We better get used to the term, because it seems ‘centralisation’ might be Rugby Australia’s future, as it tries to turn over a new leaf from 2023’s disastrous campaign.
After suffering the worst Wallabies performance at a Rugby World Cup, another disappointing Super Rugby season, and the whole Eddie Jones debacle, Australian rugby is set for a huge strategic reset under a proposed ‘centralised’ model.
Similar to the methods used by international powerhouses New Zealand and Ireland, RA has announced the code will move towards a centralised system that will see its three tiers – international, Super Rugby and community – carry out new responsibilities.
The national body and the state-based member unions have begun negotiations to essentially unite each of the five Super Rugby franchises in Australia; under a new National High-Performance Plan; to be run by Rugby Australia. It would mean all players, coaches and high-performance staff would be employed by RA across the Super Rugby Pacific competitions, Super W, Sevens and national programs.
With Australian rugby’s much-needed leadership change in the works, there’s renewed hope the sport can get back on track. But there’s no denying that general confusion remains, particularly around this whole ‘centralisation’ thing that’s now entered the conversation.
So as Rugby Australia begins a new chapter, here’s everything you need to know about the new proposed model to reset the country’s climb back to the top of world rugby.
What does ‘centralisation’ mean?
In a nutshell, the centralisation model will see Rugby Australia run all the Super Rugby programs under one national plan — involving all players, coaches and high-performance staff being employed by RA, rather than being employed by individual clubs.
The National High-Performance Plan, which is the focal point of this process, allows RA to take the lead on national pathways and development programs across professional teams, like the Wallabies, Wallaroos, national Sevens, Super Rugby and Super W.
Along with now being solely responsible for development pathways, Rugby Australia’s ‘take-over’ will look to ease the pressure on Super Rugby franchises developing local talent and delivering Super Rugby programs.
This means that the Super teams in Australia will no longer be as independently accountable — RA will take responsibility for each franchise’s high-performance operations, assets, liabilities and commercial arrangements.
Currently, the running of Rugby Australia includes member unions, which are made up of each state and territory’s rugby body, plus the Rugby Union Players’ Association. The new model will now leave those member unions to solely focus on the delivery of the community game.
How will a centralisation model help improve Rugby Australia?
The Wallabies’ 2023 campaign included yet another year of Bledisloe Cup pain (the length of the drought is now truly absurd), the side’s worst ever World Cup performance and a revolving door of coaches and administrators. So a massive shake up is needed.
According to rugby.com.au, the designed benefits of the proposed strategic direction surrounds improving results both on and off the pitch.
In the past, a decentralised model has seen the rival states and teams compete for talent, coaches and resources; consequently producing poor results for each of the five Super Rugby teams along with the national side.
In the centralisation model, Rugby Australia would be in control of each Super Rugby team’s high-performance operations – including the playing squad – which could see them dictate minute restrictions on certain players and potentially move players to other franchises for development reasons — if a promising young player is at risk of being stuck behind a veteran in the same position and having their development stunted.
Both of those options have the best interest of national sides in mind, so players who are ‘ear-marked’ for international duties both have their workloads managed and are placed in the best situation to develop and thrive.
Through this, there’s belief that the retention and attraction of the best players, coaches and officials will improve, also aiding in increasing the commercial performance of Super Rugby clubs.
Other outlined benefits include increased investment in women’s rugby, with a focus on the high performance and sustainable growth in player payments, which is much-needed — currently, Super W players are getting paid a minimum of $4,000.
Investments will also go into the community game, particularly with Rugby Australia hoping to capitalise on the expected surge in interest and engagement due to the upcoming British & Irish Lions tour in 2025 and Rugby World Cup in 2027 for men’s and 2029 for women’s.
Who has agreed to this proposed ‘centralisation’ model?
NSW Waratahs
As of late-November, New South Wales Rugby Union is the first and only member union to formally commit to the centralisation plan, handing over the keys to their entire club.
Rugby Australia will now take responsibility for the Waratahs’ high-performance operations, assets, liabilities and commercial arrangements.
Integration, the somewhat preferred term to ‘centralisation’, will start January 1 — the team’s current employees will continue their current roles, with slightly more focus on the community game.
NSW Rugby Union CEO Paul Doorn spoke about the clubs commitment to Rugby Australia and the landmark agreement, saying they fully trust the vision of RA.
“We are taking this bold step because we strongly believe the federated model for professional rugby in Australia is unsustainable and that meaningful reform is long overdue,” Doorn said.
“We are committed to the removal of the inherent conflicts and self-interest that have constrained meaningful progress in the past, and we are committed to the alignment of the high-performance and commercial operations between our club and Rugby Australia.”
All state and territory member unions have agreed on the notion that all players, coaches and high-performance staff will be employed by Rugby Australia, however, that’s as much as they’ve accepted to this point.
What are the downsides to the ‘centralisation model’?
Rugby Australia’s quest to unify all the five Super Rugby teams under their National High-Performance Plan has been met with more resistance than they initially thought.
With the RA board voting to remove chairman Hamish McLennan, who was front and centre for the disastrous Eddie Jones signing and colossal failure at the World Cup, there is some resistance to put all the faith in the head office’s leadership, due to recent incompetency.
The six member unions, who collectively sent a letter to Rugby Australia complaining about McLennan’s leadership and the direction he was taking the sport, are not opposed to the centralisation model he proposed.
However, Queensland and the ACT Brumbies have their rejections to aspects of the model, mainly around the off-field control that Rugby Australia wants.
Queensland has said that they won’t be letting RA have control of their commercial operations or corporate functions, as stated in a press release by QRU CEO David Hanham.
Similarly, the Brumbies have rejected a full take-over from Rugby Australia, with certain suspicions around RA’s plan, and as a result have had tense discussions about the proposal.
The ACT member union has agreed to a centralised model in part, but wishes to retain control of its off-field operations.
Some concerns have also surrounded a potential possibility that an Australian team could be cut from the Super Rugby Pacific competition somewhere down the line, with a merger between the Melbourne Rebels and Western Force the most likely option — but all just speculation still right now.
What other countries follow a ‘centralisation model’?
New Zealand and Ireland
The centralisation model may sound like a massive overhaul, and it is, but it follows the successful methods that have been implemented in New Zealand and Ireland, who have together been international powerhouses in the last World Cup cycle.
Ireland has always had a centralised model, but after remodelling it a few years back, have turned into the number one ranked side in the world and produced stellar performance at both the 2023 Rugby World Cup and Six Nations tournament — the latter of which they won.
For New Zealand, their centralised program has shown continued success over Australian teams in the Super Rugby, and international success, making another World Cup final in 2023, along with winning seven of the past eight Rugby Championships.
So the proof and blueprint is there for Rugby Australia, but the question now is who – and when – everyone jumps on the bus.
