Six months after the Wallabies’ worst World Cup result, Rugby Australia has announced a $9.2 million deficit from the 2023 season.
The Roar can also reveal RA board director Karen Penrose has been unsuccessful in her attempt for re-election.
Other directors Matthew Hanning and Jane Wilson were re-elected for a further three-year period, while former National Rugby League executive Alexi Baker and Brisbane businessman Hans Pearson were elected.
The result is a blow to the Supporters of Australian Rugby Reform, who called for the entire RA board to be overthrown.
A year after RA announced a $8.2m profit, the governing body had long expected to announce a big deficit given the World Cup year. However, it was less of a financial loss compared to the 2019 ($9.5m) and 2015 ($9.8m) World Cup campaigns
With just two home Tests in 2023, down from six in 2022, the Wallabies’ matchday revenue was down from more than $37m to $12.9m.
At the same time, operation expenditure increased $11.5m to $130.5m.
The Wallabies suffered their worst World Cup result under Eddie Jones in 2023. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The increase was driven by additional high performance costs, especially in the Wallabies, Wallaroos and Australia A programs, as well as increased investment in Super W and an increase in player payments reflecting 2023, being the first year of a new collective bargaining agreement with players.
In particular, RA was forced to pay two Wallabies head coaches after sacking Dave Rennie in mid-January 2023 and parachuting Eddie Jones into the role.
The figure comes less than two months after RA chief executive Phil Waugh revealed there was a $2.6m overspend in last year’s World Cup campaign in France.
In a statement on Monday, Waugh said RA would continue to be fiscally responsible, especially given they have taken over the operational costs of the Melbourne Rebels in 2024.
“We have set a clear path forward – to unite the game from the grassroots to the elite level, to maximise efficiencies in high-performance, to invest in growth areas of the game – especially in community and women’s Rugby – and to set the game up to maximise the commercial opportunities over the next six years to ensure a thriving future for Australian Rugby,” Waugh said.
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh announced a $9.2 million deficit from their 2023 campaign. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)
In his chairman’s address, Daniel Herbert conceded the decision to sack Rennie and appoint Jones hoping for a “quick fix” did not work and that the board would ensure there is no “repeat”.
“After changes at the Wallabies and board level, the remaining directors and new executive team were determined there would be no repeat of 2023,” he said.
“If there is a lesson that Rugby needs to heed, it is that we need to stop looking for the “quick fix”. We owe this to our players and fans moving forward.
“So, we set about building capacity, capability, and accountability in our High-Performance, with Peter Horne joining Rugby Australia late in 2023 to lead the restructured HP department, and Jaime Fernandez joining as the first dedicated women’s high-performance manager in that team.
“They have gone on to select capable and experienced staff with a track record of excellence. Headlining these appointments is new Wallabies coach, Joe Schmidt, and new Wallaroos Coach, Jo Yapp.”
More to come.