Hamish McLennan’s can-do attitude a breath of fresh air for troubled code

Incoming Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan will not shy away from making the tough decisions.

The incoming chairman of Rugby Australia, Hamish McLennan at Rugby Australia’s head office in Sydney on Friday. Picture: John Feder

Incoming Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan had outlined his vision of a State of Origin series for rugby when talk turned to the eligibility criteria that might apply to a player born in, say, Canberra. “Let others figure that out,” he said. In a way, that seems to be the McLennan formula. He may not always be the author of an idea — the Origin concept was first pursued seriously by the Queensland Rugby Union back in 2016 — but if he likes the “big picture”, he will back it ferociously and let others fill in the details.

Indeed, former Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland marvels at just how big a picture McLennan was prepared to take on, recalling that not only did the former boss of Ten put in a bold bid to secure the rights to the Big Bash from Fox but then stunned the cricketing world by going a whole lot further. Not content with chasing the rights to the domestic T20 competition, McLennan also attempted to steal the international rights away from Nine with an audacious bid.

GRAPHIC: Possible State of Origin teams

“In the end, Nine had a matching right and chose to take that,” Sutherland recalled, but clearly his admiration for McLennan’s daring rose dramatically.

Veteran TV producer David Barham who, as head of sport for the Ten network, watched on as McLennan pursued the Big Bash relentlessly, enhancing the start Fox had given it but eventually taking it to another level.

“He certainly had a big role in securing it and supporting it when he got it on air,” Barham told The Weekend Australian on Friday.

From the outset McLennan recognised what the Big Bash could become. He wanted to enliven it and make it more family-friendly. He let Barham have his head with innovations and he now hopes to bring the same excitement into Super Rugby, exploiting some of the law variations now being canvassed.

Another Ten employee, Wallabies legend Matt Burke, loved the fact that McLennan was prepared to listen. But he also recognised that operating at a high level throughout his career also demanded other skills. “When you are talking about that area, you’ve got to be ruthless in a way and I imagine he (McLennan) has that in him as well,” Burke said.

It was an astute observation, it seems. Another source close to McLennan admitted the chairman-elect would not baulk at the tough decisions that lie ahead once he takes over from former Australian captain Paul McLean on June 15.

“Hamish is known as The Hammer and he is not afraid to get in and make the tough calls. Given the parlous financial position Australian rugby finds itself in, he probably is the right guy for the job,” the source said.

Even on Friday, in his first interview after being named RA’s chairman-elect, McLennan demonstrated that toughness.

“It’s inevitable there will be job losses,” he said, when asked about Rugby Australia’s staff at headquarters. “We are in very testing times with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

But according to Sutherland, McLennan will bring other attributes to the job.

“Without knowing the gory details of the state of the game but obviously Hamish, with his advertising background, has a really good understanding of value and how to get the best out of an asset,” Sutherland said.

“Obviously the commercial relationships you have are integral to that but it is also about engaging with your fan base and your customer base and that is something that Hamish had made a career of, understanding customers and adapting to situations.

“I’m excited for him. It’s a great challenge. And I’m excited for rugby as well, because he will be looking ahead and looking up.”

The gory details were made a little less grotesque on Friday when word came through that World Rugby has signed off on a COVID-19 rescue package worth $14.2m — not quite the strongly hinted-at $16-17m, but enough to allow Rugby Australia to close off its 2019 accounts. Yet, on the same day, World Rugby also issued a communique that the Wallabies July Tests against Ireland and Fiji had been “postponed”. No surprise there.

“The next few years will be lean,” McLennan warned, “but there are a lot of good things we are working towards including the British and Irish Lions tour (of 2025) and the World Cup bid for 2027. And if we get the World Cup, Australia won’t have a solvency issue.”

McLennan will be just two days past his 54th birthday when he takes command of Rugby Australia, young enough to have the energy he will need for such a daunting role, old enough to have accumulated the experience to navigate the vipers’ nest that Australian rugby has become. Certainly he has no intention of standing by idly while rugby tears itself to pieces.

“We need to solve all these issues behind closed doors and the pathological leaking only hurts the game,” he said.

It has been a frightful couple of years for the game and McLennan, a lifelong fan since he played rugby at Shore School, has suffered along with all other lovers of the sport. “It has been quite distressing. So when I was asked to join the board, I decided to jump in and help.”

While his background in News Corp, a part-owner of Fox Sports and the publisher of this newspaper, may take him further in his dealings with broadcasters, he was not offering any guarantees that he would succeed where former Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle faced major difficulties after rejecting the initial Fox offer.

“I believe Fox have stated that they have moved on from rugby. Rob (Clarke, the interim CEO) will pick that one up. So let’s see.”

The future of professional rugby may well be hanging on the outcome of the negotiations.

Ever the optimist, however, he does not envisage that calamity striking and believes that with Dave Rennie as the national coach, the Wallabies can lead from the top while, simultaneously, the game rebuilds from the grassroots up. He contacted the Wallabies coach on Friday and believes he is the right man for the job.

“Dave Rennie is rock solid, incredibly decent and I think he is a brilliant choice. I think he will be really good for our team and I am here to support him.”

It may be that McLennan is also a brilliant choice. Given his links to the media, big business and sport, he may be the best-qualified person ever to lead Australian rugby. And no less a rugby figure than John Eales believes he can succeed.

“The great thing about him is that he comes into the position with independence and a deep love of rugby,” Australia’s greatest Wallaby said.