KEY POINTS:
Northland rugby chairman Wayne Peters has resigned and may yet be followed out the door by most of the current board of directors.
The board is voluntarily standing down and seeking re-appointment, but with no guarantee of getting back in.
Now coach Mark Anscombe is "re- evaluating" his future with Northland as well, along with the entire Northland squad who are off contract at the end of the Air NZ Cup competition.
Mr Peters said: "The recent Northland rugby submission to the NZ Rugby Union contained a number of representations, one of which was that the board, other than those appointed in 2007, would resign. It seemed appropriate, as a matter of timing, that I not put myself forward for re-selection.
"This is not something that the NZRU has forced upon us ... it is something we as the Northland Rugby Union offered as part of our submission. Upon consideration that has resulted in my resignation as chairman."
Mr Peters officially stood down on Monday night in an in-house email circulated to the NRU board ending his three-year term as chairman. After guiding the union through an appeal to the NZRU to save its first division status, he has left as pressure grows for the NRU to present a clean face for the future.
Deputy chair Andrew Golightly, who has stepped in as acting chairman in the interim, thanked Peters for his "massive contribution".
"His leadership, particularly in the battle to save the union from being axed, won't be forgotten. There is little doubt that his passion and knowledge of the game and ability to attract sponsorship is unsurpassed," he said.
"The current board will continue until the appointments process in early November. A new chairman will be elected at the first board meeting in November. I will continue as acting chairman through to the next board meeting in October where I will put my name forward as a candidate for chairman," Mr Golightly said.
Mr Peters' decision not to seek re-appointment has caught many off guard. He has been pivotal to expectations that the NRU will be back in the black financially this year.
- NORTHERN ADVOCATE
