Raelene Castle 'surprised' by Cheika's 'no relationship' comments

Two organisations speaks volumes for Castle. Time to punt Castle and add Clyne to the agenda. Done with the lot of them.

I feel dirty quoting Greg Growden, http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/story/245731.html As for Hawker, Growden said he was known among the Wallabies as the "Invisible Man". "It's interesting, you talk to the players and they describe him as rugby's version of Peter Brady - the Invisible Man," Growden said. "They call him M.I.A, missing in action." The event is the same type of event that Wallabies have attended every World Cup. It was requested months in advance apparently. And then given the importance of it, revised to request only the players outside the 23. On the Wednesday before a Saturday game. Is this really an onerous request? Cheika is just being petulant, because it was made through Johnson. Johnson hasn't done a review over the last couple of years. He's been there 6 months. Maybe 7 now.

Interesting interpretation on what people said although maybe it depends which circles you move in. I can fit my interpretation in your words though. That was one minor comment though. What is your view on who really is running rugby in Australia? I think I remember reading somewhere that the RA Board is appointed by a broader body comprising state associations etc. What powers there are to remove directors would be interesting as would be the nomination procedure. I do have a fundamental issue with Castle's capability and the complete lack of clarity over the strategic reasoning on the Board appointing her. Her credibility takes two more hits today as we find out that her relationship with Cheika was actually quite difficult and there has been a public incident in that regard. While I had expected her to blame Folau for falling crowds, sponsorship and TV revenue as she left the building, invoking him as a factor in the RWC disappointment even took me by surprise. As for the function itself; WTF? What obligation is there for coach and players to attend a government jolly a substantial distance away from a training base during a world cup? I would be interested to know if Cheika offered an alternative date when first asked, and was that date not suitable for other dignitaries. My second question is if someone at RA was involved in organising this soiree, was it agreed to by the Embassy on the basis of assurances that the players would be in attendance? I am already having concerns about the origins of Johnson's appointment, his role and the whole timetable of reviews etc that have been done over the last couple of years. I am not a rugby person plugged into the network but it looks like the same self serving crap I read every day in the business pages. The more blurred and opaque these issues are, the greater the weight of lead there will be in Rennie's (and Penney's) saddlebags.

I get the joke, but I respect her publicly sharing her challenges with alopecia areata. I was more just surprised at how poor her PR people were in letting that be the video that is posted in response to Cheika's resignation.

Astonishing. In greater detail it shows Cheika could be incredibly obstinate. Having no players attend an official function at the embassy in their honour is a bit rich.

She's a goth. Of course it's dim and dark.

If the astounding story in Georgina Robinson's just published article is true, they did have a relationship - a highly toxic one! Quote: "Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle was left visibly upset after a heated verbal stoush with Wallabies coach Michael Cheika at a cocktail function at the Australian embassy in Tokyo during the World Cup. In an incident that was symptomatic of the degenerating relationship between two of Australia's highest-ranking rugby officials, multiple sources have told the Herald that former Wallaby Morgan Turinui was forced to intervene to stop Cheika and Castle tearing into each other in front of dozens of guests at the embassy in Tokyo's Azabu Juban district." It really is time to drain the swamp and start afresh.

Nobody used to claim that Hawker ran the show. He was criticised for being invisible.

Probably the same theory that supported the similar views on Hawker / Pulver. Clyne is an experienced player at ASX level in an organisation that has been shown to have been in chaos over the last 20 years (although I would say 30). Castle was CEO at an NRL where her current apologists say it was not her fault there because of the Chairman. You would have to make your own enquiries as to what the wider view within the NRL was of her contribution. The same thing is often said about various ASX CEOs and the probable enabler is that the Chairman has a lot of influence over time about who else joins the Board. This is possibly the case with RA and I expect them all to stick together until disaster is unavoidable. This will be too late because because of ego and reputation just like all ASX companies that have failed in the past. I am a monkey's uncle if the primary cause of cutting WA was a fear of insolvency rather than any rugby considerations. My professional opinion is that it was the worst economic decision they could have made and they remain on the same path. Sticking with WA would not have worked anyway because they do not know enough, or care enough, about rugby. As for the former players on the RA board, I would like to think they are emotionally stuck where they are. Unable to make a difference because they are outvoted or bullied by the 'professional directors'. Unable to leave because they are concerned they are failing Australian rugby if they just run away. I hope that is the case and maybe they will be encouraged to change tactics in this window of chaos.

We can’t even see the video over here in the land of plenty. Dim and dark? Is this the video where the chairman watches on as Castle rolls Cheika in mud and then tapes him up?

I can't get over how poor this video is. Where was this interview filmed it's so dim and dark.

How exactly does Cameron Clyne really run things given he only has one vote on the board? Do you care to explain?

Yeah nah thanks! Please Shut the door quietly on your way out!

Who do we believe? Unprofessional blowhard Cheika or the Vicar of Dibley?

I'm not surprised that she's surprised. Says more about her than it does about the outgoing coach.

Right, so the board of RA are not going to resign obviously and will take no responsibility for the failings of the Wallabies for the last 4 years? Complete clean out of the whole organisation required .

I am starting to get concerned about her communication skills as IF also left with a very different impression of the outcomes from their conversation that she was left with. Now Cheika said he had no relationship with her or the CEO and she has a very different recollection. I think she has a difficult job with the Chairman Clyne really running things at RA and hiding behind her. Change is required and desperately needed but it must include changes to the top of RA at Board level and the Chairman's position is especially untenable. Maybe, just maybe West Australia may become part of Australia again.