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It was rugby's equivalent to the Holmes and Hosking succession plan without the protracted wait of the breakfast radio takeover.
Instead, New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Chris Moller will hand over his silver fern badge next year to his deputy Steve Tew, who has been appointed on a four-year contract.
The 49-year-old Tew was the interim chief executive in 2002 after the resignation of David Rutherford following a damning independent report into the union's handling of the World Cup sub-hosting rights. Tew was overlooked for the top job when Moller, a Fonterra executive, was appointed on a two-year deal.
Moller agreed to an extension of that contract to include this year's World Cup and the union board, at its latest meeting, decided Tew was the most appropriate replacement.
Moller said he believed organisations were best served with judicious changes of leadership. He had done his time, enjoyed it immensely and now, at 53, was ready to stand aside.
He hoped to play some golf after what had been a high-pressure job.
After the World Cup misery in 2002, Moller said his greatest pleasure had come when New Zealand was announced as the sole host for the 2011 tournament.
