Hamish McLennan ousted as Rugby Australia chairman, replaced by Dan Herbert

The news: Hamish McLennan has been ousted as the chairman of Rugby Australia and has also resigned from the board. Former Wallaby Dan Herbert has been elected as the new chairman.

The context: McLennan was ousted in a late night board meeting, according to The Australian Financial Review, after Rugby Australia’s board met four times over the weekend following a public demand by some of the organisation’s most powerful stakeholders for him to resign. McLennan, who is also the chairman of REA Group, had earlier vowed to continue in the position.

Led by powerhouse Queensland, six member unions had sent a letter to McLennan and Rugby Australia’s board demanding he resign after a calamitous year that culminated in the Wallabies crashing out of the World Cup at the group stage for the first time.

What they said: “It has never been more important for the Rugby Australia board, working with Member Unions, to come together and execute the reform we absolutely need for an aligned high-performance system and to deliver on the commitments we have made, including to invest in Community and Women’s Rugby," said Dan Herbert.