Jeremy Curragh heeds embattled Southland's SOS

Departing Bay of Plenty rugby boss Jeremy Curragh hasn't let the grass grow under his feet - he's now in Invercargill helping dig Rugby Southland out of a deep financial hole.
Curragh resigned as Bay chief executive three weeks ago and leaves next month to head a burgeoning online retail company based at Mt Maunganui. He was called in to assist Rugby Southland 'change manager' Stuart Heal find a way forward for the embattled provincial union.
Curragh is in Invercargill for four days this week and said Southland's well-publicised plight - it owes creditors $700,000 and can't pay them - mirrored much of what Bay of Plenty had been through in the past three years.
"I'm confident there's a way forward for Southland, and already in a day Stuart and I have seen some opportunities (for improvement).
"But there will be change and pain along the way, just like there was in Bay of Plenty, and it's not just a matter of coming in and imposing the same framework that was perhaps applied in the Bay.
"There's some things that can be applied but I don't think there's a 'one fix-all' template."
Curragh came on board in Bay of Plenty as interim chief executive in 2008 with the union $900,000 in debt. Under Curragh and the Bruce Cameron-led board the union posted profits in 2008 and 2009 and is expected to again reveal a stable financial position at next month's annual meeting.
Curragh slashed costs but told The Southland Times today the experience wasn't an easy one. "There was heartache, fallout, criticism, all those things that come with change, but the fact of the matter was something had to be done - status quo just wasn't an option."
He and Heal hope to be able to provide a report on the organisation's operations to the Community Trust of Southland and the Invercargill Licensing Trust, Rugby Southland's two main backers, at the beginning of April.
Curragh said he wouldn't have heeded Southland's SOS if he was staying on as Bay chief executive.
"I guess when I resigned Southland felt comfortable about an approach because I wasn't as conflicted. The Bay board has supported it and although my focus is still with Bay rugby we've got some key guys in the few times I'm absent."
Curragh laughed at the suggestion he should set himself up as a permanent hired gun, travelling the country to help ailing provincial unions.
"No thanks, it's not a job where you make too many friends along the way!
"It's a shame what they're experiencing because we looked at Southland last year [in the ITM Cup] and they epitomised provincial rugby - the Ranfurly Shield, full stadiums and passionate crowds.
"At the end of the day though you've got to have a business model that's going to work."