Rugby Australia have established an ambitious plan for the next five years which will focus on performance, participation and promotion as the key pillars.

Chief Executive Officer Phil Waugh and Chairman Daniel Herbert spoke at a press conference in Sydney Tuesday morning where they emphasised the importance of capitalising on the public attention Australian rugby will receive with the major events on the horizon.

“Our ultimate goal is to become the world’s number one rugby-playing nation by nurturing talent, promoting inclusivity and driving success on and off the field,” said Herbert.

“I do think we’ve got the players, and I do think we’ve got the people involved across the game.”

With the fast-approaching British and Irish Lions tour, World Cups on both the mens and women’s side, and the Olympic games in 2028, the next five years is flooded with meaningful rugby that Australia aims to dominate by leveraging their new strategy.

Performance excellence is one of the ways Rugby Australia intends to reach number one status and will be measured by how far they go to achieving these goals.  

Win the British & Irish Lions Tour in 2025

The Lions are scheduled for nine games across Australia playing each of the local Super Rugby teams and then ending the tour with a three-match series against the Test side.

Australia has only won six of their twenty-three matches against the British & Irish Lions outfit, so turning those fortunes next year will make a big statement towards executing their five-year plan.

Compete on the final weekend at the Men’s 2027 RWC & Women’s 2029 RWC

Hosting a World Cup brings a certain level of pressure to succeed. The Wallaroos and Wallabies will have an opportunity to defy the odds and take advantage of being at home to make the final weekend of their tournaments, despite being ranked fifth and eighth in the world respectively.

Success at rugby’s most prestigious event will not only fulfil the performance goals set out by Rugby Australia, but could also contribute to how they develop participation and promotion off the back of home triumph.

Improve win rate by 2029 to more than 70 per cent for all teams in gold

In 2024, the Australian mens test team had a win percentage of just over 46% after finishing the year with back to back losses.

On the women’s side, they brought their win percentage for the year up to 40% with three consecutive wins to finish their 2024 campaign.

The expectations moving forward have been established by powerbrokers at Rugby Australia, re-stating the importance of fielding strong teams in their comments to reporters this morning. 

“Consistently building winning teams in gold, connecting and inspiring Australians and our rugby community,” said Waugh.

Win medals at LA2028

The Sevens game is also a priority for the governing body as they set their sights on the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California.

Both Australian outfits fell short in the bronze medal match of their respective tournaments. With another four years of preparation and investment from Rugby Australia, medalling at the games seems like an achievable goal.

Win two Super Rugby Pacific titles

Super Rugby champions haven’t been crowned in Australia since 2014, so ending the drought is an immediate hurdle for the five-year plan.

The Brumbies seem like the biggest chance to rise into the upper-echelon of the competition after having some success in recent seasons. 

With the NRL looking to reinforce their position in the battle between codes with further expansion in Australia, a Super Rugby title could be the catalyst for a resurgence of rugby support in the local market.