David Moffett: Former NZ Rugby CEO on the possible appointment of David Kirk as NZ Rugby's Chairperson

There are a few wrinkles in the possible appointment of the next New Zealand Rugby Chairperson. 

David Kirk is rumoured to be up for the position, the businessman synonymous with New Zealand rugby. 

Although being based in Sydney might be a small issue, the larger wrinkle is the Silver Lake deal – a deal that saw the relationship between NZR and the Players’ Association fall to an all-time low. 

As Chairperson, Kirk would be in charge of implementing the deal his faction fought against. 

Former NZ Rugby CEO David Moffett told Heather du Plessis-Allan he has no issues with this.  

He says Kirk is a smart guy, and what’s more, he’s been very successful in business and very successful on the rugby field. 

Moffett believes he’d do a great job as Chairperson.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The rumor is that the next chair of New Zealand
Rugby to replace Dame Patsy really is going to be
David Kirk. Obviously a name synonymous with rugby, so that's
a good thing. A few wrinkles in that appointment, though,
former ends it are CEO David Moffats with me now, morning.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
David, Morning, Heather.

Speaker 1 (00:13):
Okay. The first wrinkle is that he doesn't actually live
in New Zealand. He lives in Sydney. Is that a
problem for you?

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Not really, but I would say there'd be a caveat
to that. I'm sure. Firstly, I'm sure he will be
spending quite a lot of time trying to figure out
what's happening or what has been happening with New Zealand Rugby.
But as long as he can appoint his own chief
executive and as absolute faith in that person, I think

(00:47):
it could work.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
Do you think the signals the end of Mark Robinson?

Speaker 2 (00:53):
Well, my views about him, I'm very well known, Heather,
as you know. I think we've talked about it in
the past. I think one of the things that a
guy like David Kirk needs is somebody that if he's
not here all the time, that he can actually have
a lot of faith in and trust in to do

(01:13):
what's right by New Zealand Rugby and somebody who's not
going to be jumping on a plane every five minutes,
somebody who's going to knuckle down and basically get a
lot of changes that are required in ns are at
the moment.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
But the more interesting rinkle I reckon is that he is.
This is David Is the president of the Players Association,
which got into a massive spat with INSIDU about the
Silver Lake deal that he will now be in charge
of implementing.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
Yeah, he will, But I mean he's a really smart guy.
And what's more, he's been very successful in business and
very successful on the rugby field and with Wellington as
an administrator. So he's really great at the intersection of
the professional game and also the community game. And of

(02:02):
course it's the community game that needs a whole lot
of attention at the moment, having been ignored for so long.
So look, I've got no problems really with that, because
as I said, David is a really clewed up guy.
He's got a lot of contacts right around the world.
I think he'll do a great job and coach.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
Is such an important part of this I would imagine David,
thank you very much. As always, David Moffatt, former New
Zealand Rugby CEO. For more from the mic Asking Breakfast
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