December 12, 2025 • 11 mins
The Wellington Rugby Union has exited its 50% shareholding of the Hurricanes, with a group led by Upper Hutt developer Malcolm Gillies taking the stake in the Super Rugby franchise.
It follows several years of significant financial losses for the Hurricanes, something the WRFU had to stomach as a 50% owner.
Adam Cooper spoke to WRFU CEO Tony Giles on what this means for the union going forward.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
From Junior net Born at Hititi to the Pulse at TSV.
We've got it covered on the All Sport Breakfast with
Rutherford and Bond Toyota and King Toyota on News TALKSB
seventeen to eight tier on the All Sport Breakfast. Well
It's been an interesting week for the future of professional
rugby in the Wellington region. The Wellington Rugby Union has
held a fifty percent steak in the Hurricanes since twenty twelve,
(00:22):
but as of this week that is no more. Of course,
the Hurricanes are on track for a two million dollar
loss this year, so collectively that's meant about a four
million dollar sort of loss over the past few seasons.
And so given the Wellington Rugby unions fifty percent steak,
this has proven a challenge for the union. Hence they've
now offloaded this steak, of course to a group led
(00:45):
by Malcolm Gillies, developer from Upper Hut. So what does
this all mean for the Wellington Rugby Union and the
game at a local level? Here, Wellington Rugby CEO Tony
Jiles joins me this morning here on the All Sport Breakfast.
Morning Tony, and thanks for your time. After a tough
few years. Is this the outcome you and the Wellington
(01:05):
Rugby Union we're after?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, thanks Adam, I appreciate it being on here. It's
been an interesting week, isn't it. The ownership in the
Hurricanes is no longer, but that in and of itself
provides a lot of excitement I think for both entities.
I think we've heard during the last week of the passion,
the excitement and the drive and the new private equity
(01:28):
ownership within the Hurricanes, and we wish them all the
very best as we go forward. I mean, we haven't
had a negative uncoupling. This is still an arrangement and
an alignment between two organizations. It's just an ownership change,
and I wish Tony Felken their new private equity board
all the very best. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
So from Wellington Rugby's perspective, and I mean it's been
referred to in annual reports and things that the Hurricanes
shareholding has been an issue for you guys. Big losses
for them have meant losses for the Wellington Rugby Union.
So how crucial was it getting out of this for now?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
To be brutally honest, it was everything. But it should
also be knowledged to the listeners that you know, Wellington
Rugby has been on the receiving ends of some really
really positive results for a long time as well. You know,
we go back, you know, through the last decade up
until around two nineteen wanting to rugby union with the
benefactors of some wonderful results on the back of the
(02:28):
Hurricane's financial performance. Obviously in that dreaded pre COVID environment
and beyond, things have been challenging for a lot of
sectors in kind of with the New Zealand and certainly
within the Wellington region and sports has had its challenges
in that space. So for a number of consecutive years
since twenty twenty, there has been significant deficits and as
(02:52):
a fifty percent owner, Wellington Rugby has been hit with
a fair bit of equity reduction to a point where
that risk was just too big for us to sustain.
And hence again we're excited around the private equity ownership
that people such as Malcolm Gillies and Summit Capital are
now providing.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Yeah, and so just just back to when you know,
since twenty twelve, those what eight or so years that
the Hurricanes were delivering a profit, what does that do
to your I guess potential revenue now that that you know,
if the Hurricanes had a good season, that revenue stream
for WRFU isn't there.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
So I mean the opportunity now is for Willington Rugby
to really singularly focus on its community game. That's where
we need to get back and get alignment with, so
focusing on our members, our eighteen strong clubs, our near
ten thousand affiliated members within the wider community, that's where
our focus needs to be, not worrying about where or
(03:53):
how we're going to be financially sustainable under the what
was pre existing alignment with Hurricanes. Ability now is for
us to revitalize ourselves, reconnect with our community game, understand
and get really aligned with our clubs and our members
to ensure that we continue to provide a thriving community game,
which it is. We've had growth in the last couple
(04:15):
of years. On the back of twenty twenty four we
had five percent growth and our affiliated membership across the
network and every demographic, girls and boys and teenagers flooded
back to the game. It was fantastic and obviously now
as well that we've kind of uncoupled ourselves from the
ownership is to be sustainable in our own entity, to
(04:38):
look at what successful, growing and profitable business for Warnington
Rugby should be and that will be the two singular
focuses for US community game financial sustainability end off.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
It's also been pointed out in annual reports obviously when
the team say the Lions have had a successful year
in terms of hosting three home playoffs in a row.
