New Zealand’s rugby provinces have been warned by the professional players to brace for a civil war if they vote to approve their own governance change proposal at next week’s special general meeting.
In an explosive move that shows how distressed the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association (NZRPA) is with the current governance system and the possibility of it not being fixed in line with independent recommendations, the trade body has told the unions it is ready to break away to form a new and separate entity to manage the professional game.
In a fiercely worded letter sent to all unions as well as New Zealand Rugby (NZR), Super Rugby Pacific clubs and the Māori Rugby Board, the NZRPA says that if the provinces vote in favour of what is known as Proposal 2 —a new governance structure that the provinces have developed themselves and one that differs significantly to an alternative blueprint that aligns with the findings of an independent review— it will withdraw, via its collective employment agreement, the right for NZR to govern the game.
NZRPA CEO Rob Nichol told Mike Hosking that Proposal 2 is a different proposal to what was put up by a group of provincial unions, and unfortunately it doesn’t stack up.
He said that it falls well short of the recommendations and independent analysis undertaken by the expert panel and effectively discredits them.
Should Proposal 2 be implemented, Nichol said, they’ll end up back at status quo, or worse.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.