RUGBY - Smillie accepts hot seat at NRU

Jim Smillie is a man with a formidable business reputation.
But even he admits his decision to step in for a six-month stint as chief executive of the Northland Rugby Union (NRU) might offer a few unique challenges.
Smillie was only offered the job on Saturday. But it didn't take long after he accepted on Sunday for the wheels to start turning. By Monday he was addressing staff at the NRU.
"My experience with accounting principles will help keep the NRU on track and sticking to budgets as outlined (and) pending the review being done by the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU)," Smillie said.
"It gives the NRU a bit of breathing space at the very least," he said.
Since March, when Rob Malone resigned, the NRU has been operating without a chief executive. NRU chairman Wayne Peters has assumed the role in the interim.
Appointed on a short-term contract until December, Smillie will remain as general manager at the Northland Port Corporation and divide his time between rugby commitments and his duties as a high school board of trustees chairman and a director with Northland 2011 Rugby World Cup Limited.
It is a stop-gap measure, but a critical appointment as the NRU battles to get itself back into credit after a $486,170 budget blowout last year. A national competitions review in September is looming as a critical deadline to get the NRU back in the black.
Smillie, previously chief executive of the former Northland Dairy Company, is a chartered accountant and has a background in auditing with an international accounting firm.
NRU board member Andrew Golightly said Smillie would bring much needed accounting experience but also insight to the ongoing battle to get the proposed multi-purpose events centre at Okara Park underway.
Smillie was previously involved in planning the development as a chairman of a stadium steering committee.
"Jim has considerable experience of working with boards," Golightly said.
While Smillie hopes his ongoing involvement on the Northland 2011 Rugby World Cup committee will have some benefit in his new role, he said the immediate concerns were preparing for the start of the Air NZ Cup next month and monitoring developments at Okara Park.
"The Northland team is critical, naturally, and the Okara Park development is hopefully very close to getting underway so we can get some clarity for the Rugby World Cup," he said.