It's actually really hit you guys as well. Does that
model need to change in terms of unions around the
country and who covers those costs?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Yeah? I think it is that it's something that US
as provincial unions are in in direct dialogue with New
Zealand Rugby constantly around how that looks. I mean, yes,
you're right. We just go back fifteen months or so
we were all started running in Wellington a wonderful NPC
victory for the Wellington Lions back in October twenty and
twenty four. That was an incredible run, an incredible year.
(05:27):
We actually split our delivery across community delivery for three
games in Poro Park and the rest of the games.
A run of five consecutive games at Sky Stadium right
through to the final against Bayer Plenty at Labor Weekend
that year, you know, and from there there were five
young men that left the Lions and went on to
(05:48):
fulfill lifetime dreams of wearing black jerseys. So, you know,
the NPC absolutely has its role, but how we can
make that sustainable for provincial unions going forward is absolutely
critical and a part of that coopes is the change
that Jinelan Rugby has already made. New Diitan Rugby and
SkyTV announced just last month that provincial rugby will be
(06:11):
coming from behind the payball and going to free to
air from twenty twenty six. That provides umpteen opportunities for
us to promote, to align our stakeholders and partners and
really promote and provide success in provincial union rugby.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
You took all the home lines NPC games out of
sky Stadium this year, took them to the more community
focused setting Potty to a Park. Was that a successful
move and are you looking at doing the same in
twenty twenty six under the new competition structure with that
new TV rights deal.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Yeah, we're kind of going through those discussions now. Obviously
everything's on the table, so we don't yet have a
draw from New Zealand Rugby as to what the NPC
will look like. We know it'll be similar timeframes to
this season, So the NPC will commence the last weekend
of July, first week in of August, that kind of time.
(07:05):
There will be a change to how the SPCs delivered
day will start slightly later due to the OPAK season
being extended. But yeah, we're in discussions with sky Stadium
that is the home of rugby and Montent so we're
certainly having wonderful dialogue with Warwick Dent and his team.
But yeah, we have options on the table to ensure
that we do the right thing for our stakeholders. And
(07:27):
like I say, this is about having a thriving community
game Wellington Rugby being accountable and looking after its own viability.
But putting our members at the forefront of every decision
where we play and who we play with is going
to be part of that.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
And he talks about, you know, the areas of focus
and you know, all demographics are pretty strong sort of
ending twenty twenty five, what is your biggest focus area
at the community level for next year?
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Yeah, certainly, I mean there's a number, but I mean
woman and girls continues to be a focus for rugby
full stop and sport right full stop. We have open
that game, teenage boys, getting young people involved in our
game are Runna Tahi involved. That's really really critical as well.
So making sure that we connect and align with our clubs.
And I'm the first to acknowledge that Wellington Rugby in
(08:13):
recent times probably needs to have done better. We haven't
aligned with our stakeholders meaningfully. There's been a lot of discussions,
as there are in most sports, around by laws and regulations,
and that tends to be the focus. Sometimes we do
lose the fact that our member needs to be at
the forefront of those decisions. So certainly focus at the
community game alignment with our clubs to ensure that they're
(08:36):
brought on the journey and that together we can be
part of a really successful rugby union that has provided
so many great memories for so many of your listeners.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Yeah, indeed it has antonia terms of the relationship now
going forward between the Wellington Rugby Union and the Hurricanes,
we know that Chair of the Board of Wellington Rugby,
Phil Holden, will stay on the board of the Hurricanes.
