Damning report reveals NZ Rugby is 'not fit for purpose'

NEWS: New Zealand Rugby's governing body was branded "not fit for purpose" in a scathing independent report published Thursday into the country's governing body.

Released a little over a week before the World Cup begins in France, the report paints a bleak picture of New Zealand Rugby, describing it as an outdated organisation hamstrung by its own structure and not fit for the modern era.

"New Zealand Rugby in the professional era is a large and complex business. The structure it sits within was not designed for a business of this size and complexity," said chair of the review panel David Pilkington.

Former All Black captain Graham Mourie was on the panel, commissioned by New Zealand Rugby and the New Zealand Rugby Players Association, which found fault with the governing body's constitution and governance structure.

The report found an "overwhelming proportion" of the 191 people interviewed said that the current arrangements "deliver a board that, on balance, is insufficiently qualified to provide the leadership the sport needs".

Among its recommendations, the panel suggests an independent process "to ensure the appointment of an appropriately skilled, high-performing board to lead the organisation".

The panel also calls for the creation of a 'Stakeholder Council' to ensure voices from grassroots rugby upwards are heard by New Zealand's rugby chiefs.

The report also questioned the financial viability of the country's elite-level rugby system. "In the panel's view, New Zealand rugby has too many professional players."

It said the NPC, New Zealand's provincial competition, is "unsustainable in its current format", while the five franchises that play in the top-level Super Rugby Pacific competition "are also struggling financially".

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New Zealand Rugby chair Patsy Reddy said: "In December last year the NZR Board commissioned an independent review of our constitution and governance structure, with the aim of ensuring that rugby is best placed for the future.

"On behalf of the NZR Board, I want to thank the panel for their extensive and detailed report and acknowledge all those who have contributed to the review through various consultation opportunities.

"NZR received the review today [Thursday] and the Board will now take time to digest it fully.

"We are committed to considering all recommendations. We will consult with our member unions and stakeholders on their views and next steps to deliver the best possible governance framework for rugby in Aotearoa New Zealand."

A statement from the Provincial Union Chairs said: "Like all people in rugby, we have read today’s Governance Review report with great interest.

"For decades, people in our positions as chairs of the Provincial Unions have served as kaitiaki of our great game and as the governors of today we take that role very seriously.

"We are here to serve our rugby communities and the thousands of participants across the country who will demand that we put the game first.

"Any decisions that ultimately need to be made will be done so through that lens.

"This is a hugely important, deeply researched piece of work and, with that in mind, we are going to carefully consider the findings as a collective.

"Until then, we feel it wouldn’t be appropriate to comment further."

New Zealand's All Blacks kick off the opening match of the World Cup against hosts France on September 8.

AFP & NZ Rugby