'First phase' of Rugby Australia restructure to be announced this week
Rugby Australia will this week announce the first phase of a wholesale restructure after lodging their 2019 financial report that provisionally flagged a $9.4 million loss. Interim chief executive Rob Clarke has the job of re-shaping the embattled organisation in the midst of planning a domestic Super Rugby return in July and attempting to secure a broadcast deal beyond this year.
Clarke, who stepped in following the resignation of former CEO Raelene Castle in April, said signing off on the company’s 2019 financial accounts – on the afternoon of the deadline some two months after provisionally revealing the code’s troublesome state of affairs – was one box ticked.
“The audited and signed accounts have been submitted today, and our 2019 annual report will be published in the coming days,” Clarke said.
“This week we will also announce the first phase of an organisational restructure of the Rugby Australia business which we are in the final stages of completing.”
Rugby Australia stood down more than 100 staff to cope with the financial losses associated with the coronavirus pandemic, while Castle exited as criticism of the administration mounted.
The damage was estimated at $120 million if no further games were possible this season, a scenario that now looks unlikely with a Test series against New Zealand also in the pipeline for later this year.
Australia’s Super Rugby clubs have endured similar standdowns, while the country’s Olympic rugby sevens programs are expected to be decentralised as part of the restructure.
A five-team competition featuring the recalled Western Force, to be known as Super Rugby AU, is expected to kick-off on July 3. Rugby Australia are weighing up whether to implement any of World Rugby’s 10 optional temporary law amendments designed to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, in the competition.
World Rugby’s executive committee has approved the optional law trials which cover scrum, tackle, ruck and maul situations
The trials, underpinned by World Health Organisation guidance, were considered by a specialist Law Review Group consisting of coaches, players, match officials, medics and law specialists following the detailed analysis of 60 matches.
Unions can apply to implement one or more of the temporary law amendments as domestic trials in line with the world governing body’s return to play guidance.
The NRC would normally be the Australian competition used to trial changes.
But with the backlog of fixtures and delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic, it is unlikely to go a head this year.
RA will have more discussions about which, if any, of the World Rugby recommendations may be implemented for their Super Rugby tournament once the proposed competition is approved by their broadcast partner Fox Sports.
They would also need to get the approval of SANZAAR, the organisation which runs Super Rugby.
It is considered unlikely that SANZAAR would object to changes for a domestic tournament.
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments