New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has made changes to the way its nine-person board is selected in a bid to broaden the range of its board members.
NZ Rugby chair Brent Impey, review panel chair Kathryn Beck and CEO Steve Tew release a report into rugby culture in NZ Photo: RNZ / Rowan Quinn
The changes mean six of the nine members will be appointed by committee as opposed to being directly elected by provincial rugby unions.
The appointment's committee must also include at least one woman and will apply new criteria in selecting board members.
Chairman Brent Impy said the changes would lead to a greater range of skills and experiences being represented at NZ Rugby's top table in the future.
Former Black Fern Farrah Palmer is currently the only woman on the board of NZ Rugby.
The changes were made at a Special General Meeting of NZR and follow a recent internal review of governance.
Currently six of the nine board members are directly elected by provincial unions. Under the changes provincial unions will now directly elect only three members to the board and nominate a further three, including the Māori Representative.
The provincial nominations will be considered by the Appointments and Remuneration Committee, which now must include at least one female member and apply an updated range of skills and competency criteria.
"This is a major step forward in ensuring best practice governance processes are applied at the board level. The changes should lead to a wider range of board candidates with a greater range of skills and experiences represented at the top table in the future," NZR Chairman Brent Impey said.
He said the review found the current process for electing board members tended to narrow down the types of candidates that put themselves forward. The report also identified the need for more diverse leadership at all levels of rugby.
"The new board structure opens the way to people with different skills and backgrounds who may not be attracted by an elected process, or who might not normally get elected to the board," he said.
"This is a major decision that demonstrates NZR is serious about implementing the changes needed to ensure our game is relevant in the future and we have governors with the skills needed to succeed in our new operating environment."
