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Wallaby great asks for his name to be withdrawn from '11 captains letter'

Rugby Australia have announced further job cuts. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

A Wallaby legend has asked for his name to be removed from a controversial letter penned by 11 former Australia captains that has asked for change at the top of Rugby Australia. Former flyhalf great Michael Lynagh says he wasn’t fully briefed on the document, which caused a stir this week in Australian rugby circles.

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World Cup-winning captain Nick Farr-Jones is understood to be the driving force behind an extraordinary vote-of-no-confidence letter delivered to RA boss Raelene Castle and the board on Tuesday.

Fellow former Test captains George Gregan, Stirling Mortlock, George Smith, Michael Lynagh, Simon Poidevin, Stephen Moore, Jason Little, Rod McCall, Nathan Sharpe and Phil Kearns – a leading candidate to take over from Castle – have also signed the letter.

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Tellingly, though, dual World Cup winners John Eales and Tim Horan as well as grand slam-winning Wallabies captain Andrew Slack were among those ex-skippers not to sign it.

Now Lynagh has said he wants his name removed from the letter, as he says he wasn’t fully briefed on its eventual contents.

“This is not the way I do things and I have withdrawn from the whole thing,” he told The Australian newspaper.

“It doesn’t mean I don’t support the change but I had quite a few questions about what they were proposing. [RA] now have a new chairman and three new board members. They have got to be allowed to implement change.”

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Responding to the letter, Rugby Australia has said they are open to discussing the game with the now 10 disgruntled former skippers.

“Rugby Australia has today received a letter signed by 11 Wallabies captains raising their concerns over how the game has been administered in recent years,” RA said in a statement on Tuesday night.

“Rugby Australia respects and values the opinions of these former Wallabies leaders and statesmen and has welcomed the group to meet with the board at its earliest convenience.

“Rugby Australia also welcomes the involvement of the group in its current process to review the rugby landscape as it navigates the effects of the global COVID-19 health and economic crisis.”

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Former Wallabies captain and RA chairman Paul McLean said he had been in contact with a member of the group on Tuesday and offered to arrange a meeting with the full board as soon as was “reasonably practicable”.

“These are respected former Wallabies captains and the board would value their input as we work through the challenges that rugby has faced over the last few years and that have been amplified by the coronavirus pandemic,” McLean said.

“The board is also prepared to work with the group to provide them access to the information requested in the letter.

“The board had commenced the process of establishing a review group to investigate a whole of rugby review that includes professional rugby, semi-professional rugby, and community rugby.

“The board would welcome the input of the signatories of the letter into the review process.

“It is intended that input for the review would be sought from a wide range of stakeholders including current and former players.

“Now is the time for us to come together in the interests of the entire rugby community.”

– additional reporting AAP

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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