Oz urged to copy NZ Rugby

Major governance reform is high on the agenda for Australian rugby with former Wallabies captain Nick FarrJones revealing he urged senior officials to adopt a model in which Rugby Australia would ‘‘rule the game’’.

Farr-Jones and former Wallaby Phil Kearns, who have spearheaded a high-profile campaign for change over the past week, met with RA executive chairman Paul McLean and influential new director Peter Wiggs on Monday to discuss the group’s calls for major reform.

As the board prepared to meet to discuss an interim replacement for departed chief executive Raelene Castle, Farr-Jones, a former NSW Rugby chairman, told a West Australian podcast he urged Wiggs and McLean to adopt a New Zealandstyle centralised model.

‘‘The constitution of rugby has to change,’’ Farr-Jones told The Rugby Wrap.

‘‘I said, ‘we have to go down the NZ Rugby approach, which they adopted when the game went professional in 1996. We have to make sure Rugby Australia actually does rule the game and the franchises basically align to them in relation to everyone they employ in their support structures’.’’

When the hosts asked how the idea was received by McLean and Wiggs, he said: ‘‘It went down well.’’

Separately, a RA board source has told the Herald the coronavirus pandemic had given the organisation fresh impetus to drive change.

Farr-Jones also said Rugby Australia should be run on 40 people, not the 150-odd staff currently employed at Moore Park, and that Super Rugby teams needed general managers instead of chief executives.