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'Has to change': Rugby Australia urged to follow in New Zealand's footsteps
By Online Editors
Former Wallabies captain Nick Farr-Jones has urged Rugby Australia to take a New Zealand-styled approach to controlling the game.
Farr-Jones and former Wallaby Phil Kearns have led a campaign for change over the past week, wanting to see a system in place where Rugby Australia would rule the game.
"The constitution of rugby has to change," Farr-Jones told The Rugby Wrap podcast.
"I said, 'we have to go down the NZ Rugby approach, which they adopted when the game went professional in 1996. We have to make sure Rugby Australia actually does rule the game and the franchises basically align to them in relation to everyone they employ in their support structures'."
Farr-Jones shared his thoughts with RA executive chairman Paul McLean and influential new director Peter Wiggs earlier in the week and said the ideas were well received.
Rugby Australia's board were set to meet today to discuss an interim chief executive to fill the void left by the departure of Raelene Castle.
A board source told the Sydney Morning Herald the coronavirus pandemic had given the organisation fresh impetus to drive change.
Centralisation is a threatening issue for major states New South Wales and Queensland. Under the Rugby Australia constitution, as voting members with more than 50,000 participants, they effectively enjoy a collective controlling vote on any issue requiring constitutional change. The SMH reports reform along the path of centralisation will be a sensitive issue and would require strong arguments that any proposed change will benefit the game as a whole, and not just establish RA's power.
While RA is looking to improve their current system, NZR has launched a review into its own Super Rugby model to identify ways it could be improved.
The review, which has been named Aratipu, is taking place to ensure the future success for the clubs and competition on and off the field.
"NZR is committed to SANZAAR and our broadcast agreement with Sky TV for the next five years. The review is about ensuring our Super Rugby remains relevant, sustainable and our fans are entertained and engaged," NZR chief executive Mark Robinson said.
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Latest Comments
lol that’s your opinion Ben, All Blacks benefited from a forward pass try, SA played 77 min without a recognised hooker, missed a no try conversion and a penalty could have would have but didn’t
Go to commentsBrett, from my distant perspective, I hope you get to keep the Rebels. Any ideas of teams from Japan or Argentina are just crazy. Won’t happen. If you look at logistics, it is much easier to get to LA from Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney than to Buenos Aires. All with direct non-stop daily flights. You may even get some “gringos” to watch the games, with some younger players compared to Giteau and Nonu who still “play” in the area. I think it is virtually impossible to get a competitive Argie team for SR. All Pumas are in Europe, almost all second tier players are also in Europe. Fringe players are in South American pro rugby tournament (and many still in the MLR!) but these players who might be most interested in joining a new Jaguares do not have the skills to compete. As I have been saying since the Jaguares joined, they should have had TWO teams to make logistics for visiting teams better and Argie player development improved as well. Jaguares/Pumas was not ideal. But this is where Pichot and his cronies did not think long enough. Further the country with he new president “No hay Plata” Milei is in a very difficult situation. Galperin, the richest man in Argentina owns the Miami franchise of MLR. I don’t think you can get him to invest in Argentina. Actually, he played rugby himself. He was a fly half. He is worth around $6 billion!
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