What benefits does that provide Wellington Rugby.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Yeah, I think it's important. Tropes, I mean, feels an
incredible leader, he's a professional director, He's navigated through this
really really challenging time with great professionalism and it's a
joy to have them involved in our organization. We are
glad that through the negotiation, Wellington Rugby has been able
(09:23):
to have a seat on the Hurricanes board in perpetilities,
so we do have a voice within that organization. And
like I say, this is not an aggressive divorce. We
are looking to see how we can in the future
actually remain aligned work together because there are synergies between
both unions. We share assets, we're currently at the same facility.
(09:45):
You know, we need to actually be mature around how
both of us can work better and more closely together
in the future. Right now, it's about both entities becoming
successful and profitable, making sure that we can become sustainable.
But at the both of those, Washington Rugby needs to
ensure that the community game and our stoke and our
(10:08):
stakeholders are put first. And like I say, we have
to do a better job there. We have to do
a better job in engaging our fans and bringing our
community on that journey. But I really really do hope
that in the not too distant future there'll be a
really exciting story to behold with both the Hurricanes and
Washington Rugby.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
And just before you go tiny, obviously, the year is
fast drawing to a close. So what's your message to
I guess the rugby fraternity, our listeners here that have
been involved in the game at many levels right through
twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Yeah, just a huge thanks to the fans and the
sporting community that support all sports, let alone rugby. I mean,
it's been a challenging period through across the living and
different different things. I really hope members are and listeners
are able to go away and enjoy a couple of
weeks of downtime before we come back into twenty six.
It's an exciting year. Next year the NPC and the
(10:56):
FPC does go free to air, Washington Rugby will be
to live. We're in a test match at Sky Stadium
on the eleventh of July when the All Blacks will
be facing Italy. We're excited to be doing that as well,
so there's plenty to look forward to. Of course, at
New Zealand Rugby we have the greatest rivalry this wonderful
tour of South Africa happening from August next year, is
(11:18):
so much to look forward to on the rugby landscape,
but just on behalf of Wellington Rugby, the Wellington Lines
and the Wellington Pride. I wish all ZB listeners all
the very best. They are are safe in a very
merry Christmas.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Wonderful tiny and likewise he so thanks for always being
available for us here on news Talk ZEDB, and you
have a wonderful break as well, and will no doubt
be catching up again in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Thanks creep a little bit.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
For more from News Talk ZEDB, listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcast on iHeartRadio
From Junior net Born at Hititi to the Pulse at TSV.
We've got it covered on the All Sport Breakfast with
Rutherford and Bond Toyota and King Toyota on News TALKSB
seventeen to eight tier on the All Sport Breakfast. Well
It's been an interesting week for the future of professional
rugby in the Wellington region. The Wellington Rugby Union has
held a fifty percent steak in the Hurricanes since twenty twelve,
(00:22):
but as of this week that is no more. Of course,
the Hurricanes are on track for a two million dollar
loss this year, so collectively that's meant about a four
million dollar sort of loss over the past few seasons.
And so given the Wellington Rugby unions fifty percent steak,
this has proven a challenge for the union. Hence they've
now offloaded this steak, of course to a group led
(00:45):
by Malcolm Gillies, developer from Upper Hut. So what does
this all mean for the Wellington Rugby Union and the
game at a local level? Here, Wellington Rugby CEO Tony
Jiles joins me this morning here on the All Sport Breakfast.
Morning Tony, and thanks for your time. After a tough
few years. Is this the outcome you and the Wellington
(01:05):
Rugby Union we're after?
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, thanks Adam, I appreciate it being on here. It's
been an interesting week, isn't it. The ownership in the
Hurricanes is no longer, but that in and of itself
provides a lot of excitement I think for both entities.
I think we've heard during the last week of the passion,
the excitement and the drive and the new private equity
(01:28):
ownership within the Hurricanes, and we wish them all the
very best as we go forward. I mean, we haven't
had a negative uncoupling. This is still an arrangement and
an alignment between two organizations. It's just an ownership change,
and I wish Tony Felken their new private equity board
all the very best. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
So from Wellington Rugby's perspective, and I mean it's been
referred to in annual reports and things that the Hurricanes
shareholding has been an issue for you guys. Big losses
for them have meant losses for the Wellington Rugby Union.
