by Peter Thorley and NZPA High-profile Northlander Wayne Peters has been elected to the New Zealand Rugby Union board as its Maori Rugby representative at the organisation's annual meeting in Wellington. Peters becomes one of 11 board members who ultimately run the country's national game. Apart from a seat on the board,the position also includes chairmanship of the New Zealand Maori Rugby Board. The former Northland Rugby Union (NRU) chairman replaces Paul Quinn, who retired from the position. Quinn, a former New Zealand Maori and Wellington captain, joined the NZRU board in 2002 and was also a director on the Wellington RFU board. NRU chairman Andrew Golightly spoke at yesterday's meeting to endorse his nomination of Peters for the position and said it was a natural progression to have him on the board. "It can only be a good thing for Northland given the high number of Maori players up here," Golightly said. Peters, in his position as Golightly's predecessor, was one of the biggest opponents of the NZRU's plan to drop Northland from the NPC first division last year. Golightly said: "From our point of view it's a good thing that he's had support from the New Zealand Maori board ... he'll be an excellent advocate for New Zealand Maori rugby and also provincial rugby in New Zealand." Another major change to the make-up of the NZRU board sees former All Blacks manager John Sturgeon succeed Andy Leslie as president. Sturgeon was elected vice-president in 2007. The 73-year-old Greymouth resident, an NZRU councillor from 1987 to 1995 and All Blacks manager from 1988 to 1991, will take up his post immediately. Sturgeon was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1991 for his services to sport. Meanwhile, former All Blacks wing Bryan Williams was elected vice-president. Williams played 113 games for the All Blacks between 1970 and 1978, and went on to coach at provincial, franchise and international level as well as serving as an Auckland Rugby Union director. Rob Fisher and John Pringle were re-elected to the appeal council. They will be joined by John Hansen, who was elected to replace NZRU life member Peter Burke, who has retired from the council after five years. Incumbent chairman Jock Hobbs and fellow board member Ivan Haines were re-elected to the New Zealand board.
