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Strong moves to overthrow O'Neill
Peter Jenkins in Sydney, rugby union
27nov03
A BACKROOM coup to remove Australian Rugby Union boss John O'Neill has the game on the verge of controversy.
The Courier-Mail was told last night members of the ARU board and a faction within the NSW Rugby Union are keen for O'Neill to depart with one year still to run on his contract.
One source said the issue had been discussed in secret for almost three months and continued to bubble just days after O'Neill was lauded for delivering the most successful World Cup in history.
He announced on Monday the ARU would be guaranteed a $45 million windfall from the tournament, which was staged alone by Australia after New Zealand was stripped of hosting rights last year.
It is understood friction between O'Neill and NSWRU officials dates back to a speech he made in Sydney several months ago when he called for a broom to be put through the state union's administration.
The ARU saved the NSWRU from falling into the hands of receivers when it delivered a $5 million bail-out package three years ago.
Under the conditions of the loan, a five-man Special Executive Committee, with O'Neill as chairman, was established to run the NSWRU until the money was repaid.
The final instalment was made two months ago with the NSWRU board taking back the reins and disbanding the SEC on October 29.
But the O'Neill speech, where he called on existing officials to fall on their swords and bring in new faces with fresh ideas when the handover took place, angered several NSW powerbrokers.
There is also speculation that a report commissioned by O'Neill in August to look at the ARU's future after the World Cup further fuelled the angst.
A number of officials are said to have been annoyed that a recommendation within the report suggested one option for the ARU board, after the World Cup, would be to extend O'Neill's contract beyond 2004.
The Courier-Mail has been told there are ARU board members – the elected officials and ultimate decision makers within the game – who believe O'Neill, as a paid employee, wields too much power over the code in this country.
O'Neill does sit on the nine-man board – presently reduced to eight after the recent resignation of NSW official Chris Zucker – through his role as managing director. But the board can have him removed from the organisation by a vote of no confidence.
Peter Jenkins in Sydney, rugby union
27nov03
A BACKROOM coup to remove Australian Rugby Union boss John O'Neill has the game on the verge of controversy.
The Courier-Mail was told last night members of the ARU board and a faction within the NSW Rugby Union are keen for O'Neill to depart with one year still to run on his contract.
One source said the issue had been discussed in secret for almost three months and continued to bubble just days after O'Neill was lauded for delivering the most successful World Cup in history.
He announced on Monday the ARU would be guaranteed a $45 million windfall from the tournament, which was staged alone by Australia after New Zealand was stripped of hosting rights last year.
It is understood friction between O'Neill and NSWRU officials dates back to a speech he made in Sydney several months ago when he called for a broom to be put through the state union's administration.
The ARU saved the NSWRU from falling into the hands of receivers when it delivered a $5 million bail-out package three years ago.
Under the conditions of the loan, a five-man Special Executive Committee, with O'Neill as chairman, was established to run the NSWRU until the money was repaid.
The final instalment was made two months ago with the NSWRU board taking back the reins and disbanding the SEC on October 29.
But the O'Neill speech, where he called on existing officials to fall on their swords and bring in new faces with fresh ideas when the handover took place, angered several NSW powerbrokers.
There is also speculation that a report commissioned by O'Neill in August to look at the ARU's future after the World Cup further fuelled the angst.
A number of officials are said to have been annoyed that a recommendation within the report suggested one option for the ARU board, after the World Cup, would be to extend O'Neill's contract beyond 2004.
The Courier-Mail has been told there are ARU board members – the elected officials and ultimate decision makers within the game – who believe O'Neill, as a paid employee, wields too much power over the code in this country.
O'Neill does sit on the nine-man board – presently reduced to eight after the recent resignation of NSW official Chris Zucker – through his role as managing director. But the board can have him removed from the organisation by a vote of no confidence.