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Rugby Australia (RA) has welcomed a group of 11 former Wallabies captains to meet its board after it was issued with an extraordinary no-confidence letter demanding an overhaul of the governing body's leadership.
Key points:
- The letter issued by the former Wallabies captains claimed rugby union has "lost its way" in Australia
- Rugby Australia chairman Paul McLean said the board was prepared to meet with the former captains to hear their concerns
- The governing body was already facing a financial crisis prior to the coronavirus outbreak
World Cup-winning captain Nick Farr-Jones, who has recently been vocal with his criticism of RA, is understood to be the driving force behind the letter delivered to RA chief executive Raelene Castle and the board on Tuesday.
George Gregan, Stirling Mortlock, George Smith, Michael Lynagh, Simon Poidevin, Stephen Moore, Jason Little, Rod McCall, Nathan Sharpe and Phil Kearns are the former skippers along with Farr-Jones to have signed the letter.
The inclusion of Kearns's signature follows calls for the retired Wallabies hooker to replace Castle as RA chief executive, with several of his former teammates pushing his case publicly.
"In recent times, the Australian game has lost its way," the letter reads.
"It is a defeat inflicted not by COVID-19, or an on-field foe, but rather by poor administration and leadership over a number of years.
"Our rural clubs, junior clubs, subdistricts and community clubs have been let down and we firmly believe transformation is needed across the game in this country. There's no time to waste.
"We speak as one voice when we say Australian rugby needs new vision, leadership and a plan for the future.
"That plan must involve, as a priority, urgent steps to create a much-needed sustainable, commercial rugby business."
The former captains had not intended to make their feelings known publicly, but they believed they were forced to do so in light of RA's response to the challenges it was facing during the coronavirus pandemic.
Moore, who played 129 Tests for the Wallabies until his retirement in 2017, said he was left frustrated with RA after applying for a board position, only to be contacted by an external recruitment company rather than an employee of the organisation.
He claimed he was not given the opportunity to speak with an RA official at any stage of the process and received an email informing him his application was not successful.
RA chairman Paul McLean, who is a former Wallabies captain, said he had been in contact with a member of the 11-strong group on Tuesday.
Mclean said he had offered to arrange a meeting with the full board as soon as was "reasonably practicable".
"These are respected former Wallabies captains and the board would value their input as we work through the challenges that rugby has faced over the last few years and that have been amplified by the coronavirus pandemic," McLean said.
"The board is also prepared to work with the group to provide them access to the information requested in the letter.
"The board had commenced the process of establishing a review group to investigate a whole-of-rugby review that includes professional rugby, semi-professional rugby, and community rugby.
"The board would welcome the input of the signatories of the letter into the review process.
"It is intended that input for the review would be sought from a wide range of stakeholders including current and former players.
"Now is the time for us to come together in the interests of the entire rugby community."
Rugby Australia dealing with financial crisis
RA was facing financial difficulty prior to the coronavirus outbreak, having last month announced it had posted a provisional $9.4 million operating deficit for 2019.
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It forecast it could lose up to $120 million in revenue if the professional game — on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic — did not resume this year, while it was forced to stand down 75 per cent of its staff.
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Earlier this week, RA and the Rugby Union Players' Association (RUPA) reached an interim wages deal involving an average 60 per cent cut in player pay.
The financial measures have been secured for the next six months, or until competition can resume.
Should competition resume earlier, RA, the four Super Rugby teams, and RUPA will negotiate new terms.
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AAP/ABC
Topics: rugby-union, super-rugby, covid-19, sport, australia
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