Do you support action to change the administration, management, and control of Rugby Australia (RA) to improve the current state of the game?

 

We are seeking signatures for our petition from those that support a spill of the current Rugby Australia Board at the forthcoming AGM on 29 April and for the Voting Members of RA to:

1.        Instal an Interim Board (with Directors appointed directly by the Voting Members of RA) that will oversee a full governance review of Australian Rugby in consultation with the Rugby community and develop a revised Constitution (including Director appointments, skills and qualifications);

2.        Review the financial status and operation of Rugby Australia and instigate more effective financial management policies;

3.        Review the coach education and coach pathway;

4.        Review the player development and player skills programs; 

5.        Review the player pathway from grassroots to Wallaby/Wallaroo;

6.        Develop a more effective participation strategy; and,

7.        Develop a more cohesive competition structure.

 

Rugby in Australia is at a significant cross-roads in its history. For all measurables and by any measure Rugby Union in Australia has been on a downward trajectory for too long. And on the most important immeasurable – the love of the game – it is losing too many. 

SoARR comprises a group of passionate rugby supporters, which includes: Paul Jonson PhD (Convenor), Sports Governance Consultant; Dick Marks, Inaugural ARU Director of Coaching and Wallaby; Geoff Stooke AM, former Chair of Member Union and Super Team and former Director of ARU; and, Russ Tulloch, former Director of Norths Rugby and member NSW Rugby Committee and Wallaby, who have consulted with many folk in our various circles who also love (or who have loved!) the game of rugby and who have had many roles in our sport including some who have played for, captained and coached the Wallabies, served on the Board of the ARU and on the Boards of its MUs (including Super Rugby Teams) and those of their member Unions. The shared feeling and collective message is: “for the future of the game in Australia something must be done to change the status quo”. 

On Monday 29th April the Members of the Australian Rugby Union Ltd will gather for the 2024 Annual General Meeting.  At this meeting the ^Voting Member Unions (of whom there are 12 – 8 State/Territory Unions; 3 Super Rugby Franchises; and, RUPA - who carry 14 votes in total – NSW and Qld have two votes each) will be asked to elect 5 Directors to join the 3 who will remain on the Board under RA Rotation system. For the five positions up for election, two new Directors have been nominated while three current directors have been re-nominated. Therefore, 6 out of 8 of the non-Executive Directors will be as per the current Board who have been in control for the past three years. Added to this is the transfer of a former director to the position of Managing Director. Hence, it is 7 out 9 directors who are proposed to remain on the Board.

Introducing two new Directors when there was an opportunity to change up to five is demonstrative of a reactionary, defensive regime that cannot be allowed to remain in control of our sport. The RA are missing the chance to bring in new perspectives and ideas to improve Rugby Australia. Without the significant reformation of the Australian Rugby board, the organisation and the sport of rugby, as a whole, faces more years of poor performance and governance.

 

Hence, we are agitating for change – not for change’s sake, but because it is so obviously essential.

 

Time is of the essence as the vote to keep the directors needs to be rejected at the AGM by the voting member unions that are representing the rugby community on 29 April. If you would like to support our mission and see change and reform in Rugby Australia, please sign this petition.

 

We also invite you to participate in our SURVEY, the results of which we will deliver to the Member Unions and RA, and publish on facebook and other social media https://forms.office.com/r/ySvKDe2mZT

 

To follow more of the journey, live updates, and information of SoARR please click this link to our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557590290963&mibextid=ibOpuV 

 

The game of rugby has fallen from heaven!

#RAsaveourheavenlygamefromhell

 

Contact: paul.jonson@uts.edu.au