It landed in late August, rocking New Zealand like a flanker’s perfectly timed tackle to the ribs. The All Blacks were already on their way to France, finishing their final preparations for the Rugby World Cup when a panel conducting long-awaited review of governance released a damning report declaring the constitution and structures of New Zealand Rugby (NZR) “not fit for purpose”.
The report did not paint a pretty picture. “In the panel’s view, New Zealand Rugby has too many professional players,” it explained. The NPC, New Zealand’s provincial competition, is “unsustainable in its current format”. The five franchises that play in the top-level Super Rugby Pacific competition “are struggling financially”.
