Exclusive: Wallabies star to return to Waratahs in fresh blow to Rebels

You are a typical Australian fan. You want to support rugby, but you no longer can remember why, and don't know how. That is the key MO. RA does not understand that any customer relationship has to be built and maintained on what the customer wants. What drives you might be different to what drives me. There are millions of passionate rugby fans, but we are not identical. RA and its hangers on think we are all chumps who are happy to be gouged financially because we are elbow patch wearing private school boys. Take Castle's TV "negotiation". For a product substantially less valuable in 2019 than 2015 she refuses to talk to Fox because they will not pay an increased fee to cover her bloated HO expenses and payroll, and declining revenues. She goes to market with a carefully structured package designed to appeal to the RA market of rugby fans; "tell us what competitions you would like us to run and how much you will pay for them".

Yeah mate and consider that a bum like me never played a game like SR. I played like they do in Japan (ie like a good schools 1st 15). Just coz I played rugby doesn’t mean I have to enjoy watching how the force Tahs England etc do it. And I don’t have an actual problem with 10 man rugby. But with all the defensive stodge elite rugby is not much like my game. Why should I support it?

That is for sure, Japan is riding hard to be the premier Pacific competition. The Australian response is deciding whether or not we should let them play with us so that we will magically make a lot of money. I missed the memo on how Australian businesses are so much better managed than Japanese ones.

I read that series you and your mate put together. It was thoughtful (and good) SR as we knew it died so long ago the saffers have been out for years. SR was born at the time you could watch Manly v Randwick with more than 10 good Wallabies out there. As you say make SR the premier comp outside of Europe coz right now japan is working on that and rugby is fast and fun

He would claim he received a grant from the NSW Government to stimulate Sydney's nightlife.

So you mean an NRC for Aus? Why would they not just have 8 Aus sides.

They thought they had one, but he is having his own problems apparently.

More likely Dell wanted a part of the nightlife Sydney had to offer.

It would be after Super rugby when the international matches are being played. You would think their team would be weakened by the loss of international players to accommodate the drop in standard much like the Tahs, Reds and Brumbies. It’s an opportunity for them to develop more home based players which I thnnk would appeal to them

The problem lies with RA though Jacko. They might be accidentally keeping themselves in the dark about states financial viability (although plausible deniability is entitled to run here), but their main focus is on keeping everybody else in the dark. If I was really cynical I might suggest this has been official policy for well over a decade. Tell everybody nothing and the worst that can happen is they fight amongst themselves, not notice that we might be responsible, and better yet, not figure out that RA board and management are accountable to nobody. I am sure you read my article on this, attaching my proposal on these same issues, ten years ago. I did not have solutions, just like FF and hundreds of others, because nobody in the country really has much idea about the precise problems, the key stakeholders, and how to drive solutions. RA does not like to release important information, commit to anything or release the dozen reports they have commissioned over the period. RA was cash strapped in 2014 and said they could not afford to do anything. So their solution was to keep losing money because it was too hard to do anything about it. Same as now, although the huge cash influx in the 2015 TV deal should have enabled them to do something, but they passed. Then Castle came along and solved the problem of excess cash and profitability by hiring way too many people on way too high wages. That magically leaves everyone else to criticise the FF faction, but unable to provide any alternatives either, except trust RA. One significant change right now is the appointment of Daniel Herbert, I think he knows what he is doing. On the other hand he just may prove to be one good man parachuted behind enemy lines.

Will it really? There’s no doubt other factors in deciding to change jobs for anybody. But when it comes to money rugby players are the same as anybody else. They’ll weigh up what RA is willing to pay vs what another team is willing to pay. Because regardless of what Sua’ali’i is getting paid, the only alternative any RA contracted player has to their RA offer is what other teams are offering. Unless Sua’ali’i changes the global market it won’t impact that.

Muglair, what you say is of course 100% correct. Sadly guys like FF dont actually contribute anything of value, all they do is drag the sport down with no suggestions and no positives. RA is the big issue and there has to be a major shift in beliefs and objectives. Rugby in Aus is as low now as Ive ever seen it...... BUT....... Critisizing centralisation is not helping anything. It hasnt been implimented yet but already its a failure according to some. Bagging every option and every possible suggestion is not the way to get changes that make the sport a success. Constant hateful comments dont achieve anything at all and a major negative never achieves anything positive at all. Sadly I see the states fans doing nothing for, and wanting nothing about rugby unless it benifits their side. There is very little thoughts around whats best for rugby. Producing nothing but negative thoughts and outlooks and bagging every possible solution doesnt achieve anything at all. It never will. Rugby in Aus has plenty of hope BUT not if there is no way to work for the good of the sport rather than the good of each individual. I feel that the current situation has caused the biggest rethink around the sport for 20 years and if this does not succeed then Aus becomes a lower level rugby country. What happens over the next 2 years sets RA up for the next 50 so its crucial. And part of that will be fans accepting things they dont like jsut because the sport needs it. No one can change the decisions of yesteryear. Gone but not forgotten. Now its time to look forward. the time to give up completely may yet come about but its not there as yet. Yeah I get why you feel professionally offended but thats professionally offended about whats happened, not about whats still a possibility and what can turn rugby around. I would much prefer more info and quicker responses etc but if taking time works ok... Thats fine, providing they get it right. Fans like yourself who care are critical but sadly there are planty who dont actually care but just love the drama around the failure.

