Heads must roll at NZ Rugby
New Zealand Rugby has unequivocally outlined its voting stance for the World Rugby chairman elections by putting the boot into the inherent Six Nations’ self-interest and stating the need for major reforms.
Secret voting for the World Rugby chairman role contested by incumbent Bill Beaumont and Argentina’s Agustin Pichot ends today but a winner will not be declared until May 12.
The Herald has previously reported that the Six Nations will fall in behind Beaumont, with Sanzaar instead favouring Pichot’s vision for long-overdue change, leaving a north versus south standoff and Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama with a potentially casting say.
Following NZ Rugby’s annual general meeting, chairman Brent Impey bluntly outlined exactly why New Zealand and its Southern Hemisphere allies have had enough of the status quo.
“Yes we have voted and we voted for Gus Pichot,” Impey said. “We have felt dissatisfaction over the lack of progress over the last few years over a range of issues, whether they be the Nations Championship, emerging nations, issues around eligibility, rule changes.
“While we’ve got great respect for Bill Beaumont as an individual, this has become an issue where there has been a lot of self-protection from existing players versus those of us, particularly the Sanzaar nations, who want to see the game grow. That’s why we have supported him.
“If you look back over many years World Rugby has been very frustrating from a New Zealand perspective.”
Impey went further by singling out Ireland, Scotland and Wales for blockading attempts to launch the 12-team Nations Championship, despite the promise of $6.6 billion investment over the first 12 years.
“That was the straw that said this organisation [World Rugby] needs major reform.
“What became very clear was that a number of countries in the Six Nations — I’m primarily talking about the Celtic countries and Italy — were not prepared to be open to promotion relegation and moving away from their protected competition.
“On this side of the equator, we were open to the inclusion of the likes of Japan and Fiji and other emerging markets longer term.”
Impey emphasised NZ Rugby had previously tried to push for eligibility changes — ironically now being championed by Beaumont to secure Samoa’s vote — that would allow the likes of Charles Piutau and Steven Luatua to represent their Pacific heritage after representing tier one nations.
Using NZ Rugby as an example, Impey said while his organisation is not there yet, constitutional changes had been made to include greater Ma¯ori and female representation on New Zealand’s board.
“World Rugby simply doesn’t represent anything like that.”
New Zealand Rugby yesterday announced a $7.4 million loss for 2019, and an “unrealised loss” of $3.9m from the original $19.4m investment on the five per cent shares it acquired in the new broadcast deal with Sky Television.
The positive news for NZR is the healthy state of its cash reserves which, at December 31, registered $93 million, excluding $21m invested in managed funds.
For 2019, NZR gave itself a mark of 73.5 out of 100 for the year. The low score was attributed to 20 marks missed for failing to reach the Rugby World Cup final.
NZR has, meanwhile, made three changes to its board.
Experienced senior executive Jennifer Kerr and Left Field Live sports agency chief executive Bart Campbell were confirmed. Pango Productions founder and East Coast rugby president Bailey Mackey was promoted. Former All Blacks captain Ian Kirkpatrick was elected patron.
Kerr becomes the second woman to be appointed to the NZR board, joining Dr Farah Palmer at the top table. Her presence still leaves rugby short of the government target of a minimum of 40 per cent of each gender on National Sports Organisation boards.
World Rugby has been very frustrating from a NZ perspective. NZR chairman Brent Impey