- Brumbies do not move from the ACT
- Speculation has put the club’s identity on edge
- Rugby Australia is seeking more control
- NSW Rugby is on board, Queensland Rugby is not
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh has guaranteed the Brumbies will remain based in Canberra as the Super Pacific Rugby competition teeters on the brink of a sporting civil war.
The assurance comes amid claims of a ‘hostile takeover’ by the national governing body as part of a strategic reset.
Brumbies CEO Phil Thomson came out swinging in the media and accused RA of a lack of transparency, with Waugh claiming it was vital the governing body works with state-level bodies.
“We have already given that guarantee (that they will remain based in Canberra),” Waugh said.
‘That has already been promised to the Brumbies. I have a very close relationship with the chairman Matt Nobbs and Phil Thompson, the CEO, and we are making good progress.
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh has guaranteed the Brumbies will remain based in Canberra as the Super Pacific Rugby competition teeters on the brink of civil war
The assurance comes amid claims of a ‘hostile takeover’ by the national governing body, with Brumbies CEO Phil Thomson accusing RA of a lack of transparency (pictured, Brumbies star Noah Lolesio)
Before leaving his disastrous post, former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones implored Rugby Australia to focus on better coordination with the respective state governing bodies.
“I feel like since the World Cup we’ve made some better progress than where we were. There’s still a lot of work to do, but I’m pretty optimistic about the direction we’re going.”
The NSW Rugby Union has committed to the national governing body, which will see Rugby Australia take over the Waratahs’ high-performance operations from January 1 next year.
This includes players, coaches and support staff, as well as assets, liabilities and commercial arrangements, particularly marketing, membership and ticketing.
With Waugh quick to emphasize it was not a takeover, NSW Rugby Union CEO Paul Doorn is confident the arrangement is the way forward.
“From our perspective, it didn’t feel like it was a takeover,” he said.
‘We sat down together from the very beginning, went through the strategy and looked at the implications.
“Again, in good faith, we’ve actually come to a landing where both sides should be reasonably satisfied with the way we’ve been able to move forward. From our perspective it didn’t feel like a takeover.’
Not everyone is on board with RA’s proposal – Queensland Rugby Union CEO Dave Hanham told 4BC’s Wide World of Sports Radio in October that such a move would not happen in his state while he was at the helm.
