Editorial: A proposition for peace in NZ Rugby’s civil war

New Zealand Rugby's key vote on Thursday has set the battlelines for civil war. Illustration / Paul Slater

EDITORIAL

It was the great philosopher Axl Rose of Guns N’ Roses fame who once asked: “What’s so civil about war, anyway?”

The tone of debate in the early days of the dispute over New Zealand Rugby’s governance was civil enough in tone. But as Thursday’s meeting and crucial vote neared, sabres were rattled and grand threats mooted. A split between the organisation running the sport and the professionals who are the product was widening.

Now, the rival factions in New Zealand’s national game are seemingly about to dig trenches, fix bayonets and sing songs about it all being over by Christmas.

The key point on which so many arguments and egos are strung: The provincial unions want three of the nine New Zealand Rugby board members to have experience in serving on a provincial board.

The provinces say this will ensure a board that truly understands the game. The New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association says governance expertise is all that matters – there are already enough people involved in the sport who know which way round to point a scrum machine.

Board appointments will be made by an independent panel.

On Thursday, the provinces won. The players have said they’ll set up a breakaway provincial competition. Now the standoff commences.

There’s a clear compromise sitting in no-man’s land: Let the Rugby Players’ Association nominate a pool of boardroom contenders with provincial union backgrounds for selection to the NZR board.

This would create an incentive for provinces to bring people on to their boards who have real governance expertise and to increase the expertise of those already on there.

Provincial unions would be satisfied that the heartland of the game is represented at the highest level.

The NZRPA’s concern about provincial board reps arguing for their local fiefdoms or ceaselessly advocating for a defunct NPC would be addressed.

With such heated threats on the table, calm voices will need to find the path forward.