Melbourne Rebels coach Damien Hill faces some stiff opposition to keep his job, with Wallabies coaching co-ordinator Tony McGahan among the applicants interviewed this week for the Super Rugby post.
After two years in the job, Hill was asked to re-apply for his role despite the Rebels delivering better results this season – including taking the scalp of interstate rivals NSW.
Hill is on the shortlist, along with McGahan, who is in Melbourne with the Wallabies ahead of their second Test against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday night.
McGahan had a successful four-year coaching stint with Irish club Munster, winning the Celtic League twice.
He also led Munster to a 15-6 win over the touring Wallabies in 2010.
Due to his commitments with the Test looming, McGahan didn’t want to talk about the Rebels vacancy.
Australian Test coach Robbie Deans and his possible successor and Queensland director of coaching, Ewen McKenzie, have both been linked to the Rebels job.
Melbourne chief executive Rob Clarke was tight-lipped about the remaining candidates and the interview process but did say that the timeframe wasn’t dependent on changes in the Test arena.
“There is a short-list and I’m delighted with the quality of it,” Clarke said.
“By the end of the week the interviews will be completed and we’ll all be able to move forward with our decision making.”
Meanwhile, the Melbourne Rebels announced on Thursday that their foundation shareholders, including chairman Harold Mitchell AC, had gifted all their shares back to the Victorian Rugby Union, with the Australian Rugby Union securing the future of the financially troubled outfit.
As part of the transfer of ownership, Jonathan Ling has taken over as chairman.
ARU chief executive Bill Pulver said it didn’t mean Australian Super Rugby’s first foray into private ownership was a failure.
“I wouldn’t rate it a failure at all,” he said.
“The reality of capitalising a new rugby franchise is that you need significant capital over the first 10 years to get it up and running.
“I would describe this as phase one and we have a sensible funding plan for phase two.”
The Rebels’ inauguration in 2011 preceded Pulver as ARU boss but he conceded that the head organisation should have contributed more financially.
“They (the shareholders) have invested a lot of their own money in this enterprise, arguably money that the ARU should have put in up front.
“I think we are very lucky to have had those investors in place.”
Those shareholders won’t receive any financial compensation for their investment.
While not revealing how much the Melbourne franchise had lost, Clarke said the Rebels aimed to break even within the next five years.
