decision to remove McLennan was finalised on Sunday night.
“I’m profoundly disappointed,” McLennan told The Telegraph of the messages that somehow found their way into the public domain.
“I understand that things happen on boards but the double dealing, two-faced, nature of what’s gone on, it’s quite extraordinary.
“This is well and truly a Queensland takeover. Make no mistake about it.”
The timing of discussions between Herbert and Clark is a moot point. The reality is McLennan had lost control of the numbers and was out the door. What’s happened next, with his reaction to the disappointment, has merely endorsed why many thought he should go – it’s been too much about him, and not enough about the game.
Talking with 2GB the day after he was forced to resign, McLennan said he had “done something for rugby every day for the last three years. And I’ve given them my all.”
Now it seems McLennan is hellbent on doing something every day for himself and his reputation, and rugby and it’s precarious status in Australia, can be damned.
At first he accused rivals of a smear campaign and now this sad state of affairs – the “leaking” of text messages that shows his increasing desperation to win a PR battle after the job he professed to love was prised from his grip.
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
“Herbie, in an all day meeting. How’d you go with Brett Clarke (sic)? Can you pls text? Hamish.”
“Not good, very icy,” was Herbert’s reply.
That must have stung the ego.
McLennan has been given the chance to act in an honourable way but he has chosen to pile on instead.
Contrast his comments in the past few days to the absolute silence from “Kumbaya” Dave Rennie since his callous removal from the Wallabies coaching job.
There have been vague threats about the Cadbury sponsorship and he has spruiked support from fellow rich listers Andrew and Nicola Forrest, connected Olympics administrator John Coates and former PM John Howard.
A man of “principle”, McLennan also ruled out helping the board in a reduced capacity.
“They can’t lean on me to continue to help on broadcast deals and the Rugby World Cups in Australia, and all the other commercial matters and still expect me to contribute in that regard,” he said.
McLennan added that the vote to remove him was “split”. “I think what’s happened is actually going to create more divisions within rugby, not less as they talk about unity,” McLennan said. Herbert’s response was that the vote was unanimous – except for one – McLennan’s.
His failure to go quietly into the night, or at least give Herbert a few days of clean air, comes as no surprise considering his constant bluster – great for news organisations such as ours but not always in the best interest of his sport.
He called critics of the staggering Joseph Suaalii deal “cry babies”, saw off Andy Marinos, and entered a code war that no one on either side thought made any sense at all.
It looks for all the world that he was duped by Eddie Jones, whom he described on appointing him as “forensic in his approach and tough. He’s tactically a genius in my opinion.”
The longer it goes on it looks like Jones’ “genius” was in playing McLennan for a fool. It certainly wasn’t winning rugby games with England or Australia in the past couple of years.
And how long will McLennan drag this on? How many more text messages are out there waiting to be “obtained” by the paper doing his bidding?
Already we can expect less noise from the chairman’s office.
In a press conference earlier this week Herbert told reporters he wouldn’t be commenting on “players and play contracts and things like that, those will be questions for [CEO Phil Waugh].”
Herbert’s language is more guarded than his predecessor. Along with less noise expect fewer headlines and soundbites. And maybe that’s an immediate downside to this regime change for a game needing to stay relevant.
“My role as a director requires me to have frequent confidential conversations and meeting with various stakeholders,” Herbert told The Australian when asked about McLennan’s private texts.
“I would never breach this confidentiality. I am surprised to see private communications between board members now in the public realm. Rugby faces many challenges and I am focused on tackling this head on.”
Add McLennan’s hubris to the pile.
Meanwhile, McLennan’s demise has been warmly welcomed across the ditch.
Kiwi columnist Mark Reason wrote in Stuff: “Shortly after the announcement, an autopsy revealed that the likely cause of McLennan’s demise was a brass neck which prevented blood from circulating to the brain.
“Rumours of an impromptu champagne party being thrown at the headquarters of New Zealand Rugby have yet to be substantiated, although the bellicose Aussie businessman was known to be about as popular with the leaders of NZR as a rabid possum.”
Changing of the guard: trans-Tasman relations are set for a sea change after Hamish McLennan’s (C) departure. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
He added “the reason NZR’s leadership are joyful” is because they are “desperate” to revitalise Super Rugby in 2026 when the current TV deal expires.
“They need fewer Aussie teams and two or three new teams from the Americas, Japan and even potentially South Africa,” Reason wrote.
“McLennan, despite the financial improvements that he had brought to Australian rugby, would have been a hindrance to such development. Phil Waugh, the CEO of Rugby Australia, is seen as more progressive. Now everyone can move on.”
Well, everyone bar McLennan.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Well said Don, and thanks for the reply. :happy: I think the time zone of Argentina, plus travel costs, is a bridge too far for Super Rugby. Also from what I hear, they are trying to get an All-Americas super club competition going. Japan would be great, though the clubs are not interested as they are making loads of yen with their own setup. It might be possible to get a knock-out comp going between the two top teams of each competition that runs just 3 weekends although costs and logistics would be a nightmare. Personally I think the best start would be to invite Japan, Fiji and/or a consortium of "Îles du Pacifique" team into our Rugby Championship. SA, NZ, Aus, Arg, Japan and Fiji would make a pretty good "Southern 6-Nations" comp in my eyes. :stoked: :rugby:
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Sorry there was no disrespectful nudge from NZR. Covid meant all teams wernt allowed into NZ. Thats NZ govt, not NZR. SA had been planning it for some years before and had vocalised it many times. Absolutely nothing to do with NZR at all.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
I wonder how many tests it takes before Razor is under the gun. Will Ryan get all the credit if Razor wins? I didnt want Foster but he did a reasonable job with what he and the team had to go thru. I feel he was the victim of people being tied ( me included ) of the Henry, Hansen, Foster regime.
