'How can you do that': All Blacks great blasts Raelene Castle criticism

Test great John Kirwan has denounced the ex-Wallabies calling for the head of Rugby Australia boss Raelene Castle, saying former All Blacks would never air dirty laundry in public.

Kirwan also launched a fierce defence of Kiwi compatriot Castle, saying 17 years of ongoing mismanagement is to blame for RA's teetering financial state.

‘UNBANKABLE’: Wallabies legend savages 'atrocious' RA mess

Former Wallabies Rod Kafer and Nick Farr-Jones have been critical of Castle in the past week since the chief executive revealed the chasm the organisation finds itself in.

A group of former Wallabies are reportedly agitating for change, with Phil Kearns believed to be a favoured replacement as CEO. Former Wallabies captain Kearns has denied having designs on the top spot.

Ex-All Blacks winger Kirwan said he could barely fathom why a sport would want to overthrow its boss while the impact of the coronavirus pandemic is so acute.

"They should be working together. As ex-All Blacks, we very rarely go outside with our criticism before we've said it inside," Kirwan told Sky TV's Breakdown program.

"Getting attacked by so many people, it must be a pretty lonely place for her.

"Some of these famous ex-Wallabies maybe need to knock on her door or have a Zoom, and just say 'these are my concerns and these are my solutions'."

Union’s decline in Aus: Kirwan

Kirwan said blaming Castle was a "cop-out" given the gradual deterioration of the sport in Australia since 2003, when it reaped enormous revenue by staging the Rugby World Cup after cutting New Zealand out of the co-hosting.

That was also the last year Australia held the Bledisloe Cup.

"I know we're going a long way back but they were one of the wealthiest unions in the world," Kirwan said.

"What has happened to the development of the game, for the game as a whole?

"We're seeing Waratahs teams that don't have a strong bench. There's a whole lot wrong."

Castle has come under intense scrutiny over her handling of the Israel Folau affair which played a big part in a heavy financial loss for 2019.

Kirwan believed she handled a delicate situation as well as possible and her experienced leadership would be needed to ride out the ravages of Covid-19.

"How can you even be talking about sacking your CEO during a world crisis? I don't even get that," he said.

"We need our Australian brothers, we need Australian rugby really strong."