'I was a 1990's Welsh version of Simon Cowell!'
Professional rugby union is into its second quarter-century and looking back over that period a few key off-field figures have spearheaded the transition from amateur sport to commercially-minded business.
Unquestionably in Wales this list includes a former international and Llanelli Scarlets scrum half who since hanging up his boots in 2002 has held three of the biggest jobs in Welsh rugby.
Rupert Henry St John Barker Moon played nearly 300 games for his club plus 24 for his country in a storied career that spanned the amateur and professional eras.
And since swapping scarlet for pinstripes he has gone on to head the WRU and Millenium Stadium’s commercial team, being a driving force in the Scarlets’ transition from Stradey Park to Parc y Scarlets and set up RGC – the regional rugby team based in North Wales.
Moon’s training for the business world was somewhat unusual, however, since any spare time during his playing days was filled not by study or work experience but – in his own words – “by being a 1990’s Welsh version of Simon Cowell!”
“When I became captain of Llanelli I was thrust into doing after-match interviews,” he explains.
“Through that connection I was asked if I fancied doing some TV work. Looking back, it was probably because I looked a bit like Jimmy Nail and had a funny surname!
“It was all a bit surreal as it wasn’t about sport; instead I did an hour-long live quiz programme on ITV Wales. I was in a TV studio from 8am on a Sunday morning for make-up and hair, then doing rehearsals before the show was filmed in front of a live audience.
“It was completely bizarre as with no training whatsoever I was doing live TV but it was a great initiation as after that you don’t fear anything.
“It led me on to other media jobs. I worked for Radio Wales and also did a TV talent show called Moon and Stars which led on to Over the Moon and the Moon and the Stars.
“I had a good run but eventually I think they ran out of show name puns!”
"When you look at the playing staff you wonder how can a squad that talented look like they have no direction, bereft of ideas and completely shell-shocked?”
Are Bath in crisis? ? #GallagherPrem #bathrugby https://t.co/DffXw8hpmu
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 18, 2021
Welsh rugby’s professional era has brought a number of big-name Southern Hemisphere figures to the helm of the national team and Moon says he was fortunate to work for the first of these.
“Graham Henry brought me back into the Wales squad in 1999 and 2001 when Rob Howley had a few injuries and Granny Gate was going on,” he recalls.
“I built a really good relationship with him, and when the time arrived to hand the baton on to Dwayne Peel and Mike Phillips he asked me to stay on and work with him and Steve Hanson.
“Graham and Steve were very much ahead of their time and wanted to understand players outside the rugby environment. They thought knowing about their backgrounds and what they did and didn’t like would help bring the best out of them on matchday.
“I was the guy who had to get to know everyone, help the coaches understand the individuals and also help the players look to their future lives after rugby.
“I really enjoyed working with Graham and Steve. Along with Andrew Hoare and Scott Johnson they changed the face of Welsh rugby by dreaming bigger and giving everyone huge amounts of confidence.”
After a four-year spell working for the WRU in a joint role encompassing the commercial side of the Millenium Stadium Moon was advised by then CEO Roger Lewis to get some experience outside rugby which he achieved in the insurance sector.
It's 14 years but long memories are not necessarily fond ones for Kiwi fans… ?????https://t.co/mj7dEr9aAO
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 18, 2021
But rugby was never far from his thoughts and in 2009 Moon returned to his roots.
“I had a very blunt call from the Scarlets telling me they needed me to help them develop Parc y Scarlets into their new home,” he recalls.
“I’d previously helped the Chief Exec when we were leaving Stradey Park by going door-to-door with him in the evenings explaining to the local people who weren’t thrilled about the ground becoming a new housing estate why we were leaving.
“The Scarlets were losing lots of millions and we mobilised a group of people to develop young talent on and off the field as we couldn’t afford any other way of doing it.
“After a few years we had the debt under £1 million and with professional rugby being a loss leader that was as good as we could hope for.
“That was when Roger Lewis called me again and asked me to help with the challenge of growing rugby in North Wales.
“It meant spending loads of time away from home, but it was an incredible life experience to try and mobilise a third of the population behind a team which we literally started with nothing other than the coaches – Phil Davies then Mark Jones – who were fantastic.
“We literally did everything from sweeping the dressing rooms onwards but so much talent has since come from there – Sean Lonsdale, James Laing, Olly Cracknell to name a few – it has been really satisfying.”
Moon returned to West Wales and a career away from rugby in 2016. His involvement with a range of charities punctuates our conversation – with roles as a Patron of Tenovus Cancer Care and the Welsh Rugby Charitable Trust prominent – but it is his passion for rugby, Llanelli and Wales that leaves the strongest impression.
He says: “I still meet Gareth Jenkins every couple of weeks – he’s like my adopted father! We have a coffee and chew the fat and he’s a great friend to me.
“I also speak to a core of other guys including Phil and Nigel Davies and my godson Billy McBride, whose Dad Robin is one of my best mates, plays as does my son. My involvement with his junior rugby means I’ve now been involved at every level of the game and still really love every aspect of it and what it brings.”
A serious setback for club and country… ???https://t.co/KsRHqQGxyI
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 18, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments