ARU boss is building on a strong foundation
THERE’S no point in sugarcoating it: rugby union has a long way to go on the Gold Coast. The good thing is, the sport’s head honchos finally appear to be on the right track.
There has long been criticism of the Wallabies beyond their on-field performances, particularly the perception that elite rugby is pumped up at the expense of grassroots. But change is in the air. After a Wallabies fan day the previous weekend at Bond University, it was Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle leading from the front on Saturday. The former Bulldogs NRL boss was the hit of the party at the Gold Coast District Rugby Union grand final at Bond Pirates.
After watching the local decider, Castle took part in the post-match presentation before graciously welcoming the approaches of fans.
“It’s amazing when you see community rugby like this,” Castle said.
She would have been less impressed a few hours later when the Wallabies lost to Argentina at a Cbus Super Stadium venue with more than 11,000 empty seats.
But Castle’s efforts will go some way towards winning over Coast rugby supporters.
The Gold Coast competition continues to face challenges but it too is being led by proactive powerbrokers.
Chaired by Kim Bending, the GCDRU board has not got every decision right but they are trying things and that’s what is needed.
Whether a crowd of 16,019 is enough to secure more Tests in the future, the groundwork is being laid to protect and build the future of the sport.