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Former Wallaby takes over as Rugby Australia boss is ousted

Rugby Australia's Daniel Herbert speaks to media during a Rugby Australia media opportunity in support of the Rugby World Cup 2027 & 2029 bid in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)

Rugby Australia have confirmed that after a late night meeting, the board have elected former Wallabies back Daniel Herbert as the new Chair of the governing body.

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Hamish McLennan had vowed to fight to hold onto his position despite six member unions, including Queensland, the ACT and RugbyWA, demanding his resignation.

But McLennan’s bid to keep his job has ended after an emergency board meeting resulted in Herbert taking over.

After a successful playing career, former centre Herbert held roles with the QLD Rugby Union before embarking on a corporate career. He has been on the Rugby Australia board since 2020.

Rugby Australia have said that the board considered that Herbert’s experience is ideally suited to leading the development of the game from the grassroots to the elite level, across women’s and men’s Rugby.

In addition, he is well placed to lead the board’s continued and unwavering commitment to Rugby Australia’s strategy of aligning the game across the country.

Rugby Australia’s new Chair Dan Herbert said: “It has never been more important for the Rugby Australia board, working with Member Unions, to come together and execute the reform we absolutely need for an aligned high-performance system and to deliver on the commitments we have made, including to invest in Community and Women’s Rugby.

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“Australia will host the British and Irish Lions Tour in 2025, the Men’s 2027 Rugby World Cup and the Women’s 2029 Rugby World Cup and the 2032 Olympic Games – the reform we progress now will underpin the competitiveness of our national teams, as well as building deeper engagement with the Rugby community and fans everywhere.”

“We note that the different Member Unions are not opposing Rugby Australia’s centralisation proposals and remain committed to supporting high performance alignment.”

A Rugby Australia statement confirmed that McLennan has officially resigned from the Rugby Australia board.

“The board acknowledges the strategic agenda that Hamish has been instrumental in driving, through COVID and other challenges, ensuring that Rugby in Australia continued through very challenging times.

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“He departs the role of Chair having been a central figure in Australia securing the hosting rights to major Rugby events that will inspire generations of players and supporters, as well as delivering the current broadcast rights deal and helping to turn around the governing body’s financial position.”

Herbert, Wallaby number 715, played 67 Tests for Australia, and was a part of the Wallabies teams that won the 1999 Rugby World Cup, 2001 British and Irish Lions Series, The Rugby Championship and five straight Bledisloe Cups.

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Comments

16 Comments
K
Kombo mwalimu 466 days ago

The problem with RA is much deeper than forcing Chair to resign. How about the mental strength and winning attitude across the units

C
Chris 466 days ago

Happy for them. It can only improve from here. I remember when Herbert and Andre Snyman played against each other. It was a 13 battle for the ages. He was an absolute warrior

J
Jon 466 days ago

Australia really need to find an actual recognized businessmen, who knows the world outside of australia just as well as home, to take over chair before the Lions tour. Someone who knows how to build something as well as ensuring they aren’t suckers for these sort future pitfalls.

If they were humble enough to help from a position under Herbet, even better.

A
Ardy 466 days ago

Have no idea how Herbert will go but McLennan had to go. I am hopeful that the new chairman will be there to support the CEO and not the other way around.

b
by George! 466 days ago

I say good riddance and hope to see the ARU and NZRU build a good relationship with each other. We need each other to be strong on the field and financially to compete if not keep ahead of the cash-flush (×strapped) competitions of the North.

M
Mitch 466 days ago

Hamish did some good things in his first couple of years but this year has been an absolute horror show. He’s been the driving force behind two decisions that have damaged the game - the Eddie Jones hiring which failed miserably and the Joseph Sualii signing which was financially irresponsible. Goodbye and good riddance.

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R
RedWarriors 31 minutes ago
The Springbok selection experiment is far from over

SA won two world cups but since 1987 there have been major issues with the draw and scheduling.


Lets look at Scotland and England. Scotland were ranked #9 immediately after RWC 2019.

They were ranked #7 a few months after and by 2023 they were ranked #5 in the world.

England were ranked #3 after RWC 2019 but by 2023 were #7 a full 3 ranking points behind Scotland.

There are 4 Pools. Because World Rugby used rankings from 2019, England were ranked #1 in their pool in with Argentina and Japan and Scotland were ranked #3 in their pool in with South Africa and Ireland. The pools went as youd expect: Scotland were eliminated and England got through to a QF where they got to play Fiji and scraped through to a semi.

At the end of that tournament England were now a full 3 ranking points ahead of Scotland. This wasn’t due to better rugby. It was entirely due to the draw.

Now England are in #6, Scotland are in #7 and England are favourites to be #1 Pool seeds (6 pool) in 2027 and Scotland will end up as #2 seeds.

In effect Scotland are still reeling from the draw in 2023 which was based on the rankings in 2027.

Considering the amount of admirable effort, money etc that Scotland have put into improving this is an utterly unforgivable outcome from World Rugby.

This isnt new Draw disasters and scheduling bias has been going on since the start.

The ONLY reason it is being dealt with now is because NZ and SA were affected and the world could see how ridiculous it was having the QFs with opponents that should be in SFs, and having great teams like Scotland not even qualify from their Pool.


(I don’t have beef with SA beyond their (and the Kiwis) high proportion of arrogant, brash supporters (see abuse directed at me above) and in the case of the NZ team, lack of respect for other teams.)

35 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 52 minutes ago
The Springbok selection experiment is far from over

Everyone agreed that the draw was absurd. NZ and SA were the most vocal in criticism before the Pool stages, but then the narrative changed after their squeeked through the QFs.

The reason you had to play France and England was because you lost to Ireland.

The draw helped you in that you got to play France in a QF where none of their players had knock-out winning experience. You play England first and then France, and your task becomes significantly harder. If you are also scheduled to play #5 ranked Scotland the week before France then you lose.


I thought Ireland did rise for the NZ match. Inside a week after Scotland and with resultant fatigue and injury. NZ prepared for a year for that match including identifying a potential infringemnt in Porters scrummaging which yielded 4 penalties. The NZ scrum coach remarked that the ref spent every scrum looking at Porter and not at NZ front row. Kudos, thats clever.


The fact we got within one score and went out attacking in their 22 shows we were right up for it. Particularly given NZ were so much better than SA in the final (except for the red).


Hats off to SA. But the idea that SA are a match for the great NZ team of the 2010s is ludicrous. SA were not the best team in there pool in both 2029 and 2023. They are average in between world cups. They have lost in 4 out of 5 matches against one opponent. Sorry but there it is.


(Anyone can spot a troll, using personal abuse against a person’s opinion being a pretty reliable indicator.)

35 Go to comments
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