NZ Rugby chair Stewart Mitchell. Photo / Photosport
NZ Rugby chair Stewart Mitchell. Photo / Photosport
Ian Foster's fate could lie in the hands of the nine members of the New Zealand Rugby board.
After the All Blacks' 35-23 victory against the Springboks at Ellis Park, NZ Rugby boss Mark Robinson fronted the media in a bizarre press call where he left Foster's future as head coach in limbo yet again.
However, Robinson did confirm that a meeting will be held by the NZR board, who will be responsible for "the appointment of the coach".
"There will be a board meeting at some stage," Robinson said. "The board is ultimately responsible for the appointment of the coach. That's to be determined in terms of timing."
Robinson also said there will be no further comment until meeting with All Blacks management once players and coaches return home from South Africa, which is likely to be "the middle to latter part of this week".
Stewart Mitchell was made NZR chair last year, taking over from Brent Impey, who stepped down after seven years in the role.
Mitchell is a former Canterbury Rugby Football Union Chair (2012-14) and board member of the Crusaders (2008-2014).
Dr Farah Palmer – deputy chair, Māori representative
Dr Farah Palmer. Photo / Photosport
Dr Farah Palmer (ONZM) was elected to the board in December 2016.
The former Black Fern (35 tests from 1996-2006) captained the team to three consecutive Rugby World Cups and was inducted to the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2014.
Ajit Balasingham – elected board member
Ajit Balasingham is a business advisor with more than 20 years of commercial experience and led a management buy-out of transport and contracting company United Carriers.
He has been a Northland Rugby board member since 2008 and chair from 2014 to 2020.
Bart Campbell – appointed board member
Bart Campbell is a sports marketing professional with extensive experience over 25 years across the UK, North America and Australasia.
He has been a member of the NZR board since 2020, served as NZR's representative on the World Rugby Council and is an elected member of the World Rugby EXCO board. He has also been the director of Rugby World Cup Limited since August 2020.
Rowena Davenport – appointed board member
Rowena Davenport is the chief executive of law firm Gallaway Cook Allan and has a background in finance and strategy.
She joined the board of the Otago Rugby Football Union in 2014 and was appointed chair in 2019, becoming the first female chair of a major provincial union in New Zealand.
Mark Hutton – appointed board member
Mark Hutton has 25 years of international finance and private equity investment experience including being a founding Director of Evergreen Partners and Direct Capital, New Zealand's leading private company investor.
He has had two three-year stints on the board of College Rifles Rugby Football Club in Auckland.
Bailey Mackey – elected board member
Bailey Mackey was elected to the NZR board at the 2020 Annual General Meeting.
He is founder and CEO of Pango Productions, a privately owned film and TV company. He is also the representative for the creative sector on the Prime Minister's Business Advisory Council.
Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy – appointed board member
Former Governor-General the Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy has had extensive experience in governance and consulting roles in both the private and public sector.
She has served as a non-executive director for several major New Zealand companies. In 2014 she became a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the arts and business and was made a Grand Companion of the Order and received the Queens Service Order (QSO) in 2016.
Wayne Young - elected board member
Wayne Young was elected to the board in 2022 after being nominated by Tasman Rugby Union.
Young is a Blenheim businessman, former Marlborough halfback and former Tasman Rugby Union Chair.