There will be none of that loose talk around here thanks Phil

What big money? NSW and Qld only obliged to pay the same amount, with RA paying the top up. Sailor decided to come to Sydney instead of staying in Queensland, probably in pursuit of a competition win.

Yes I think the structure still is that there is a salary cap at each franchise, and a maximum contract value they can pay. RA then negotiates the top up. This has created some unfortunate anomalies. It has allowed the big provinces to either end up with the preponderance of Wallabies, or warehouse players. Good examples were: - the Waratahs in the Cheika era in particular, although Sydney is an attractive lifestyle option for many - over the last five to six years the Brumbies have warehoused almost two complete packs, often having two Wallabies for every tight five spot while most other sides struggled in that department - RA skewering the Rebels and Force for not making a profit when they were not being forced to top up Rebel and Force players, so we have losing seasons and the consequent hit to revenues. RA could have changed that at any point in time by providing greater direction to players as the appropriate place to play, which I believe is what happens in NZ and Ireland, or certainly was. That requires strength in leadership, negotiating and management skills. Instead Hamish tried to sell his grand centralisation scheme by coercing SR franchises to had over control so he could just make the decisions. What is apparently missing is any other financial information. Again that is a choice made by RA which is hampered by their own lack of competence. Six small organisations that essentially do the same thing, each running off doing their own thing. Clearly none of them know anything.

It is more than justified Jacko. There is no way you can make the following claims: RA values its spectators and grassroots and recognises that without their commitment and support the game is doomed in Australia? Ironically in Mark Arbib's report to justify JON's constitutional folly he identified the rugby community as ARU's greatest asset. Tickets are well priced to match the demand generated from marketing? One of the first investments should be to cover cash shortfalls that might be generated by dropping ticket prices. There is the possibility of course that total revenue could be higher with larger attendances. That would require some marketing of course. Waratahs are hopeless, both from membership marketing as well as match promotion. There is no understanding that promoting away games is important, even if there are no revenues to be made. Of course that would be a choice too, you could always arrange a ticketing profit share with the home team. As far as I am concerned there is pretty much zero marketing expertise on show, rugby administrations don't know how to sell rugby tickets. That is why NRC failed too. RA's strategy is not to borrow as much as they can now in the hope it can be repaid from the Lions Tour and RWC? Personally I believe this is a high risk strategy as it is translating into drawing down as little as possible to minimise the debt repayment. They need to be investing hard in activities that will build participation and attendance (live and TV) to generate revenues which will reduce the amount to be repaid, and provide cash flow to reassure a refinancing lender. NZ offered us a way out of SR, accepting fewer sides, which left RA in a situation of having to be innovative, work hard, and provide leadership. Instead egos came first, followed by the lazy man option of just continuing to do the same thing as last year. Straight out of the RA/SR franchise marketing playbook. Nobody feels the pain of failure because it seems nobody really cares about the future of the game. Just turn up and collect your slary until the money runs out. I might be angry and I might be bitter, but I am certainly professionally offended.

Wozza what possible reason would the Drua want to drop to a lower level than SR? If one team can come in and improve like they can in just 2 years they aint wanting to drop back in standard.

True but thats not always the rugby tho is it. More likely the administrators than the players.

Contempt is a good word, it started with JON post 2003 when he was going to make rugby the #1 sport in Australia. He thought all of those people who had no interest in rugby could be converted. Somehow he forgot the memo advising that >99% of people with an interest in rugby either played the game, or knew someone who did, close friend or family. Ever since, and including the periods under the guidance of renowned marketing geniuses like Pulver, Castle, and McLellan, RA/ARU has focused on the huge market segment that will never care, and neglected those who deeply do. Many of whom now follow the Swans instead. They don't care about debt because as long as they keep a borrowing line open then their corporate reputations are intact. All of these corporate types will bail out after 2027 and the RWC perks and jollies, claiming that they left the game in good shape. What do they care if the debt is not repaid and the lender takes control of the game's assets? The only role millionaires and billionaires have is to kick the can when RA come up with a solid and believable strategy and a quality estimate of the funds required to carry it out.

No more limited than any other career. You can work in rugby all your life if thats the choice you make.