Rugby Australia review finds $2.6 million of unapproved expenses spent on Wallabies' World Cup campaign

Delivering 23 recommendations following an external review of the Wallabies' World Cup performance, Rugby Australia has today revealed $2.6 million of unapproved “over-investment” in the campaign.

Advising that the spending was “unacceptable” and would not happen again, Rugby Australia Chief Executive Phil Waugh advised that the expenditure “covered three main elements … team costs, staff travel and then player benefits," noting that the governing body only found out the extent of the excess spending "retrospectively".

Waugh added “the reality is that 86% of our revenue comes through the men's XVs program for Rugby Australia, and a successful World Cup program is critical to that.

"And I guess there was lenience given in the hope that we would succeed at the World Cup and make it deep into the tournament.

"Clearly that didn't happen, but the circumstances were quite unique.''

Asked how the spending could reach such a vast sum, Waugh advised "delegation of authority is important and clearly there were breaches in that area and we've made personnel changes on the back of some of those breaches.

"That over-investment, that's not acceptable and it won't happen going forward."

Waugh went on to describe the spending as being due to “a cultural deficiency that we need to rectify.”

The revelation came as Waugh also reported broken trust as being among the strongest feedback coming from players who participated in Rugby Australia's external review into the Wallabies' ill-fated World Cup campaign.

The review was conducted in the wake of the Wallabies' group-stage exit at the World Cup in France, which was the first time they had failed to make at least the quarter finals at the tournament.

In total, the review - undertaken by a four-person panel incorporating former internationals Andrew Slack and Justin Harrison, as well as renowned industry expert Darlene Harrison and Pasifika Advisor Moana Leilua - included the 23 recommendations covering high performance strategy, elite programs, culture and governance.

Image: Rugby Australia Chief Executive Phil Waugh on the day of his appointment in 2023.