The ARU executives are responsible for the biggest crisis in the code’s history and they must face the music

THE SANZAAR debacle has exposed Bill Pulver and the ARU board. It’s time for them to face some hard truths, writes Brendan Cannon.

WHEN a football team is not performing, the coach gets shot.

When a code is not performing, the captain of the ship needs to be held accountable.

Bill Pulver is captaining a sinking ship, and I’m afraid enough is enough.

I’ve met Bill, I genuinely like the guy and his energy, but he has presided over the worst crisis in Australian rugby and it’s unthinkable that he can see out the remainder of his contract that expires next February.

It breaks my heart to write an article so damning of the game I love, a game I still contribute to watching my boys playing rugby on the weekends, but change needs to start now.

Everywhere I go, I’m stopped by people asking me, ‘What’s going on in rugby?’, and ‘How did they let it get to this?’

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If you are on the ARU board, you are an influencer and a guardian of the game, from the professional level down to the grassroots.

And if you are happy with your contribution to what the code is now enduring, then seek re-election.

But I can’t see how any one of them could.

Every metric tells you the game has never been in worse shape.

The process undertaken to cut an Australian Super Rugby franchise has been an absolute shambles.

Who was the ARU’s crisis manager who failed to see this coming? It’s like they’ve been taken by surprise at all the impending legal action against them, whether it be from the Western Force, Melbourne Rebels or SANZAAR.

When they decided to take this course, you’d think the first thing the ARU would have done is sat down and worked out the likely outcomes if they did A, B or C.

Apparently not, because it’s been nearly a month since they held a press conference saying a team would be cut within 72 hours and we’re no clearer on what’s going on. In fact, the issues have become more confused and complex with each passing day.

And Pulver has been invisible throughout.

Bill Pulver must face the music. Picture: Phil Hillyard

On the rare occasion he’s been sighted and publicly addressed this crisis, he has been protected by chairman Cameron Clyne.

It’s like big brother protecting little brother because no one is sure what little brother might say. There is a dynamic between Clyne and Pulver that reminds me of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito in the movie Twins.

Amid the dire performances of Australia’s Super Rugby teams, for which the ARU’s high performance department must be held accountable, this group of administrators has presided over the most damaging period in Australian rugby’s history.

At every level, there is disaffection; from schools to volunteers, professional players, coaches, broadcasters and clubs.

Rugby people are passionate and they will defend their patch.

Right now, there are a whole heap of fortresses around, they’ve raised the gates and armed themselves and they don’t want the ARU anywhere near them.

With the ARU’s chief operating officer Rob Clarke resigning on Thursday, questions remain over whether he jumped before the whole ship sank.

Who holds the board accountable? They’ve all got to take a long hard look at themselves.