Foresight is 2020 for WP rugby
WESTERN PROVINCE RUGBY has conducted an introspective climate survey to help identify keystones on the path towards achieving the objectives laid out in Toward 2020, a project aimed at making the union “the best in world rugby”.
“Our strategic plan, Toward 2020 says we want to be the best rugby franchise in the world,” said WP president Thelo Wakefield. “How will I get there if I don’t know what my staff think? This is the reason we conducted the study, it will help us to close the performance gap on and off the field.
“The climate survey gives one information of what the people at the bottom (of the organisation) think about the organisation. Because human resources are our greatest asset at Western Province – the players, coaches and staff members – it’s imporant for me to know what they think about the organisation.
“I asked them to rate the organisation in terms of many areas on a scale of one to 10. And what came out of it was exactly what I wanted to know – the training interventions that need to be put in place for senior management and executive members, and the areas where we need to jack up, like communication or the lack of acknowledgement.
“The info I got from this study is a good indication of how we can move Western Province to the desired level of performance.”
“We’ve had to marry the climate survey to Toward 2020 to ascertain exactly where we are,” said WP CEO Rob Wagner. “In a nutshell, it is a proj-
I was going to retire earlier, but I wanted to stay until after the Bulls game. I just had a good feeling about the Bulls and I thought that if I can stop there, with a good solid victory against them, what better present can you have?” Rob Wagner
ect aimed at becoming the best rugby franchise in the world, but it’s about more than just winning on the field – it’s about engaging the Newlands faithful and getting the buy-in from everybody. If we do that, we’ll have the tools to become the best rugby union in the world.
“Going along with T2020 is the complete movement and embracing of transformation in South Africa.”
“Transformation is not only about race and gender, or how many players of colour we have in the team, that’s just the tip of the iceberg,” added Wakefield. “It’s about trans- forming the whole organisation, and that includes having strategic plans in place.”
Wagner gave context to his resignation earlier this week by stating that WP needed “someone new to take us to the desired level of excellence ... with a new energy”.
According to Wakefiled, Wagner did not take any leave during his term and he has consequently accrued 240 days, 200 of which would have gone unpaid. The outgoing CEO will instead enjoy long leave before his retirement becomes effective, with Gavin Lewis serving as the interim CEO.
Wagner served the union for 25 years and the memory he cherishes most is meeting former president, Nelson Mandela. “The biggest highlight ever was the 1995 Rugby World Cup opening ceremony, I had the pleasure and opportunity to meet the late president Nelson Mandela,” Wagner said.
“I celebrate every victory like it’s the last victory, but that particular time was the most special time at Newlands, meeting that fantastic man – you cannot ever imagine how humble I felt in that man’s presence.”
Wagner was less humble about the reasons for delaying the announcement of his retirement until after the Stormers’ first game of Super Rugby 2016. The Stormers won 33-9 at Newlands.
“I was going to retire earlier, but I wanted to stay until after the Bulls game,” he said.
“I just had a good feeling about the Bulls and I thought that if I can stop there, with a good solid victory against them, what better present can you have?”