Sean Holley has given the Welsh Rugby Union both barrels after Wales’ dismal series of autumn results, culminating in defeat by Australia in Cardiff on Saturday.
Wayne Pivac is in grave danger of losing his job as Wales head coach after three defeats in four November Tests, including the 39-34 loss to the Wallabies which saw Pivac’s side throw away a 21-point lead with just 23 minutes to play.
Holley accepted there was a major case against Pivac in terms of results and performances.
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But he also hit out at the system and, in particular, at the WRU, suggesting they had become a “faceless institution” and agreeing they were no longer fit for purpose.
“It’s awful isn’t it that we’re having to talk about the plight of one man,” he said as a panellist on BBC Wales’ Scrum V programme.
“What we have been seeing has been coming in my opinion.
“It’s a product of the current system. But there are far deeper issues in Welsh rugby than Wayne Pivac.
“However, having said that, 13 wins out of 34 says it all. Three wins out of the last 12 and no back to back [wins], a lot of selection issues, chopping and changing. Have we seen a different style of play? Maybe not.”
The defeat by a severely depleted Australia “put the tin hat on it”, according to Holley.
You can follow live updates on the Pivac situation here.
When asked about the WRU and whether the organisation was fit for purpose, the former Ospreys and Bristol coach said: “No, I don’t think it is.
“I think it’s a bit archaic.
“I speak to loads of stakeholders — players, coaches, administrators, sponsors, CEO’s of regions, lots of different people — and very rarely do you get anybody who says a positive word about the WRU.”
Speaking after the union had just put out a written statement on the review they are holding into Wales’ autumn series, Holley continued: “I feel it’s become a faceless institution.
“You rarely hear from the CEO.
“We’ve had a very bland and grey statement in writing there.
“You never see him.
“When David Moffett was here — all right, some people didn’t agree with him, but you saw him and heard him a lot.”
He cited an interview with a former Professional Rugby Board chair Amanda Blanc. “The Amanda Blanc interview was the most damning in recent times, about how unprofessional the community bias [is] in terms of the major boards that make decisions rather than independent, business, high-performance people that we probably need now in a high-performance, multi-million pound company.”
There’s a widespread view that the governance issues in the union require clubs to cede some of their power to the top end of the game where most of the finance is generated, with many believing the community game has disproportionate influence. “There’s that feeling that turkeys won’t vote for Christmas,” said Holley.
“Maybe there’s a lack of communication around why we need this and the benefits it could have — the greater benefits.
“There’s a tremendous amount of self-interest in Welsh rugby at all levels.
“Without the community game, we don’t have the development of players to play the high-end game. But the revenue really comes from the high-end game.
“All the people at the stadium on Saturday that go to the games and so on — that cascades in some form down to the community clubs.
“We need each other, but it’s not joined up thinking.
“I don’t understand how it can’t change.
“A new chairman coming in will have a massive impact, hopefully, on the communication of things like this.”
He said a change in constitution might ultimately be needed.
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