Another year, another review. There’s a reason things feel that way when it comes to New Zealand Rugby.
Among the many findings and shortcomings listed in the New Zealand Rugby governance review revealed by the four-person independent panel today was, ironically, the revelation that the organisation has beenthrough a lot of reviews in recent years.
But the latest review was more specific with pointing out the elephant in the room, listing every review NZR has gone through since the start of 2017. Today’s is the 11th into various areas of the game in the past six years – three of which are still ongoing.
Five have taken place over the past three years and in Thursday’s governance review it hinted that “review fatigue” was starting to feel very real in relation to NZR.
“One of the challenges facing the panel was ‘review fatigue’—not another group of people asking the same questions as last time. We have some sympathy with that view,” the panel said in its findings.
It started with two in 2017: a Respect and Responsibility review – largely brought about after the Chiefs stripper scandal of 2016 – and a referees review.
In 2018, there was a review into secondary schools’ rugby, which was particularly damning of First XV rugby and the recruitment practices of some schools.
After a blissful review-free year in 2019, in 2020 three areas were reviewed by consultancy group McKinsey: a review of rugby, the “Aratipu” Super Rugby review and the “Nga Miro” transformation review.
That was followed last year by the Black Ferns’ cultural and environmental review, which led to sweeping changes in the management of the team. Finally, a review into Māori rugby regional governance was listed alongside the ongoing independent governance review.
Other reviews ”in progress” are one into the future of rugby clubs and a community rugby IT systems review.
“That there is an urgent need for change is an almost universal sentiment across the sport,” the governance review panel said in its report. “There have been multiple reviews of rugby in recent years,” the review noted, drily.
“The problem definition is clear, broadly agreed upon within the sport, and laid out in detail in this review. Solutions appear elusive. In the panel’s opinion this is largely a leadership issue.”
Perhaps it’s time for another review.
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.
