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Thread: O'Neill odds lengthen

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    O'Neill odds lengthen

    O'Neill odds lengthen

    Greg Growden
    Sunday, April 29, 2007


    NEW Australian Rugby Union chairman Peter McGrath said yesterday he was determined to find the best candidate to replace Gary Flowers as CEO - which would suggest the list could include John O'Neill.

    But there appears no hope that O'Neill will reappear at the ARU, especially as McGrath - who at a reconvened board meeting yesterday was voted in unopposed as chairman to replace Ron Graham - has, sources say, been actively opposed to recalling the former Australian rugby boss.

    O'Neill, who on Friday said he was no longer a candidate for any ARU position, could have easily been persuaded to return, but only if Arvid Petersen were the new chairman.

    It is understood that O'Neill has no interest in working with McGrath.

    The push for Western Force chief executive Peter O'Meara to take over from Flowers after he leaves on May 11 has intensified. The Perth official is understood to have a close alliance with McGrath.

    The chances that former Brumbies CEO Rob Clarke will take the main position have also improved - especially as McGrath, a former ACTRU chairman, worked closely with him for many years.

    The push for O'Neill to return to the ARU effectively ground to a halt yesterday when Petersen, the NSWRU's chairman, shortly before the vote opted against standing for the ARU chairman's position.

    Petersen had been actively pushing for O'Neill to return to the ARU, but experienced overwhelming opposition from other board members, who wanted to follow an extensive process in finding a candidate.

    This process would involve using a recruitment company and interviewing aspirants.

    If Petersen were to be chairman, he wanted O'Neill as his CEO. But as the ARU board would not follow that line, with at least three directors before the vote actively demanding an "open and transparent process" for the CEO appointment, Petersen saw little point in standing against McGrath as chairman. "I was seeking the chairman's position on the condition that I had the support to bring John O'Neill in immediately," Petersen said later.

    "I didn't get that support, so I did not nominate for the position.

    "But I am now fully supportive of the process the ARU is involved in to find a CEO."

    So McGrath, a 52-year-old Canberra lawyer, became the only candidate. Former Defence Force chief Peter Cosgrove was appointed to the new role of vice-chairman.

    "This is a fabulous honour, and I am working with a fabulous group of people," McGrath said.

    "The skill sets around our board table are exceptional."

    He added that he "didn't lobby at all" for the position and said the ARU would start searching tomorrow for a new CEO.

    "We don't see the process as being necessarily long - and we do not exclude anyone from that process," he said.


    Officials drop ball again

    Comment by Peter Jenkins
    April 29, 2007


    THE Australian Rugby Union had the chance yesterday to carve a new way forward - and the most important men in the game dropped the ball cold.

    This code that is unquestionably in crisis had a highly respected businessman prepared to take the chairmanship.

    And, give it its due, the new-look board recognised the value Arvid Petersen would bring.

    He convincingly had the numbers to be the fresh and progressive leader of the ARU.

    That is, he had support until raising the name of John O'Neill.

    Petersen, a new director with no baggage who had slammed the previous ARU administration for lacking leadership, wanted O'Neill as part of his two-man ticket to revitalise the game.

    He told fellow directors the country's leading sports administrator had to be appointed immediately, that there was no need for a search because rugby was already stagnating on and off the field.

    Petersen argued it could not afford to be bogged down in the search for a successor to Gary Flowers, who leaves on May 11.

    The board members listened, but they obviously did not hear. They refused Petersen's condition and he promptly walked away.

    So the ARU lost out on its first-choice chairman for refusing his call - a plea - for an O'Neill-led recovery.

    Peter McGrath was the only other candidate and was duly installed.

    At a press conference later, McGrath revealed that a headhunting firm will now be brought in tomorrow to help find the next chief executive.

    McGrath stressed - on three occasions - that "no one will be excluded".

    That includes O'Neill apparently. But The Sunday Telegraph has been told by impeccable sources that McGrath privately and vehemently opposed any comeback for O'Neill in the lead-up to the meeting.

    If that is the case, McGrath should declare it in the name of good corporate governance - perhaps give the reasons why - and not take part in the process for appointing Flowers' replacement.

    This board is big on political correctness.

    Former director Terry Jackman was shafted for allegedly speaking to The Daily Telegraph.

    Petersen could not get O'Neill appointed because the correct procedure was a full-blown search.

    Yet influential figures admit he is easily the best candidate.

    Interestingly, there has been a very public face to the Get O'Neill Back campaign. But when it comes to the anti-O'Neill forces, only former Wallaby centre and Queensland director Dick Marks has been prepared to speak out.

