Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh has declared the organisation's centralisation process is on track despite outgoing Wallabies coach Eddie Jones concerns over the handling of the situation.
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The coach cited the lack of progress on centralisation as one of multiple factors for his decision to resign. RA officially confirmed Jones' departure on Tuesday, with Waugh defending RA's handling of the situation.
Waugh and RA chairman Hamish McLennan have used the coach's exit as an opportunity to push the case for centralisation.
While the five Super Rugby franchises are united behind RA taking control of their on-field programs, the ACT Brumbies and Queensland Reds have opposed a takeover of their off-field operations.
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The Waratahs have embraced centralisation, while conversations with the Melbourne Rebels and Western Force are ongoing.
Waugh is comfortable with the pace of the process and said announcements with two clubs are imminent.
"Eddie's perception of how quickly we'll get to an aligned high-performance system probably is different to what speed we think we'll get there," Waugh said. "I feel really optimistic as we work with our stakeholders and our member unions that we're on the right path.
"There's been a consistent agreement on the fact we need to align the high-performance system. Where the confusion has entered has been around the commercial aspects, which comes back to the importance of the financials to ensure we can afford centralisation and the alignment of high performance."
![The Brumbies have resisted Rugby Australia's push to take over the franchise. Picture by Keegan Carroll The Brumbies have resisted Rugby Australia's push to take over the franchise. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/GzY3iczng7SLWqVgHSV78t/cd9ac048-e395-4cd5-b9c4-cb5ef0e8465a.jpg/r0_678_7822_5093_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Proponents of centralisation claim it will streamline operations and ensure all aspects of Australian rugby are working together to benefit the Wallabies and Wallaroos.
RA has been quick to point to Ireland's success throughout the past few years to highlight the importance of alignment.
By taking control of all aspects of professional rugby, the states and territories would be left to focus on grassroots and the community game. It's hoped this would trigger a rise in participation and increase the flow of talented footballers to the elite level.
RA has, however, been criticised for reaching too far and attempting to take over the franchises. The Brumbies in particular are concerned about their long-term future if RA was to run the team.
Critics have also pointed to the role McLennan and Waugh have played in rugby's decline and argued the national governing body can't be trusted to revive the struggling code.
Waugh defended the organisation's management of the situation and said the benefits will flow to all levels of the game.
"The most important aspect is that everyone in the system's working towards national success," Waugh said. "Across the best systems and most successful systems, that's what they do. The sooner we can get to an aligned high-performance system, the better the game's going to be at a professional level.
"Equally, the focus of that direction is the focus of member unions on participation and the community game. At the moment that has been a little bit confused and we're moving away from that. So there'll be greater focus on the community participation side of the game as well as more alignment across the high-performance elements."
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