Rugby Australia is seeking emergency crisis talks with 11 disgruntled former Wallabies captains who have called for a leadership overhaul at the organisation.
The World Cup-winning captain Nick Farr-Jones is understood to be the driving force behind an extraordinary vote-of-no-confidence letter delivered to the RA chief executive, Raelene Castle, and the board on Tuesday.
The former Test captains George Gregan, Stirling Mortlock, George Smith, Michael Lynagh, Simon Poidevin, Stephen Moore, Jason Little, Rod McCall, Nathan Sharpe and Phil Kearns – a leading candidate to take over from Castle – have also signed the letter.
The Sydney Morning Herald said it had received the letter. “In recent times, the Australian game has lost its way. 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,” the paper quoted the letter as saying.
“Our rural clubs, junior clubs, sub-districts 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 dual World Cup winners John Eales and Tim Horan as well as the grand slam-winning Wallabies captain Andrew Slack were among the former captains not to sign the letter.
“Rugby Australia has today received a letter signed by 11 Wallabies captains raising their concerns over how the game has been administered in recent years,” RA said in a statement “Rugby Australia respects and values the opinions of these former Wallabies leaders and statesmen and has welcomed the group to meet with the board at its earliest convenience.
“Rugby Australia also welcomes the involvement of the group in its current process to review the rugby landscape as it navigates the effects of the global Covid-19 health and economic crisis.”
The former Wallabies captain and RA chairman Paul McLean said he had been in contact with a member of the group on Tuesday and 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.”