So how crucial was it getting out of this for now?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
To be brutally honest, it was everything. But it should
also be knowledged to the listeners that you know, Wellington
Rugby has been on the receiving ends of some really
really positive results for a long time as well. You know,
we go back, you know, through the last decade up
until around two nineteen wanting to rugby union with the
benefactors of some wonderful results on the back of the
(02:28):
Hurricane's financial performance. Obviously in that dreaded pre COVID environment
and beyond, things have been challenging for a lot of
sectors in kind of with the New Zealand and certainly
within the Wellington region and sports has had its challenges
in that space. So for a number of consecutive years
since twenty twenty, there has been significant deficits and as
(02:52):
a fifty percent owner, Wellington Rugby has been hit with
a fair bit of equity reduction to a point where
that risk was just too big for us to sustain.
And hence again we're excited around the private equity ownership
that people such as Malcolm Gillies and Summit Capital are
now providing.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Yeah, and so just just back to when you know,
since twenty twelve, those what eight or so years that
the Hurricanes were delivering a profit, what does that do
to your I guess potential revenue now that that you know,
if the Hurricanes had a good season, that revenue stream
for WRFU isn't there.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
So I mean the opportunity now is for Willington Rugby
to really singularly focus on its community game. That's where
we need to get back and get alignment with, so
focusing on our members, our eighteen strong clubs, our near
ten thousand affiliated members within the wider community, that's where
our focus needs to be, not worrying about where or
(03:53):
how we're going to be financially sustainable under the what
was pre existing alignment with Hurricanes. Ability now is for
us to revitalize ourselves, reconnect with our community game, understand
and get really aligned with our clubs and our members
to ensure that we continue to provide a thriving community game,
which it is. We've had growth in the last couple
(04:15):
of years. On the back of twenty twenty four we
had five percent growth and our affiliated membership across the
network and every demographic, girls and boys and teenagers flooded
back to the game. It was fantastic and obviously now
as well that we've kind of uncoupled ourselves from the
ownership is to be sustainable in our own entity, to
(04:38):
look at what successful, growing and profitable business for Warnington
Rugby should be and that will be the two singular
focuses for US community game financial sustainability end off.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
It's also been pointed out in annual reports obviously when
the team say the Lions have had a successful year
in terms of hosting three home playoffs in a row.
It's actually really hit you guys as well. Does that
model need to change in terms of unions around the
country and who covers those costs?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Yeah? I think it is that it's something that US
as provincial unions are in in direct dialogue with New
Zealand Rugby constantly around how that looks. I mean, yes,
you're right. We just go back fifteen months or so
we were all started running in Wellington a wonderful NPC
victory for the Wellington Lions back in October twenty and
twenty four. That was an incredible run, an incredible year.
(05:27):
We actually split our delivery across community delivery for three
games in Poro Park and the rest of the games.
A run of five consecutive games at Sky Stadium right
through to the final against Bayer Plenty at Labor Weekend
that year, you know, and from there there were five
young men that left the Lions and went on to
(05:48):
fulfill lifetime dreams of wearing black jerseys. So, you know,
the NPC absolutely has its role, but how we can
make that sustainable for provincial unions going forward is absolutely
critical and a part of that coopes is the change
that Jinelan Rugby has already made. New Diitan Rugby and
SkyTV announced just last month that provincial rugby will be
(06:11):
coming from behind the payball and going to free to
air from twenty twenty six. That provides umpteen opportunities for
us to promote, to align our stakeholders and partners and
really promote and provide success in provincial union rugby.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
You took all the home lines NPC games out of
sky Stadium this year, took them to the more community
focused setting Potty to a Park. Was that a successful
move and are you looking at doing the same in
twenty twenty six under the new competition structure with that
new TV rights deal.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Yeah, we're kind of going through those discussions now. Obviously
everything's on the table, so we don't yet have a
draw from New Zealand Rugby as to what the NPC
will look like. We know it'll be similar timeframes to
this season, So the NPC will commence the last weekend
of July, first week in of August, that kind of time.
