Former All Blacks captain set for major NZR position

NEWS: A two-time World Cup winner and All Black centurion is in the running for a position on the New Zealand Rugby (NZR) Board.

Keven Mealamu, who earned 132 caps for the All Blacks between 2002 and 2015 and captained the side on three occasions, is one of nine candidates confirmed by the NZR Appointments and Remuneration Panel for a position as a Board member.

The new nine-person Board is to take office no later than February 1, 2025, with the existing Board to continue in office in a caretaker role until that date.

The nine candidates are Caren Rangi, Catherine Savage, David Kirk, Doug Jones, Grant Jarrold, Greg Barclay, Keven Mealamu, Julia Raue, Rowena Davenport.

The appointments are now required to be ratified by NZR’s voting members, the 26 Provincial Unions and New Zealand Māori Rugby Board.

The Ratification ballot closes at 17.00 on December 17. Each appointment requires the support of a majority of the voting members to be ratified, with one vote per voting member.

The Panel Chair, Rachel Taulelei said: “We believe we have selected nine exceptional candidates and are confident our recommendations meet constitutional requirements, the requisite skills and needs, and the desire for both continuity and a fresh perspective.

“The Panel also gave particular attention to the mix of skills, experience and other attributes as we focused on assembling a Board that will operate effectively as a team at this critical juncture for rugby in New Zealand.

“We are delighted to have arrived at an excellent list of new Directors and are deeply optimistic for the future of rugby in New Zealand.”

The Board-elect met late last week and collectively agreed David Kirk would be the Chair-elect. It is intended that this will be formalised at the Board’s first meeting in 2025.