NSW Rugby chief Roger Davis calls for cool heads

NSW Waratahs chairman Roger Davis has called for cool heads amid ongoing disquiet about the performance of Rugby Australia.

NSW Waratahs chairman Roger Davis. Picture: Annette Dew

NSW Waratahs chairman Roger Davis has called for cool heads among rugby’s state unions amid ongoing disquiet about the performance of the code’s national governing body, warning the game needs to avoid any further unnecessary disruptions.

Rugby Australia’s humbling apology and ensuing payout to former Wallabies star Israel Folau has done little to quell concerns about the board’s handling of the scandal, but Mr Davis said the code needed to remain focused on the future.

“We are a united rugby family and we’re all people aligned in trying to ensure the best outcomes for the game,” Mr Davis said. “We want it to remain that way.”

His comments come amid rumblings about a spill motion among some quarters of the state unions to force already outgoing Rugby Australia chairman Cameron Clyne to resign with immediate effect in the wake of the confidential settlement with Folau announced on Wednesday.

The deal caps off a torrid year for the game’s national administration, following criticism of the Wallabies’ performance at the World Cup, the axing of the Western Force and the failure to identify a single Australian candidate to replace Michael Cheika as the coach of the national team.

Folau’s four-year, $4m contract was torn up in May after a three-person panel found he was guilty of a “high-level breach” of the players’ code after an Instagram post proclaiming hell awaited all “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists and idolaters”.

Although Rugby Australia has avoided a protracted legal battle by striking a deal with Folau, it is still seen as an embarrassing backdown in some circles.

The chief concern among the states bodies, which represent Australian Super Rugby fran­chises the NSW Waratahs, ACT Brumbies, Queensland Reds and Melbourne Rebels, has been ­financial — with questions raised as to how Rugby Australia’s multimillion-dollar payout to Folau would affect their funding.

However, The Australian understands at least a portion of Folau’s payout would be covered by insurance and that the heads of the state bodies will be reassured it will not have any effect on their ­respective balance sheets.

In a letter to stakeholders, Rugby Australia chief Raelene Castle said the decision to settle with Folau would give the game the opportunity to concentrate on building the sport in the new year.

“The terms of the settlement are confidential but importantly Israel’s legal claim has been withdrawn and whilst we were very confident in our legal position, this outcome provides certainty for Rugby Australia and allows us to avoid incurring ongoing legal costs and the risks and distractions of a lengthy trial,” Castle wrote.

Mr Clyne has already confirmed he will step down from his position at the governing body’s next AGM in April but will retain a strong say in the sport’s immediate future given he leads the nominations committee overseeing the make-up of the new board, who would then elect his successor.

A spill motion would require the support of at least two of the states to go ahead and while it is understood at least one of the provinces is considering the option seriously, the prevailing wisdom has been to keep a watching brief over the board’s performance during the off-season.