Rugby Australia will attempt to put a disastrous 2023 behind them after releasing a range of recommendations from an external review prompted by the Wallabies’ dire showing at the Rugby World Cup.
RA chief executive Phil Waugh said he hoped the findings, which include a recommendation to “reset the leadership structure” of the men’s national side and improve culture more broadly, would help “draw a line in the sand” after a tumultuous period for the game in Australia.
Under Eddie Jones, an inexperienced Wallabies squad crashed out of last year’s World Cup at the group stage for the first time in the team’s history, before the coach walked away from the national set-up just 10 months into a five-year contract.
Amid a storm of criticism, RA vowed a review into the debacle would be undertaken by a four-person panel, consisting of former internationals Andrew Slack and Justin Harrison, as well as renowned industry expert Darlene Harrison and Pasifika advisor Moana Leilua.
Their lengthy list of recommendations to RA were released on Thursday, and focused on ways to improve the Wallabies’ high performance program.
A major overspend in budget in 2023 – which Waugh had said was over $1m – was not in the scope of the review and was not addressed by the report.
Recommendations were grouped into five categories: high performance strategy, the Wallabies and high performance programs, culture, governance and the national coaching program.
The report called for greater interaction between the RA board and national players in an effort to “build trust, promote transparency and improve culture”.
It also recommended RA undertake a review into governance at the elite level to ensure fit-for purpose polices and processes, including a robust process for whistleblowing and a duty of care charter.
RA said some of the recommendations had already been put into place, including the restructuring of the high-performance department and the hiring of Jones’s successor Joe Schmidt, along with Peter Horne and David Nucifora in the set-up.
“Following the Rugby World Cup last year, we began to systematically apply structural and personnel changes to address a significant number of the improvement opportunities raised in the review,” Waugh said.
“Last season was a unique situation with a unique set of circumstances, and it was important for us to hold an external process to get a very detailed and honest evaluation from the stakeholders – especially the players.”
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Waugh, who replaced former CEO Andy Marinos just three months out from the World Cup last year, highlighted the crucial role the Wallabies have to play in the health of the game in Australia.
“We have been stressing the importance of an aligned and united rugby ecosystem across all levels, and it is essential that the Wallabies lead the way – the Wallabies are an important team to Australia, with a long and storied history,” Waugh said.
“I am confident that this review will help draw a line in the sand as we strive to implement the processes and structures that will drive the Wallabies towards a successful future.”
The Wallabies will play their first game since signing off in France with a win over Portugal last October – and their first of the Schmidt era – with a home fixture in June against Wales at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.
