Former Wallabies put hands up for RA board
FORMER Wallabies Daniel Herbert and Dan Crowley are in the running to offer a potential transfusion of skills for the Rugby Australia board.
The Queensland pair have both been interviewed by RA’S nominations committee ahead of this month’s annual general meeting.
Three board positions will change with former chairman Cameron Clyne and RA deputy chairman Brett Robinson to be replaced and the Ann Sherry vacancy to be filled.
The nominations committee, on which new RA chairman Paul Mclean sits, has scrutinised a lengthy list of candidates and will short-list three names. Both Herbert and Crowley have strong cases as does Joe Roff, a fellow Wallaby in 1999’s World Cup-winning squad.
Herbert has worked in the private sector for three years since his varied Queensland Rugby Union portfolios across high performance, commercial and Ballymore redevelopment.
He is also a former Rugby Union Players’ Association president.
Crowley’s team-building and leadership has helped turn Verifact into a company with more than 900 staff in investigations, workplace health and safety and traffic management.
He has served previously on the RA board as a RUPA players’ representative.
Meanwhile, the Queensland Reds are channelling the frustration of last weekend’s 33-23 loss to the Sharks into a more polished display against the Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday.
Flyhalf James O’connor is some chance to play on his tweaked ankle while No. 8 Harry Wilson has ticked the first step in the return-to-play protocol after his head knock.
Reds skipper Liam Wright said the Crusaders’ own blueprint was a good one to remember.
“They do the simple things well without overcomplicating things … the ruck, the maul, the tackle contest and passing is all done to a very high standard,” Wright said.
The Reds will sharpen up their lineout flaws of last weekend but the doubt over key organiser O’connor is a curve ball that puts young Isaac Lucas in the frame to start.
Wright is aware that the ACT Brumbies and Melbourne Rebels have won strongly as underdogs on Kiwi soil in recent weeks.
“Australia hasn’t lost in New Zealand in 14 days, I read on the internet, so we’re looking to continue that,” Wright said with a wry smile.
“Our job is pretty hard.”