Tew in no rush
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: The most powerful man in New Zealand rugbyy 2019 Rugby World Cup as he tries to keep the ABs on top, reports Marc c
RUMOURS of a pending Steve Tew exit are greatly exaggerated. The most powerful man in New Zealand rugby remains energised and invigorated by the job and its challenges. He’s not leaving this game any time soon.
There had been a whisper or two that Tew might look to stand down from his role as chief executive of New Zealand Rugby some time after the 2019 World Cup. Speculators had noted the closeness of his relationship with current All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen and theorised there might be a synergy in the pair stepping away in unison.
Not true, Tew has told Sunday News in Cardiff. He has no plans to conclude his role just yet, even though its demands may never have been greater in the wake of the Respect and Responsibility review adding to an already difficult environment.
Yes, New Zealand may boast one of the most recognisable brands in world sport in the All Blacks, and may continue to set the pace at all levels of rugby but the challenges remain significant. In no particular order, funding the professional game, declining numbers at grassroots level, the country’s geographical and financial limitations and the modern world of equal opportunity, tolerance and inclusiveness are among the most significant.
‘‘My job is one of the greatest privileges in world sport,’’ Tew says. ‘‘Anyone who heads an organisation has an enormous amount of responsibility, and with technology now it’s a 24/7 demand on your thinking, if not always your actions.
‘‘But I feel incredibly privileged to have been in this role for as long as I have, and as long as the board has confidence in me, is convinced I’m adding value and the right person to do the job, I don’t have any plans to finish.
‘‘If I wake up one morning and think ‘can I be bothered going through all this again?’ or get on a plane to go somewhere and don’t think of it as an exciting opportunity, then it would be time to give someone else a chance.’’
Tew is too immersed fighting the good fight to disengage yet. He feels his organisation continues to win more than its share of battles, but the war rages on, whether it be around retaining talent, getting their share of the revenue pie, or even a changing society which doesn’t regard rugby as the community pillar it once did.
‘‘It’s always interesting to read comments we’re all about the money, but in fact the money goes straight back into the game. We’re in a constant battle to retain our talent, and we’ve got 26 very hungry provincial unions and five Super Rugby teams to keep going, not to mention other programmes we run at community level,’’ says Tew.
The national game remains in a mostly strong place. NZ Rugby is about to post a massive profit, courtesy of a revenue spike from a Lions tour. ‘‘But that’s money that needs to spread over a long period of time, so we’ve got to be smart about how we use it,’’ he warns. ‘‘I haven’t seen final numbers, but our understanding is they’re going to be pretty impressive in terms of visitors and spend.’’
But Lions tours only roll round every 12 years and that revenue only lasts so long when you’re faced with the costs Tew is. His weekly wage bill alone for his All Blacks on tour recently topped the $300,000 mark.
Funding the New Zealand game is one area that Tew and his organisation do not get enough credit for. While southern neighbours Australia and South Africa struggle to make ends meet and retain players, NZ Rugby sits on much firmer financial foundations and, for the most part, keeps the players it really wants.
But Tew is always looking for further and future revenue streams. He has brought in global brands such as adidas, AIG, Tudor and Iveco, and the search for more deep-pocketed partners never ends.
‘‘The onus is on us to grow our revenue. I’m not sure we’re going to get too much more out of the New Zealand market,’’ he says. ‘‘We want our game to remain affordable to the average Kiwi, so realistically if we’re going to grow income exponentially, it has to be outside of New Zealand.
‘‘We’ve had some very interesting conversations with people over the last few months. But the reality is we’ve only got so much we can sell.’’
So far he’s been able to generate the money he needs to pay for the game that Kiwis demand. ‘‘I’m touching wood, but the dollar has been high which is helpful, we’ve created a very good environment in New Zealand for our players, and the All Blacks have become a very appealing ambition for a lot of people,’’ he says.
In terms of the broader, grassroots game, the picture is a little grimmer. ‘‘Our player numbers at the community level are both encouraging and concerning. The women’s game is growing brilliantly, and the Black Ferns have a profile trajectory we have never seen before. But our men’s numbers and teenage drop-off continue to be a challenge.’’
NZ Rugby has looked inwardly around the women’s side of the equation, and faced some uncomfortable truths. ‘‘We need to have a better XVs contracting model for our women, but it’s not easy. We are in the middle of negotiations with the players
As long as the board has confidence in me, is convinced I’m adding value and the right person to do the job, I don’t have any plans to finish. STEVE TEW