Clarke sails off into sunset with rugby all battened down

Interim Rugby Australia CEO Rob Clarke is set to sail off into the sunset after stepping on board a sinking ship in May.

Outgoing Rugby Australia chief executive Rob Clarke with RA chairman Hamish McLennan. Picture: Getty Images

It’s very difficult to fight the nautical theme where Rob Clarke is concerned, given that Friday was his last day at Rugby Australia before he sets off to sail around the Mediterranean, but it is fair to say he came on board a sinking ship in May and managed to get the pumps started.

RA still has not managed to navigate its way entirely through the maze of reefs but Clarke will hand over to his successor, former SANZAAR boss Andy Marinos, in the knowledge that the worst is behind the code.

In the nine months since he was asked by acting RA chairman Paul McLean to step into the breach for three months, Clarke has steered rugby through the Covid crisis, scaled down and restructured the organisation, secured Federal Government funding for the 2027 World Cup bid, jury-rigged the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Rugby Union Players Association and negotiated a new broadcast deal with Stan and Nine.

“I didn’t really know what to expect when I started in May other than that I knew we were getting into difficult waters,” Clarke said, himself waxing nautical.

“Like most businesses last year – and it possibly will remain like that this year – you just had to deal with what came at you. You didn’t know what was going to come but you sure knew that something was coming.”

Rob Clarke took over with the code in the midst of a crisis

What came hardest was the need to savagely trim back the staff at headquarters but he believes the cutbacks were sad but necessary.

“I think the reductions that we had to make have made us a more efficient and effective organisation. That said, we will need to prioritise our efforts around the initiatives and objectives that are most important. Because we simply won’t have the arms and legs to be able to do everything concurrently.”

Was anything in danger of slipping through the cracks because the survivors at RA were simply overstretched? “You will have to watch that over time,” he said. “I expect the ground is going to keep moving and that will determine the priorities. But certainly last year the priorities were survival and keeping the lights on. And we were able to achieve that and now the game has a solid foundation that Andy and the team can build upon.

“But it is still going to be a Covid challenged year and there still needs to remain an element of nimbleness and determination that make sure the game continues to push forward.”

At present, the Wallabies are expected to play three Tests against France in July, followed by the standard six Tests during The Rugby Championship, with the year to be rounded off with the spring tour in November.

It was more chairman Hamish McLennan’s baby than Clarke’s but the outgoing CEO leaves knowing that the Wallabies jersey has been locked in colour-wise. The greats of the game assembled in Sydney and Brisbane on Thursday night to vote for the 1991 World Cup jersey as the model to be followed.

So while there is still no front-of-jersey sponsor to be announced yet to replace Qantas, the Wallabies have very much returned to the gold standard.

Nick Farr-Jones, left, and David Campese with the World Cup in 1991. The gold jersey of that era has been locked in as the colout to be used heading into the future

“But we are going to have to watch how the vaccination strategy works both here and internationally to make sure that all of that content can be delivered,” he warned.

Clarke admitted that reports of the Wallabies have to take savage cut in their match payments were essentially correct. “The final elements of that will come out in due course but the players and RUPA have been extremely professional and co-operative.”

McLennan described Clarke as “a man of character”, one who had stepped into the breach.

“When Rob was appointed, he was tasked with getting rugby up and running again and he’s accomplished that better than anyone could have imagined,” McLennan said.

“On a personal note, it’s sad to see Rob go, he is a true servant of the game and we have formed a great partnership; however I know he won’t be lost to us in the future,” McLennan said

The RA chairman said he was looking forward to working with Marinos although he can hardly have helped but be aware of all the “Hamish and Andy” jokes now doing the rounds about the RA leadership team.

And on that note, Clarke sailed off into the sunset.