Rugby Australia turn to sailing guru to oversee performance structures
Australian sailing was far from the Olympic gold medal machine it currently resembles when Peter Conde responded to an SOS in 2005.
Without a medal in Athens a year earlier, the program’s funding and future was at stake.
So the former elite sailor-turned business strategy consultant went to work.
Two golds and a silver came in Beijing, before three gold and a silver in London were much celebrated after a rough start in the pool failed to yield a single Australian gold.
Three silvers and a gold in Rio were collected a year after Conde had left the program for the AIS, where he remained until earlier this year after another two-gold effort from Australia’s sailors in Tokyo.
“It was an important turnaround after 2005, when sailing was going to lose its funding, and it shows what can be done,” Conde told AAP in his first interview since joining Rugby Australia in the new position of chief performance officer.
“Going to London with four medal opportunities and coming away with three gold and silver was amazing.
“Australia as a team hadn’t been that successful … they sent 11 Australian TV crews to spend the last half of Olympics with us (at the sailing venue) … they were under these instructions to go to sailing and don’t leave, and we don’t have to normally deal with that.
“We took over the local pub, all the locals loved our team… it was a pretty special turnaround.”
Conde’s appointment at RA last month was made official on the same day new eligibility laws for Australian selection were announced.
It was a low-key arrival he said suited him.
“Maybe (my appointment is significant), but I’d rather do something and see the outcomes than just talk about it,” he said.
No more than a fan of the code since attending GPS powerhouse Brisbane State High School, Conde explained he is far from a straight swap for departing director of rugby Scott Johnson.
Instead he’ll use his broader experience to assess the competition, coaching and playing structures from top to bottom, which includes the return of a second division he described as a “gap that needs filling”.
There will also be a focus on attracting and retaining emerging talent, ensuring the ideal picture of what rugby can offer is painted.
He said maximising commercial opportunities for the country’s best players would help keep them onshore, but that the appeal of big-money foreign deals were “just another opportunity rugby affords its players”.
Conde’s enjoyed worked closely with Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, identifying some “gaps” he can help fill around servicing players’ individual needs and creating synergy with Australia’s Super Rugby Pacific clubs.
“Myself with broad high performance and business knowledge really needs to work hand in hand with a coach who is the real deal at the highest level,” he explains.
“I spent quite a bit of time with him (Rennie); I like the way he thinks, the way he approaches player development, they way he develops relationships with players and building culture.
“This is a fresh challenge, but my experience at the AIS is important.
“We really transformed the way we worked with state institutes into a genuine national institute network (as part of the inaugural National High Performance Sport Strategy).
“They all had their own leadership and governance, but we found a common set of principles … that’s quite a parallel with how Rugby Australia needs to work with Super Rugby clubs.
“Australia wouldn’t have been successful as it was at Tokyo if we didn’t have a really effective network working together and the same would be true for the Wallabies, ultimately.
“We need to work together … realise we’re not just competing with each other, but against the the rest of the world as well as the different codes of footy.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Steve Borthwick deserves credit for releasing the shackles on his England side and letting them play in a manner that somewhat resembles the top sides in the Gallagher Premiership. Will they revert to type in New Zealand in July.?
24 Go to commentsJames Lowe wouldn't get in any other 6N team. He's a great example of Farrell’s brilliance, and the Irish system. He is slow. His footwork is poor. But he fits perfectly in that Irish system, and has a superb impact. But put him in another team, and he'll look bang average.
3 Go to commentsCrusaders reached their heights through recruitment of North Island players, often leaving those NI teams bereft of key players. Example: Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock robbed the Canes of their lineout and AB locks. For years the Canes have struggled at lock. This rabid recruitment was iniated by rule changes by a Crusader dominated NZR Head Office. Now this aggressive recruitment has back-fired, going after young inside back Hamilton Boys stars. They now have 4 Chiefs region 10s and not one with the requisite experience at Super level. Problems of their own making!
2 Go to commentsOver rated for a long time…exposed at scrum time too.
3 Go to comments“Firing me” should have been Gatland’s answer.
2 Go to commentsFinn Russell logic: “World” = 4 countries. Ireland may be at or near the top. FR’s bigger concern should be he and his fellow Scots (incl. the Bloemfontein ones) sliding back down to below top 10
42 Go to commentsMind games have begun. Ireland learned their lesson after saying they could beat England with 13 players or whatever. Still, if they win at Loftus, that would be impressive - final frontier etc.
58 Go to comments$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
3 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
3 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
24 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
18 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
3 Go to commentsI wouldn't pay a cent for that loafer. He just stands around, waiting for play to come his way. He won't make the Wallabies.
3 Go to commentsGood bit of te reo maori Nic. Or is that Niko or Nikora? On the theme of trees the Oaks v Totara. Game plan would be key. I have one but it would cost you.
24 Go to comments> Shaun Edwards’ You should not have to score 30 points to win a game, as exciting as it is. This statement was surprising to me. It is nonsensical .I guess it is a defence coach speaking. But head coach, defence and attacking coaches all work together. They are inseparable. You score more than the opposition to win. It only needs to be one score. You score whatever the game demands, whatever the opposition demand. You defend whatever it takes. The attack coach needs to be able to clock up 30pts if need be.
24 Go to commentsWho’d have thought, not having Farrell & Youngs kicking the ball at every possible opportunity and playing flat and allowing your centres to run and pass would pay off? No one could possibly have seen this coming. FML. It took a LONG time coming but at least that time has finally come. England need to find a backup to Lawrence. Freeman is the best candidate for me, I see no reason why he can't play 12. He's big, strong, fast and has great hands.
24 Go to commentsLove Manu but he's not the player he was and I imagine Bayonne have paid too much money for him.
3 Go to comments