    Others have done it from the shadows.

    And, for that, the game has suffered.

    The question now is who will be the next CEO and will they, in tandem with McGrath, stack up against what could have been - Petersen and O'Neill?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Burgs
    The push for Western Force chief executive Peter O'Meara to take over from Flowers after he leaves on May 11 has intensified. The Perth official is understood to have a close alliance with McGrath.
    Is this why Peter was meeting with Mr Connelly in Canberra last week??

    Come on Peter we want you here for just a bit longer, your doing an excellent job.

    http://thewholeforce.com/vbpicgallery.php?do=big&p=686

    Just heard from a contact that this is all news to Peter, just like Chopper, that Greg never let's the truth get in the way of a good story!

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    From a selfish point of view I'm with you TIF, we have achieved so much but still have such a long way to go.
    On the other hand, from an Australian Rugby point of view, who better than the CEO of the most successful (off-field) team in Australia to take the reins and give this pig-rooting mule called the ARU a few short-sharps in the guts?

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    Full marks to Petersen for persistence and blind faith!
    "Let it go Arvid, let it go!!!"

    Petersen on the attack with manifesto

    Greg Growden
    Tuesday, May 1, 2007


    Arvid Petersen, the straight-talking NSW Rugby Union chairman, is demanding changes to the Waratahs' coaching structure, including an attacking coach being appointed to stop the team's dramatic slide.

    Petersen has also not lost hope of John O'Neill returning for a second term as the Australian Rugby Union chief executive.

    Petersen, speaking on the NSW Rugby Union podcast Tah Talk yesterday, said that despite recently joining the ARU board, he would remain as NSWRU chairman for several more months to ensure the Waratahs overcome their playing and financial woes.

    Although Petersen supports Ewen McKenzie remaining as NSW head coach, he said dramatic changes had to be made to the coaching structure, after a season that has left the Waratahs fighting to avoid the Super 14 wooden spoon.

    "We have a lot to do at NSW," Petersen said yesterday. "We're just completing a terribly disappointing season. As a board we've got to make significant decisions about correcting what we believe is not just a season that is a result of injuries.

    "We've got to improve our playing ranks. We've also exposed some coaching deficiencies, and have to make some significant decisions to get our program back on track.

    "We made a mistake in not having an attack coach. That was demonstrated on the field. We certainly didn't have the attack necessary to compete. And Ewen obviously sees this as a major objective next year."

    Petersen said the team had degenerated, after last year having arguably the best defence in the tournament, "and a very effective attack".

    "I recognise Mat Rogers and Wendell Sailor are two very big losses, but our defence certainly didn't stand up, and our attack didn't stand up," he said. "On the field we went backwards and we have to fix that.

    "We have to get Les [Kiss] back to where he can focus on making us a feared defensive squad again, and bring someone in who's going to assist us on the attack side."

    Kiss, who has been the Waratahs' defence coach, was assistant coach this year. Brian Melrose, who was the attack coach last year, was not reappointed.

    When asked of his assessment of McKenzie's coaching this season, Petersen replied: "I think this year exposed our overall coaching.

    "We recognise we really need to beef up the coaching. Even our set-piece coaching wasn't as good as it should be. Ewen has focused on creating a culture of being tough and honest. I think we all have to be tough and honest, and Ewen is the first one to admit that part of improving next year is a combination of getting the player talent, but equally to improve on the coaching side."

    Petersen is as determined to ensure that the ARU gets the best possible candidate to replace Gary Flowers as CEO, when he departs on May 11.

    On Saturday, Petersen was going to stand for the ARU chairman's position, but only on the proviso that O'Neill would be his CEO.

    When the other ARU directors opposed this move, Petersen chose not to stand, which left Peter McGrath as the only nominee.

    While McGrath's appointment as chairman has thwarted the O'Neill move, Petersen has still not given up hope of convincing the other directors that the former ARU head remains the best candidate.

    The ARU has set up a three-man committee, comprising two independent directors, Rick Lee and Bob Dalziel, and vice-chairman Peter Cosgrove, to find Flowers's replacement. A replacement is expected within five weeks.

    Although O'Neill is not interested in working with McGrath, Petersen will keep pushing.

    "I don't think the door is ever shut," he said. "The board's view is that they want to have a search, be transparent and have a process. But that in itself does not discount us still convincing John to come back.

    "I haven't changed my belief that he's probably the best candidate available. I'm hopeful that even after a search that will be realised. If John can be convinced, and the timing is right, it's not over yet."

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