Joe Roff and Richard Harry swamp Stephen Larkham after his field goal in extra time won Australia's semi-final against South Africa in the 1999 World Cup.Credit:David Rogers/ALLSPORT
There also appears to be a concerted push for Mortimer,should he receive and accept the states'nomination,to get to work before he is formally elected at the annual general meeting on March 30,replacing interim chairman Paul McLean sooner rather than later.
The Super Rugby chairs appear to want a new chairman to have visibility of RA boss Raelene Castle's negotiations on the new five-year broadcast rights deal,for which telco Optus appears to be in the box seat.
Castle and her strategists Shane Mattiske and Michael Tange want to have the deal sewn up and announced before the AGM,where four board seats are up for election.
But the Super Rugby chairs believe it is reasonable that a chairman-elect,who will bear fiduciary responsibility for the repercussions of any deal down the track,should have a hand in any agreement.
It would be an 11th-hour intervention,given negotiations have been underway for six months or more. But if the states can agree a nomination for chairman-elect by the end of the week it could conceivably happen,giving the candidate three weeks to work with Castle on the process.
Daniel Herbert,front right,with other members of Australia's 1999 World Cup winning squad and management team.Credit:Louise Kennerley
Mortimer,a corporate and governance veteran with more than 50 years'experience as chairman of more than 20 corporations and non-profit organisations,including the MySale Group,Opera Australia,Leighton Holdings and Australia Post,declined to comment when contacted by theHerald. But sources indicated Australia's two biggest rugby provinces,Queensland and NSW,would be comfortable nominating the 74-year-old.