Brumbies Stand Down CEO Jones

Brumbies chief executive Michael Jones has been stood down by the Super Rugby club’s board following a radio interview in which he was critical of the club’s finances.

Jones’ standing down followed a surprise visit to Canberra by Australian rugby boss Bill Pulver on Monday, with Brumbies chairman Rob Kennedy informing the CEO of his decision hours later.

“It was with great regret that I informed Michael of the board’s decision,” Kennedy said in a statement on Monday night. “However, I believe this decision is in the best long term interest of the Brumbies.”

The club’s general manager of community rugby, Craig Leseberg, will take over as interim CEO, while it is still unclear whether Jones will fight or accept the decision.

Jones earned the ire of club and Australian rugby officials on Saturday, when he told ABC Grandstand he was concerned about the future of the club.

The Brumbies are currently under investigation by ACT Police, after Jones called on them to investigate a deal signed by previous club management with the University of Canberra.

“If the Brumbies cease to be an entity, which is one of the very foreseeable outcomes ... the ARU will be in default of the SANZAAR agreement, because they are required to field five teams every week,” Jones said on Saturday.

“And if this organisation folds and goes into administration the ARU is in default. They are big stakes games that a lot of these guys are playing, and its fairly irresponsible of most of them to do it.”

The Brumbies took a reported $1.68 million loss in 2015, and Jones also told the ABC they have made a profit just once in the past 11 years.

However, an ARU spokesman told News Corp Australia that the organisation would step in to save the club if required.

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Reds Feel Full Force at Suncorp

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The pressure on Queensland Super Rugby coach Richard Graham has intensified after a disastrous 22-3 defeat to the Western Force at Suncorp Stadium. It continued an abysmal start to the season by the inexperienced Reds, who again failed to fire a real shot in attack and showed little to suggest they weren’t in for a long, tough year ahead.

The Force held a small lead for most of Saturday night’s match but broke away late, and sealed the win through the game’s sole try from winger Luke Morahan on the fulltime siren. Former Red Jono Lance came back to haunt his old side, booting four from four penalties and setting up Morahan’s try in front of 17,533 fans.

And as if the ongoing absence of Liam Gill, James Slipper and Kane Douglas wasn’t enough, there was more bad news for Queensland on the injury front. Hooker Saia Fainga’a succumbed to what appeared to be an ankle injury midway through the first stanza, placing him in immediate doubt for next week’s home clash with the Melbourne Rebels, while a groggy Hendrik Tui also hobbled off late in the match.

After allowing Wallaby James Hanson to move to Melbourne in the off-season, Queensland’s only back-up hooker is the raw and inexperienced Andrew Reddy. He came off the bench for just his fifth Super Rugby cap and coughed up two costly second-half penalties.

Even import fullback Ayumu Goromaru had an off night with the boot on his Super Rugby starting debut - the Japanese star was recruited specifically for his dead-eye goalkicking but converted only two of his four penalty attempts.

Showers fell before kickoff but the damp conditions alone didn’t excuse a stodgy, error-riddled showing from both sides. The Reds had 58 percent of first-half possession but still trailed 9-3 at the break, unable to convert the ball they had into attacking opportunities as was the case a week earlier against the NSW Waratahs.

Fans had to wait until almost the stroke of halftime for the first real enterprising passage of play from Queensland – when former NRL players Eto Nabuli and Karmichael Hunt combined on a threatening break that ultimately fizzled out - but even then, it was the Force doing the scoring, with Jono Lance slotting his third penalty of the night on the siren.

The Reds were unable to conjure up anything resembling a fightback in the second half, despite closing to within six points at one stage, with their raw but powerful backline again unable to click.

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Pocock Wins Australian Sports Personality

David Pocock’s emergence as one of the most-influential rugby players in the world has earned him the title of Australian sports personality of 2015.

The Wallabies and Brumbies back-rower was bestowed the honour, voted by the public, at the AIS Sport Performance Awards on Wednesday night in Sydney.

Pocock’s outstanding feats helped put Australia within reach of the World Cup title last year, after what was a remarkable Super Rugby season with the Brumbies. It followed two years of pain and intense rehabilitation on serious knee injuries.

“It felt like a long time on the sidelines,” Pocock said after thanking his family, friends, team-mates and support staff in a video message. “It was a really enjoyable year last year and I had a lot of support from a number of people after a couple of years out.

“The goal was just to enjoy it and just to seek those little improvements every week and I think I did that. I think that was key for me.”

Pocock is off contract at the end of the season but is yet to announce his next move. There is speculation he could take a year off in 2017 to study in the UK.

The 27-year-old is widely admired for his work off the field, which he admits is a “bit of a juggling act” but essential. “It gives you a bit of a different headspace and a bit of time away from the game, which is really important to have that freshness and enjoyment when you do get down to training and playing,” he said.

Golfer Jason Day was awarded male athlete of the year after claiming his first major win at the 2015 US PGA Championship and elevation to world No1.

A dominant year in the pool earned swimmer Emily Seebohm the honour of female athlete of the year, while the Australian women’s netball team took out the publicly voted team of 2015.

The Diamonds, who won a third consecutive netball World Cup, also shared the team of the year award as chosen by an AIS panel of judges, alongside the Australian women’s cycling team pursuit who crushed the world record by almost three seconds at the 2015 track world championships.

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