Resignation of Rugby Australia Chair welcomed

Six Rugby Australia member unions have welcomed the resignation of RA Chair Hamish McLennan.

The six unions – the ACT and Southern NSW, Queensland, West Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmanian Rugby Unions – last week informed Mr McLennan that he had lost their confidence. Together, the Member Unions represented a majority of Rugby Australia’s voting members.

A joint statement from the Member Unions said:

 “Mr McLennan has always acted in what he genuinely believed was in the best interests of our game, and his resignation today is a demonstration of this.

“It is an honourable decision that recognises his continued service had become a distraction to the game.

“Mr McLennan cannot be faulted for his energy or devotion to rugby, nor his tireless efforts for the game.

“In particular, his efforts during the COVID pandemic helped secure the game’s future during its darkest hour.

“The Member Unions remain committed to working with Rugby Australia’s new Chair Dan Herbert and Chief Executive Officer Phil Waugh on their plans for high-performance centralisation. 

“The Member Unions also look forward to supporting Rugby Australia in an independent and transparent process to replace Mr McLennan.”