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
anti nz rhetoric now thats a laugh.. almost everything is toxically anti Au with constant snipes at anything related to rugby in Au…
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
The total loss of Mclennan is a shame for rugby in Australia. The only guy to stand up to other unions with confidence since John O'neil.
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
I think they'd been looking at alternatives for a while as any good organisation does, and after feeling disrespected after a nudge from NZRU, left before a push.
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
He did well in adversity but i'm sure there were far more wanting him gone for a long while than to stay. The chopping block was out after the 1st Arg loss.
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
a quick check of home grown wallabies from Vic v WA would end that discussion
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
perhaps you can forward your decision to Phil Waugh and the board.
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
Nope Oz keeps 5
robel
Roar Pro
“They need fewer Aussie teams and two or three new teams from the Americas, Japan and even potentially South Africa,” Reason wrote. Again, another reason why WA Rugby would be foolish to hand over control, for a second time, to RA after the back stabbing debacle of 2017. It was the Kiwis who instigated the reduction in the number of Aust teams back then and is a continuing theme in their preferred model for trans-Tasman comps. There can be no trust of RA from anyone west of the Blue Mountains until the HQ is removed from the east coast of Australia and the proximity and influence Sydney and Wellington.
DQ 63
Dear Mr Harper, I understand the article is important but we are tired of the McLennan soap opera. I hope it is the last so can we move on. There was a great community rugby event at the Emus in Orange NSW recently. Why not celebrate this like many other great community rugby efforts and spend less time on the underserving.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
You’re being disingenuous. I shall ignore you
rusty
Roar Rookie
Yeah I forgot sorry. UK, Europe and Nth America aren't part of the globe. Must have missed that at school.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
A lot of that is fine in theory. If the game is well run over the next ten years, then some of that may come to pass. A lot of so called school rugby stars are already contracted to NRL clubs. Rugby has neither the cash or infrastructure to provide opportunity at scale for every potential rugby star. We manage it poorly perhaps, but you are on a hiding to nothing trying to pick which schoolboys you throw your resources at. The Hospital Cup and Shute Shield might be the 3rd tier, but they certainly do not produce players ready for the second tier. They might not like being called 4th tier, although I seriously question how many clubs worry about what tier they might be in, but that is what they are. The NPC and Currie Cup are 3rd tier competitions. If you seriously think they are comparable I am interested in your explanation of why Australian SR teams and the Wallabies are so far off the pace. People have to understand that it is not a strategic choice to rely on private schools, but strategic neglect that has allowed public school participation to dry up, almost impossible to revive, while not investing in ensuring club rugby picks up the slack. On one hand we have to be grateful that the private schools make such substantial investment into rugby. However, it is out of self interest. Neither schools or parents are going to see much benefit in expanding their rugby programs, although it would be preferable, and in their students’ interests, to relax the rigid rules around excluding outside activity.
Biscuit man
Roar Rookie
Agree Thats why RA should have the rug pulled from it and then let another group start it form scratch.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
If SARU want back in to SR then ask. And leave the NH or go jump. No need for SA in SR. They add nothing and never won anything.
Ray L
Roar Rookie
Sorry, I disagree. If Super Rugby does continue, then there is no reason why we couldn’t support 5 teams, or even more, if RA made a greater effort to retain more of the elite schoolboys (and girls) already playing in the code, many of whom are picked off by the NRL Where do you think the NRL gets its talent from? It’s the broader school system and junior clubs. The talent is already there for the taking. The problem with rugby relying on the private school system is that they play their competitions on the weekends and many schools won’t allow their players to participate in junior club football, which is also played on the weekends. They also don’t play enough games in their constricted competitions. I can’t see the point in having a 5-8 team domestic 3rd tier and 2-3 team 2nd tier. The Premier Club competitions in each state and territory are now effectively the 3rd tier and that’s how it should remain. I doubt if they would look kindly upon being pushed down to a meaningless 4th tier. If Super Rugby persists, then a semi-professional ARC/NRC model with some tweaks should be revived at the conclusion of the Premier Rugby competitions. To be frank, I don’t give a stuff what NZ wants and its up to them to chart their own way forward. We have to structure our game within the competitive football environment in which we participate. That means a meaningful domestic competition. I have suggested an 8 team fully professional domestic competition as a starting point in place of Super Rugby, which could be expanded in future years to include NSW and QLD regional teams, such as Newcastle, Illawarra and North Queensland. Add to that Adelaide. This is how soccer’s A-League started off. Unlike the NRL and A-League, there is no obligation to include NZ teams, as they would have their own domestic competition. In your final comment suggesting that an 8 team domestic 2nd tier is a commitment to mediocrity, you’re again like many others, assuming that pathways will continue as they are, when they could be greatly enhanced by attracting more elite athletes who might otherwise go to the other codes. Australia has five times the population of NZ and notwithstanding the competitive sporting environment in the football codes, there is a vast reservoir of potential talent to choose from.
Biscuit man
Roar Rookie
Why we keep the Brumbies is beyond a joke. Tiny market and tiny rugby community. Case for them in current era doesn’t stack up . Surely market size potential counts for something
Biscuit man
Roar Rookie
You’re right but it’s the Brumbies that should go. Too small on so many fronts. The Force deserve a place ahead of them as bigger market