Rugby Australia to follow Ireland with centralised model

Australia's decentralised model has long seen rival states compete for talent, coaches and resources but it has produced diminishing returns. Pic: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Rugby Australia (RA) will take greater control of the sport's high performance programme in a bid to strengthen the national teams after reaching an agreement with provincial member unions on structural reforms.

The "strategic reset" will push Australia closer to the centralised models of New Zealand and Ireland, where provinces answer to the national federation for high performance decisions that might affect test rugby.