Guided NZ rugby through a turbulent period in sport’s history
Rugby administrator
FORMER New Zealand Rugby chairman Eddie Tonks, who died on October 18 aged 86, was first appointed to the New Zealand Rugby Football Union board at a time of significant change and controversy on the rugby scene.
Tonks, who was educated at Khandallah Primary School, Waipu District High School and Wellington Technical College, was appointed to the NZRFU in 1986 and was part of a drive to have more business experience on the national board.
This was largely as the result of changing requirements in the administration of the game, especially regarding the onset of the Rugby World Cup and increasing demands — many of them led by All Black Andy Haden — for better treatment of players.
Tonks had his own exporting company and had been prominent on the Wellington rugby scene. He was a life member of the Onslow Rugby Club which later became
Western Suburbs after some local amalgamations.
His appointment to the
NZRFU board came amid the Cavaliers controversy. The team, all but two of whom had been selected for the 1985 tour of
South Africa — which was cancelled due to a legal challenge in New Zealand — embarked on a rebel tour without the approval of the national union.
Players who went on the tour received a twotest ban, contributing to the All Blacks’ loss of the Bledisloe Cup that year to Australia.
But it was also a period of change in the game. World Rugby had been convinced by New Zealand and Australia to stage a Rugby World Cup, and Tonks became involved with the preparation for the inaugural event hosted by New Zealand and Australia in 1987.
He became chairman of the union in 1990 and served until 1995, when rugby was on the cusp of going professional. He also had a stint as chairman of World Rugby.
During his tenure as NZRFU chairman, he was part of a controversial decision to appoint selector John Hart as a cocoach, with incumbent coach Alex Wyllie, ahead of the 1991 Rugby World Cup in Britain and Ireland in which the All Blacks finished third.
Tonks told television commentator Keith Quinn in the documentary series, Legends of the All Blacks, ‘‘There has been some unrest from within the team with the coaching setup. Grizz [Wyllie] didn’t get on with a lot of the players at that time. There were certain issues the players’ committee took exception to. But it was very late in the day from the World Cup point of view, and we didn’t want to take a major decision, like getting rid of someone, because that would have been worse for us.’’
Tonks said it was not the most harmonious relationship between Hart and Wyllie, ‘‘and, in hindsight, I know dashed well that the cocoach setup didn’t work’’.
‘‘They had almost identical points of view, but there was a temperamental difference.
That’s what caused the conflict.
‘‘But at the time we thought it was in the best interests of the All Blacks. I was certainly one of the people behind the decision. I was the chairman and had to lead the way.’’
Tonks was on the NZRFU board from 1986 to 1995. He was deputy chairman in 198889 and chairman from 1990 until 1995, and made a life member in 2004. He was also deputy chairman of the Wellington RFU from 1977 to 1989.
New Zealand Rugby chairman Brent Impey said Tonks’ service to the game was immeasurable.
‘‘Eddie started on what was then the NZRFU Council in 1986, and played a key role in the organisation of the 1987 Rugby World Cup, which of course was a huge success. Nearly a decade later he helped lay the groundwork for the game to go professional in 1996.
‘‘He was hugely respected in both business and rugby and will be missed.’’
Tonks is survived by his wife, Claire, children, Murray and Carolyn, three grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren.
— NZ Rugby