‘Complete disaster’: David Leckie calls for Rugby Australia clear-out

Media chief turned Easts Rugby director urges Raelene Castle to depart ‘before she does any more damage’.

David Leckie has called for Raelene Castle to quit as chief executive of Rugby Australia. Picture: AAP/Adam Yip

Former Nine and Seven boss David Leckie has called for a complete clear-out at Rugby Australia, describing chief executive Raelene Castle as a “complete disaster” and urging her to follow departing chairman Cameron Clyne out the door “before she does any more damage”.

Given his calamitous tenure, Mr Leckie – a director at Easts Rugby in Sydney – said it was also incumbent on Mr Clyne to step aside immediately and stop making decisions that will impact the future of the game.

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His comments came as RA unveiled New Zealander Dave Rennie as the new Wallabies head coach on Wednesday, a key appointment that will be inherited by Mr Clyne’s successor.

Cameron Clyne. Picture: AAP

“Clyne has fallen on his sword – and rightly so – but he should be gone tomorrow, not hanging around for the next few months and having any involvement in any decisions moving forward,” Mr Leckie told The Australian.

“We have to get rid of the entire board and start again. There’s not a single person on it who deserves to remain there.

“Raelene has been a total disaster. She doesn’t know rugby, she doesn’t know Australia and, judging by her time at Canterbury (Bulldogs), she doesn’t know how to manage a salary cap.

“She buggered that club. Central to your role when you’re the general manager of a club, is salary cap. That’s your first, first and first priority.”

HAVE YOUR SAY: Who should replace Cameron Clyne?

Mr Clyne, whose tenure has been marred by the furore surrounding Israel Folau, the axing of the Western Force from Super Rugby and a disappointing string of performances by the Wallabies, announced his decision to stand down as RA chairman at the governing body’s AGM in March, along with three other directors.

He has vowed to negotiate a new broadcast rights deal before he steps down and, as head of the nominations committee, will continue to have a large say in the composition of the new board and, by virtue of that, ultimately, his own successor.

Mr Leckie said the RA board had failed to adequately support the sport at junior and club level and that its very existence was now in jeopardy as the AFL continued to heavily invest in rugby’s traditional private school breeding grounds – and that the board needed fresh eyes straightaway.

“Make no mistake, rugby in Australia is in a very precarious position right now,” Mr Leckie said.

“The AFL are making a concerted effort to establish training programs in private schools in Sydney and Brisbane – and they’re dedicating a lot of money to it – and winning over parents.

“The Rugby Australia board has sat back and allowed that to happen. It’s just bloody appalling.

“Once we lose those breeding grounds – and that could happen in the next few years – the entire sport is dead.”

The 68-year-old is well-versed in the battle for eyeballs, he ran the Nine network during rugby league’s Super League split in the 90s and oversaw the AFL TV rights deals while at Seven, and said a lack of investment at club level had seem interest in the game dwindle across the board.

Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle. Picture: AAP

“Before we had the Super Rugby, we used to invest in the Shute Shield and the Brisbane competition – and they were strong and well-supported,” he said.

“The biggest insult is that Bill Pulver, when he was chief executive (before Ms Castle), pulled the funding from the Shute Shield clubs because he was worried they were pissing it up against the wall.

“I know Bill well and I’ve rung him about this and he knows my views on it. It’s not the 1970s anymore, these clubs are run by businesspeople and they need that money to survive.

“We still have the talent coming up as we always have but they need somewhere to go, and if we don’t support these clubs, we will lose an entire generation.”

Asked who he thought should be considered to make up the board, Mr Leckie said there were myriad options with the acumen to resurrect the game.

“Phil Kearns is one person who should be on the board – and I’m not just saying that because I know him well,” Mr Leckie said.

“Phil’s a former Wallaby, loves rugby but, most importantly, he is a successful businessman.

“I’m sure, if you look around, there are a lot of successful businessmen and women who love rugby and would vastly – and quickly – improve the leadership at Rugby Australia.”

Pressed on whether he would step up if approached, given his experience, Mr Leckie, who has been involved with the sport since his school days at Newington College in Sydney’s inner west, demurred.

“I love rugby and I will always do what I can to help and be involved,” he said. “But the truth is I’m so busy now. I’m busier than I ever was running Seven and Nine.”