New Zealand Rugby boss Brent Impey will relinquish the chairmanship of SANZAAR, citing a need for independent leadership at the “outdated” governing body.
Impey has held the SANZAAR role for five years but made it clear the southern hemisphere association needed independent leadership to improve an “outdated” structure.
“In my view it is time for SANZAAR to make some fundamental changes which are best placed to happen under an independent chair,” he said on Tuesday.
“While there was no imperative for change it was appropriate to rotate the role, however I now believe that the role of chair of a national union as well as chair of SANZAAR is a conflict for any country.”
Impey also recommended the body become membership based.
“The four country (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina) consensus model is outdated if we are looking to grow the game commercially and internationally,” he said.
“A membership model would allow the group to act together on issues such as the global calendar, rules, regulations, governance, and mutual commercial interests.
“Currently, the odds are heavily stacked against SANZAAR in its present form being able to affect change.”
Impey drew the ire of the Pacific nations when he shot down plans for a team to join the domestic Super Rugby offering for next year,
There were protracted tensions across the Tasman too when Australia’s involvement in any combined league was seemingly not entertained.
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan claimed the relationship with New Zealand was at its “lowest ebb” after a series of disagreements, however the two organisations have since finalised plans for an end-of-season competition involving Super Rugby clubs from both countries.
This year’s Rugby Championship was reduced to a Tri-Nations affair when world champions South Africa chose not to travel to Australia, promoting fears they would instead link up with
northern hemisphere nations in the future.
But their commitment to the tournament until 2030 came earlier this month as SANZAAR announced the championship would be restructured into “mini-tours”, with teams set to play two matches in one country one year, then two in the other country the following.
TRhing-me
Roar Rookie
Dear old Brent unfortunately represents the Corporate Old Boys network, so prevalent at Newmarket High School in Auckland from whence he came. Having ill health has not helped and for that we should wish him well. But the game needs to bolster its status on a global scale. Leaving the Pacific Islands to flounder as we have done just opens a door for league to step in. The great Hugo Porta as Minister of Sport in Argentina appealed for support but his cries for help fell on deaf ears which only illustrates the point of how rugby has for better or worse not fostered the game. Time to bring back tours where the All Blacks visit the Republic and Zimbabwe with one or two games in Kenya thrown in for good luck or what about Romania? Canada? Uruguay?
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Non test matches on a tour are quite rare these days unless it's the Barbarians or Lions. You might get one. How the World Rugby schedule works is that each NH team will tour one country and play three tests where we keep the money. Then in November we tour Europe, playing one test each in three countries and they keep the money. Then we might play an extra game where they give us a share. So we play any given country most years once, while they play us less frequently but when they do it's three games. One of the reasons why England didn't play us much after 2014 was because they asked to front load their matches against us - they played us three years in a row 2012-14 & also toured here, but only once 2016-19.
Micko
Roar Rookie
That will never help Australia or NZ match the US at basketball and you know it. It's just a meaningless phrase that sounds good. Plenty of other factors contribute to the reality of the situation.
Micko
Roar Rookie
But isn’t England touring NZ even more lucrative? Presumably they don’t travel all that way for a one off test, so at least two or three tests, plus a couple of tour matches probably. It seems to me you guys are cutting off your nose to spite your face. England ain’t going to go broke by not hosting NZ.
Fracktobunt
Roar Rookie
Cool, have a great day
Awesome theory.....So succently put and backed up with totally undisputable facts.....Great post!!! heres my response Nope. Picked the perfect time....
Fracktobunt
Roar Rookie
Nope should have moved 5 years ago.
YEP..........Should move........Cheers for proving me right again...
Fracktobunt
Roar Rookie
“He makes no statement about the last 5 years so one can only presume there was no conflict” No need to presume anything Jacko, just read the quote from the CEO of the organisation and it clearly says there been a conflict for “some time” already. CEO of Sanzaar Andy Marinos was quoted as saying: “Sanzaar has for some time recognised that the chair should move to an independent position to remove any conflict of interests and that best practice governance is followed.”
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
JD, Jamie Roberts came to SA primarily for his medical career.. Got a gig with the Stormers which nowadays very difficult for a non SA citizen to do.. But rugby was secondary.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Michalak… And of course John Plumtree.. We taught him to coach :silly: but also John Allen.. Geez how did a Scotsman get to play front row for the Boks.. Also Irish scrum half John Robbie… He was sensationally good.. Good person too. W
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
NV, I'm not into pissing contests.. Enjoy all on your own.. I'm sure you b one of the best.
Nobrain
Roar Guru
You are correct, I was throwing a dart to our friends from the six nations.
Olly
Roar Rookie
Yes, buying in players has been so successful for Rugby in Australia with such great returns…..You get new eyeballs on the sport by investing in the youth. Good night Micko, I have lost interest.
The Neutral View From Sweden
Roar Guru
Well, South Africa not being hot on Japan and the PI has nothing to do with the WC vote. More travel and more Tests in poor timezones for SA (combined with the lure of Europe) are the reasons why.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
They have never played us outside the window.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Australia and New Zealand have a mutually agreed revenue sharing model for any extra tests we play against each other. Nobody is ripping off the other.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
It's not about owing us anything. It's called market forces. We have one test outside the window each year to make the extra money we need to make ends meet. Why should we enrich a competitor who wants to rip us off?
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Except they do care. People all over the world want to see the All Blacks. That's why it cost 30% more to watch the All Blacks than the Springboks at Twickenham in 2018. So if England won't pay us what we're worth why should we go to England for that precious extra outside the window test when others will pay?
Yawn