It’s three years since Rugby Australia sacked Dave Rennie. Have the Wallabies improved?
Based on evidence of the past two weeks, it would be difficult to argue the Wallabies are better now than they were in 2022.
The Herald’s article on the RA-RUPA pay dispute on Friday prompted a message from former ARU boss John O’Neill.
With O’Neill’s permission, his insights are repeated here, and they speak for themselves: “In the period leading into our hosting of RWC 03 there was a similar problem/disagreement with the Players Association and senior Wallabies.
“They mistakenly and conveniently attempted to connect the financial benefits that may have accrued to the ARU for hosting the tournament and the involvement of the Wallabies in the tournament. The fact is that those matters were entirely separate and it was totally opportunistic to attempt to connect them.
“The Wallabies were one of 20 participating teams, and their rewards would be based on match fees and a generous bonus arrangement which was based on making the semis firstly, then significant amounts if they won it. Exactly what we did in 1999 where we actually doubled their bonuses on the spot when they won it!
“Unfortunately, the hosting rewards of 2003 were not ring-fenced. That can’t be allowed to occur 24 years later.”
