JK: Trust NZ Rugby
National body can be relied on to do what’s best for game
A ll Blacks legend Sir John Kirwan is calling on New Zealand rugby’s top players to trust their governing body amid a potential injection of equity into the national game.
New Zealand Rugby is in negotiations after an offer of $465 million from US technology investment giant Silver Lake to sell a 15 per cent stake in the organisation’s commercial rights.
However, more than half a dozen of the country’s top players have sought to block the move, citing concerns in a letter about the relationship with fans, as well as the safety of the Ma¯ori and Pasifika game. One of the players is All Blacks captain Sam Cane. The letter was addressed to the NZR directors and clubs, and signed by Rugby Players’ Association chairman David Kirk and chief executive Rob Nichol.
But Kirwan — a supporter of money coming into the game — told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking that players need to trust the governing body will use the funds in a way that will best benefit rugby.
“Is this a mandate for the players? Is this something they should be getting involved with? Or should they trust the NZRFU? At some stage, you’ve got to trust your governing body; they’re going to do the right thing for the game,” Kirwan says. “You need to support this money’s going to go into the grassroots of the game, and I think that will happen, I’m hoping common sense will prevail.
“I think the players care about the grassroots game, I know the leading players do. I know they’re going to sit round the table.”
NZR requires the players’ association to sign off on the move, which would be the biggest in the union’s history and in New Zealand sport.
Kirwan believes claims the culture will be impacted and NZR won’t be able to control the vast investment they’re receiving is “scare tactics“.
“I don’t think that’s the players, I think that’s Rob [Nichol] — Rob’s a pretty good negotiator and he takes a hard line at times. At 15 per cent, we’re going to control the culture, there’s no way you can change that — that’s an internal, a values thing.
“I think the biggest issue for the NZRFU is having the expertise to take that money and then make sure you continue to grow your commercial portfolio, because they [Silver Lake] will want to exit at some time.
“Equity coming into the game I think is inevitable, it’s happening all around the world.
“If you can control it, it is very important. It would give us financial security and also let us look at the grassroots of the game. Our game is in trouble — players aren’t playing, clubs are dying around the country.”
The Herald first revealed NZR’s negotiations with Silver Lake over a minority stake, after the body concluded its financial model of relying on the All Blacks was untenable.
CVC Capital Partners are the most recent to purchase stakes in rugby, buying into England’s Premiership Rugby, the Pro14 and Six Nations.