Paku picked to lead way for MRU

Shannon Paku has been confirmed as the Manawatu¯ Rugby Union’s new chief executive.

The 37-year-old former Manawatu¯ , Wellington, Hurricanes and Blues outside back will take over from John Knowles, who announced in August he was stepping aside from the role at the end of the year.

Manawatu¯ Rugby Union board chairman Tim Myers said Paku would start the role in March and Knowles would stay on to help bridge the gap until he starts.

Paku was one of four people interviewed for the role in front of a panel of Myers, fellow board members Terry Clare and Justin Leck, sponsor representative Debbie Hart and New Zealand Rugby’s Steve Lancaster.

Myers said it was Paku’s business acumen that put him on top of the pile.

‘‘He has owned his own business and has really good commercial awareness which at the end of the day tipped him over the line as opposed to the other applicants.’’

Paku has been running his own milk truck business in Wellington since he retired from rugby at the end of the 2010 season and was added to the Wellington Rugby Union board of directors in 2015.

‘‘We think that he is going to be an excellent person at engaging with the various stake holders. He has very high emotional intelligence, he connects with people and he is very good at creating engagement,’’ Myers said.

‘‘We need someone who is going to be able to pick up where John left off. He has done a fantastic job, but this business is changing and we need someone who can be across those changes.’’

Paku is a familiar name for Turbos fans having donned the green and white for 13 games in 2010.

Paku grew up in Masterton, but went to school at Hato Paora College, before heading to Auckland for his final year at St Stephen’s College in Auckland where he made the New Zealand Secondary Schools team.

His first-class playing career started with Wellington in 2000 and he debuted for the Hurricanes in 2002. He spent 2003 with the Super Rugby champion Blues playing two games and a further six for Auckland before returning to the Hurricanes and Wellington in 2004.

Paku played his last of 64 games for Wellington in 2007 and the last of 55 games for the Hurricanes in 2008.

From there he played for Montauban in France before returning for a final flourish in New Zealand rugby with Manawatu¯ in 2010.

Myers said Paku’s playing experience was an advantage.

‘‘The role is becoming more and more demanding and having that kind of player insight is a valuable component,’’ he said.

Paku and his family plan to move to back to Manawatu¯ before his start date.

Meanwhile, the union also confirmed High Performance Sport New Zealand’s senior performance consultant Eddie Kohlase has been appointed to lead the full review of the organisation which starts tomorrow.