An uncomfortable truth: The alarming gulf between rugby players and decision makers

OPINION:

There have been grand statements of intent and proclamations that diversity in the boardroom is a high-priority, institutional goal and yet professional rugby has found room for just two Pasifika board directors.

Since 2016 New Zealand Rugby has been on a drive to change the ethnic and gender profile of its board, while encouraging provinces and Super Rugby clubs to do the same.

There has been some progress. There are now two female directors on the NZR board and five women serving on the boards of Super Rugby teams.

There are also three directors on the NZR board who identify as Maori.

But intent and reality have diverged in the case of Pasifika representation, and with uncertainty over the future of Sir Michael Jones on the NZR board, there could soon be one Pasifika governance representative in the landscape.

Of the 37 board positions attached to NZR, the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders; Sam Lotu-liga at the Blues will be the only director who identifies as Pasifika.

The diversity drive has somehow failed to capture the Pasifika community and left an alarming gulf between this country's playing base and its decision-making cabal.

In Wellington and Auckland almost three-quarters of the registered playing base identifies as Pasifika, while about 40 per cent of contracted Super Rugby players have a Pasifika heritage.

Last year, 31 of the 37 All Blacks taken to Australia for the Rugby Championship identified as Pasifika or Maori, yet less than five percent of the available board seats across professional rugby are held by people with a Pasifika link.

If Jones is not re-appointed to the NZR board, that percentage will drop to less than two; and the ethnic group with the greatest representation on the field will have the least representation off it.

It's a scenario which no one likes. "I think it is uncomfortable," says Hurricanes chief executive Avan Lee.

"It is probably something that has been overlooked and we as a sport need to front foot this and encourage certain people – Maori and Pasifika - to put their hand up and encourage them to get involved in a different part of rugby.

"It is a timely conversation and something I would like to raise with the board. Brent Impey has been quite vocal about diversity on rugby boards in New Zealand.

"We have a responsibility as well when you have a make up like we do. It is clearly an opportunity and some of it will evolve but there is a chance for us and all rugby teams to be more pro-active.

"Someone coming from that background that understands the belief systems of their people, culture and language is clearly going to add value to rugby and make sure it stays relevant to different ethnic groups."

NZ Rugby CEO Mark Robinson (R) sits beside NZR Board Chair Brent Impey (L). Photo / Getty Images.

Impey agrees that the situation in specific regard to the lack of Pasifika representation is a high priority to fix, but says it's not an issue that can be solved in the short-term.

Last year NZR, provincial unions and Super Rugby clubs all agreed that their respective boards should have a diversity target of 50 per cent.

To get there, provinces and Super Rugby clubs need more women, Maori and Pasifika people to put themselves forward for appointment.

In the case of Pasifika, Impey says: "We realised that we had an issue around Pasifika people coming forward so we started something called Navigating Two Worlds which was a joint work between AUT and NZR in how we were going to increase the number of Pasifika people coming through into rugby administration and boards.

"At that time, two years ago, there was only Michael, Sam and Eroni Clarke who were in governance positions.

"A full report was done and much of it came down to education and having the right structures in place which led us to appointing Eroni into his position as a flag bearer for this.

"We have got to find more Pasifika people who have the skills and want to put their hand up and be involved. The open challenge is how do we bring Pasifika governors and managers through?

"We can go to chief executives, too, as there are no Pasifika chief executives at any of our Super Rugby clubs."

Both the Blues and Hurricanes have focused hard in the last 18 months on ways to build a greater Maori and Pasifika presence in their respective clubs.

Lee says: "The symbols of inclusion around Maori and Pasifika in our environment are significantly more prevalent than they were two or three years ago.

"We have more Maori and Pasifika staff than we ever have and we have proactive players such as Ardie Savea and Ngani Laumape who we speak to.

"These things are vital and some of that has come through from the players who have said they want to see more of their culture in their environment. It was something that was missing from the Hurricanes, especially given the large number of Maori and Pasifika players."

But while there is greater Maori and Pasifika influence and more staff, the board room remains the place of real power – where the most important decisions are made.

Impey is hopeful that with Moana Pasifika set to be granted a Super Rugby licence within the next two weeks, that it could be a factor in accelerating the governance presence of Pasifika directors across New Zealand rugby.

"We are obviously hopeful that with Moana Pasifika we are going to see governance coming through. The governance is led by a Pasifika group and that will be a step forward."