The majority of provincial unions that comprise New Zealand Rugby have voted to reformat the national Board so it retains links with the people who play it across the country.
The provincial unions voted for the second of two proposals to change who is appointed to the Board, how they are selected, and how the Board is advised by a stakeholder council.
Rowena Duncum, spokesperson for the unions behind the second proposal, said the new system would ensure a modern and independent Board, which has experience and empathy for the 150,000 people who play and run the game across the country.
Three of the Board members will be required to have amongst their governance skills, time on a provincial union board. The proposals were otherwise identical in their adoption of modern governance.
“The heart of the game remains anchored in the people who play it,” she said.
“The NZ Rugby Board oversees the entire game, bottom to top, so we are pleased the NZ Board will remain anchored in the entire game, bottom to top.
“We will have a Board capable of overseeing NZR’s international and commercial activity, and its management of the domestic game.
“This decision ensures that the NZ Rugby Board understands and appreciates how community rugby is affected by the decisions of it and the NZR.
A new Board will be appointed as soon as practicable. Duncum said the unions expected plenty of applications from the hundreds of talented professionals with current or past experience running rugby Boards and clubs across the nation.
She said everyone who cared about community rugby would commit to the democratically chosen proposal.
“The sun will rise on the games this weekend, as it always has. 150,000 people will be out on the playing fields, and the Provincial unions will continue their work, unchanged.”
