This Month
Bledisloe win every two years: Waugh’s lofty plan for Rugby Australia
The governing body wants to win the British and Irish Lions tour, Olympic medals and the Bledisloe Cup every two years under an ambitious new four-year strategy.
- Zoe Samios
November
The fundies donating their fees to help support rugby union
Back-to-back Wallabies victories have given rugby union tragics a glimmer of hope. Now, nine fund managers are doing their bit too.
- Zoe Samios
October
Former Melbourne Rebels directors sue Rugby Australia for $30m
The court case comes five months after former Qantas chairman Leigh Clifford declared war against the governing body.
- Zoe Samios
US pension giants line up against Hamish McLennan
California’s public sector pension funds make a point of objecting to the re-election of the REA chairman.
- Mark Di Stefano
Hamish McLennan’s hammer can’t find a nail
The last 12 months for the REA and ARN chairman have rattled his dealmaking brand.
- Mark Di Stefano
May
Legal action vowed against Rugby Australia after Melbourne Rebels axed
Troubled rugby union club Melbourne Rebels has been shut down after 14 seasons.
- Updated
- Gus McCubbing and Zoe Samios
Labor’s controversial sports broadcast plans heading for Senate fracas
The government’s proposal, which would allow big streamers like Netflix to bid against free, local platforms, is “un-Australian”, according to the Greens.
- Zoe Samios
Melbourne Rebels survive but fight with ATO, Rugby Australia not over
Former Melbourne Rebels director Georgia Widdup said the decision meant plans for a “financially sustainable future” could progress.
- Zoe Samios
April
Agents orange: inside parliament’s battle of the hall passes
Crossbenchers are the focus of everyone with a stake in contentious legislation. No wonder David Pocock has had enough.
- Updated
- Myriam Robin
March
- Exclusive
- Investment banking
Rugby Australia’s Pip Marlow joins Bank of America board
The former Microsoft and Salesforce boss has become an adviser to the US investment bank’s local business, joining Megan Clark and Kevin Skelton.
- Aaron Weinman
- Updated
- Business of sport
Wallabies’ World Cup campaign blew budget by $2.6m as staff splurged
Rugby Australia’s review into the performance identifies poor culture and a lack of trust. Its CEO, Phil Waugh, says personnel changes had already been made.
- Updated
- Zoe Samios
February
Melbourne Rebels CEO departs as PwC begins cuts
Administrators, who took control of the Victorian rugby union club in late January, made a number of staff members redundant.
- Zoe Samios
Rugby Australia boss rejects Rebels’ tax, underfunding claims
Phil Waugh pushed back at suggestions Rugby Australia was to blame for the Rebels’ demise and said it was not trying to destroy its club competition.
- Zoe Samios
How to maul a rugby team to death: slowly at first and then suddenly
Melbourne’s only Super Rugby team, the Rebels, say they were as challenged as every other team in the competition. But their problems were far more complicated.
- Zoe Samios and Jessica Sier
January
- Updated
- Business of sport
Rebels chairman Paul Docherty steps down as administrators called in
The embattled Melbourne Super Rugby club has debts of more than $10 million, with Rugby Australia stepping in to take over the franchise.
- Updated
- Zoe Samios, Gus McCubbing and Jessica Sier
December 2023
‘Virus of madness’ infected views on Lehrmann: lawyer
Bruce Lehrmann’s rights to a presumption of innocence or a fair trial were discarded thanks to a ‘virus’ that swept through media organisations and politicians, his lawyers say. Follow updates live.
- Updated
- Gus McCubbing
Hamish McLennan confronts rugby’s biggest lie
Coach Eddie Jones always denied there were plans to ditch the Wallabies. Events seem primed to blow up in the faces of Rugby Australia, including the board.
- Mark Di Stefano
November 2023
Hamish McLennan puts on the boxing gloves and hopes for a soft landing
Despite simmering public criticism and the Rugby Australia dispute, the executive remains among the country’s most influential corporate players.
- Updated
- Jemima Whyte
Inside the Zoom board meetings which flipped rugby on its back
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan is gone, and he’s made sure everyone knows it. But where to from here?
- Zoe Samios and Mark Di Stefano
Harvey Norman terminates rugby sponsorship deal
Chief executive Katie Page says the decision to end a three-year partnership with Rugby Australia was simply a case of “bad timing”.
- Zoe Samios