New Zealand Rugby Club president asked to resign by one of his predecessors

The rugby situation in New Zealand is certainly subject to many crises at the moment. The All Blacks’ sporting results are very disappointing compared to previous years, but that’s not all because the New Zealand Rugby leaders are also targets of many detractors.

On Thursday, former New Zealand coach Steve Hansen attacked them. The union also decided not to actually respond to his comments. But today, another famous name in New Zealand rugby kicks off his attack: David Moffett, the former head of the New Zealand rugby team. He held this position from 1996 to 2000.

In his attack, David Moffett said frankly that the current New Zealand rugby team boss, Mark Robinson (in office since 2019) did not fit the law. This is what he wanted to explain today to FM, criticizing the methods of his management.

We need someone who knows what he’s doing, and if he makes mistakes, as anyone can, he can accept them. We must not hide or attack the board of directors that makes decisions and determines the strategy and policies to be adopted, that’s all. But the rest of the time it’s up to the CEO to direct everything.

(…) Robinson needs to appear in front of the media, confront them, tell them what went wrong, say what he will do to make it right, and not hide behind the Commonwealth Games. This is not what is expected of a CEO.

And when David Moffett was asked if Robinson should resign, he made no effort to explain his point: “Yes, I think it should.”. The message has arrived, and it couldn’t be more clear. David Moffett still took the time to explain his position.

Because it is just the tip of the iceberg. Any rugby manager who just understands that rugby is more a business than just a sport, and a lot of sport to just be a business – you have to balance things – will always struggle.”