This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Former Canterbury NRL chief executive Raelene Castle has been confirmed as Rugby Australia’s new boss in another piece of sports administration history. The New Zealander was announced as Bill Pulver’s successor as chief executive at RA’s Sydney headquarters at Moore Park on Tuesday.

Wallabies in danger of falling behind as southern hemisphere influence widens | Bret Harris Read more

Castle will take up her post on 15 January, becoming the first female boss of any of the national governing bodies of the four major football codes in Australia.

When confirming in August that Perth’s Western Force was being cut from Super Rugby, Pulver said he would stand down once a replacement was found. His contract was due to expire next February.

Castle arrives well credentialed for the role, with RA chairman Cameron Clyne declaring her the stand-out applicant among more than 200 candidates.



She was the first female CEO of an NRL club and stepped down from the role in May. Before that, she headed up Netball New Zealand.

“Raelene is an extremely impressive executive who covered every base as far as what the board was looking for in a chief executive officer to lead our game into an important new chapter,” Clyne said.



At the Bulldogs, Castle oversaw three finals appearances, including the side’s 2014 grand final loss but her final year at the club was less successful as coach Des Hasler was re-signed for two years in April before being sacked after the club finished 11th.

The debacle led to Hasler taking the Bulldogs to court, seeking $2m in damages after allegedly being told his contract was not binding.



Pulver has also endured a difficult 2017, with much of the anger over the Western Force’s axing from Super Rugby directed towards the Sydneysider as the struggling Melbourne Rebels were spared.