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Phil Kearns has pledged financial backing as the battle escalates at Rugby Australia.
Phil Kearns believes he is armed with the business nous and financial backing that Rugby Australia needs after joining 10 other Wallaby captains pressing for urgent administrative change.
Kearns partnered with people like George Gregan and Nick Farr-Jones in signing a letter Monday calling for leadership reform at the RA headquarters.
As a Fox Sports commentator, Kearns was beaten to the CEO position by current RA chief Raelene Castle in 2017.
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Phil Kearns is one of ten former Wallabies captains calling for a change in the administration of Rugby Australia.
Kearns admitted that his long-term ties to the rugby station and the 2017 battle with Castle left him open to criticism, but that the impetus was “for the good of the game.”
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He avoided the question when asked if he was looking for his job, but said the captains consortium was frustrated and “shared the sentiment that the game needs to change and change quickly before it’s over.”
“We have seen our ratings drop, our crowd falls, we do not have a broadcast sponsor for next year, we have seen a loss of $ 9.4 million and the Wallabies are seventh in the world now,” he told Fox Sports on Tuesday. .
“There are many things there that can show the disappearance of our game and there is no self-interest at all.
“(I have heard) Sponsor Comments, Station Comments, In-Game People Comments, Player Comments.
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Rugby Australia Executive Director Raelene Castle invited Wallabies captains to discuss their concerns with her.
“That’s pretty much every stakeholder that says the game needs to change.”
Castle rejected Fox Sports’ initial broadcast offer and opted to test the market before the coronavirus pandemic shut down world sport, paralyzing talks and highlighting rugby’s financial fragility.
Kearns requests access to complete 2019 financial records and a special general meeting with RA, arguing that the lack of transparency is stifling any rescue effort.
“(The former captains) are not just throwing rocks … there is a good group of followers and players who know businesses, are not dumb and want to create that plan in the future,” said Kearns.
“There has been a lot of contact with these captains in the last few days in particular and there are no end of people who will look to invest money in the game if that change occurs.”
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Stirling Mortlock, George Smith, Michael Lynagh, Simon Poidevin, Stephen Moore, Jason Little, Rod McCall, and Nathan Sharpe were the other captains to sign the letter, with John Eales, Tim Horan, and Andrew Slack notable omissions.
Since then, captains have been encouraged to meet with the RA board of directors, who have already begun a review of “all rugby” while observing a possible competitive return in July.
“I have met with almost everyone on that list throughout my time … and all I have told them is, ‘Like Wallaby, you have the right to call me at any time and give me any comments specifically on things with you’re not happy or you have ideas on how to change the game, “Castle told rugby.com.au.
“We have to be open to new things and new changes; if people have those views, we want them to come to the table.”