(07:05):
There will be a change to how the SPCs delivered
day will start slightly later due to the OPAK season
being extended. But yeah, we're in discussions with sky Stadium
that is the home of rugby and Montent so we're
certainly having wonderful dialogue with Warwick Dent and his team.
But yeah, we have options on the table to ensure
that we do the right thing for our stakeholders. And
(07:27):
like I say, this is about having a thriving community
game Wellington Rugby being accountable and looking after its own viability.
But putting our members at the forefront of every decision
where we play and who we play with is going
to be part of that.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
And he talks about, you know, the areas of focus
and you know, all demographics are pretty strong sort of
ending twenty twenty five, what is your biggest focus area
at the community level for next year?
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Yeah, certainly, I mean there's a number, but I mean
woman and girls continues to be a focus for rugby
full stop and sport right full stop. We have open
that game, teenage boys, getting young people involved in our
game are Runna Tahi involved. That's really really critical as well.
So making sure that we connect and align with our clubs.
And I'm the first to acknowledge that Wellington Rugby in
(08:13):
recent times probably needs to have done better. We haven't
aligned with our stakeholders meaningfully. There's been a lot of discussions,
as there are in most sports, around by laws and regulations,
and that tends to be the focus. Sometimes we do
lose the fact that our member needs to be at
the forefront of those decisions. So certainly focus at the
community game alignment with our clubs to ensure that they're
(08:36):
brought on the journey and that together we can be
part of a really successful rugby union that has provided
so many great memories for so many of your listeners.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Yeah, indeed it has antonia terms of the relationship now
going forward between the Wellington Rugby Union and the Hurricanes,
we know that Chair of the Board of Wellington Rugby,
Phil Holden, will stay on the board of the Hurricanes.
What benefits does that provide Wellington Rugby.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Yeah, I think it's important. Tropes, I mean, feels an
incredible leader, he's a professional director, He's navigated through this
really really challenging time with great professionalism and it's a
joy to have them involved in our organization. We are
glad that through the negotiation, Wellington Rugby has been able
(09:23):
to have a seat on the Hurricanes board in perpetilities,
so we do have a voice within that organization. And
like I say, this is not an aggressive divorce. We
are looking to see how we can in the future
actually remain aligned work together because there are synergies between
both unions. We share assets, we're currently at the same facility.
(09:45):
You know, we need to actually be mature around how
both of us can work better and more closely together
in the future. Right now, it's about both entities becoming
successful and profitable, making sure that we can become sustainable.
But at the both of those, Washington Rugby needs to
ensure that the community game and our stoke and our
(10:08):
stakeholders are put first. And like I say, we have
to do a better job there. We have to do
a better job in engaging our fans and bringing our
community on that journey. But I really really do hope
that in the not too distant future there'll be a
really exciting story to behold with both the Hurricanes and
Washington Rugby.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
And just before you go tiny, obviously, the year is
fast drawing to a close. So what's your message to
I guess the rugby fraternity, our listeners here that have
been involved in the game at many levels right through
twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
Yeah, just a huge thanks to the fans and the
sporting community that support all sports, let alone rugby. I mean,
it's been a challenging period through across the living and
different different things. I really hope members are and listeners
are able to go away and enjoy a couple of
weeks of downtime before we come back into twenty six.
It's an exciting year. Next year the NPC and the
(10:56):
FPC does go free to air, Washington Rugby will be
to live. We're in a test match at Sky Stadium
on the eleventh of July when the All Blacks will
be facing Italy. We're excited to be doing that as well,
so there's plenty to look forward to. Of course, at
New Zealand Rugby we have the greatest rivalry this wonderful
tour of South Africa happening from August next year, is
(11:18):
so much to look forward to on the rugby landscape,
but just on behalf of Wellington Rugby, the Wellington Lines
and the Wellington Pride. I wish all ZB listeners all
the very best. They are are safe in a very
merry Christmas.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
Wonderful tiny and likewise he so thanks for always being
available for us here on news Talk ZEDB, and you
have a wonderful break as well, and will no doubt
be catching up again in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Thanks creep a little bit.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
For more from News Talk ZEDB, listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcast on iHeartRadio
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