Gregor Paul: How to restore fractured NZ Rugby relationship

Opinion:

Back in 1995 when rugby went professional, New Zealand went zig when every other nation went zag.

Most national unions ceded contractual control of their players to private investors, while New Zealand Rugby's stroke of genius was to put a loving arm around them, a pile of cash in front of them and a promise to always look after them.

There's been a never-ending quest to try to find what has been at the core of the All Blacks' success, and certainly in the professional era, the unity between the players and their employer and the strength of their relationship has been an undeniable factor.

Like any relationship, there have been ups and downs and periods of tension over the years, but players in this country have felt valued and wanted and in turn, have shown a depth of loyalty to an employer for whom they have a depth of trust and respect.

New Zealand has been the envy of the world, not just for the way they have played the game, but for the way they have built such revered work environments at a time when the likes of England, Wales and France have endured fractious internecine politics that have fostered mutual distrust and animosity.

But here we are now at what's more a major intersection than a crossroads as NZR wants to go one way and bring a US fund manager into the business as an investor while the New Zealand Rugby Players' Association wants to at least explore another route to financial security while harbouring fundamental concerns about the risk profile of the proposed deal and cultural suitability of Silver Lake as a partner.

If this was any other business, a hard, factual, indisputable argument could be made that New Zealand's professional rugby players are simply a workforce like every other and couldn't possibly have any expectation to set the strategic direction of the company.

This isn't any other business, though, and while the players are indeed employees, they have built into their collective agreement a legal right to be consulted about any significant or material change in the overall business and ultimately the right to reject or veto initiatives.

There has also been a deeper sense of acceptance by NZR that they run a business that succeeds or fails on the quality of the talent and that the overall value is disproportionately high because of the consistent excellence of the elite players.

(L-R) Jordie Barrett, Scott Barrett, Beauden Barrett, Joe Moody, Aaron Smith and Sam Cane of the All Blacks. Photo / Getty Images.

To date, the relationship between players and union has never been litigious or adversarial. The players have that emergency brake lever they can pull, but there has always been enough mutual respect, good faith and transparency that agreements have been reached through negotiation rather than in the law courts.

And there we have it – the key to New Zealand building what comparatively has sat as a Utopian professional rugby landscape, has been good faith and transparency – two factors that both parties say have been and are still missing in the attempts to reach a resolution about future capital raise options.

NZR chief executive Mark Robinson has explained many times that having explored all possible fund-raising possibilities, the option of selling a 12.5 stake of future net revenue to Silver Lake for $387m was the only one that ticked all of the national body's needs.

Except, arguably, it doesn't, because while it may bring the desired capital injection, revenue growth and international profile, it doesn't right now come with the approval of the players and their support and buy-in must, surely given the nature of their relationship – contractual and otherwise – be deemed a business need?

It could be said it ticks every box bar one and it's a big box to not have ticked and not just because there is a contractual need to gain the players' support.

The issue is significantly more fundamental and that is that the players need to be emotionally engaged in the All Blacks jersey and entirely aligned with the cultural values of any new owner.

The All Blacks stand during the singing of the national anthem before the 2020 Tri-Nations rugby match between against Argentina. Photo / Getty Images.

Ultimately a deal with Silver Lake could be forced through, but if it alienates the players, sits uneasily with their individual and collective values, then what really has been achieved?

Several legends of the game, Richie McCaw, Conrad Smith and Kieran Read, have all spoken on behalf of the current contracted group of professionals and expressed in recent days, reservations about partnering with Silver Lake.

They have been clear that while they have no doubts about Silver Lake's investment expertise and their ability to grow revenue, they simply don't love the idea of the All Blacks being partly owned by a US fund management group and have questioned how players will feel about that arrangement should it happen and by extension, how New Zealanders will feel.

Player and public approval are two boxes NZR must tick as the risks of not having them on board will inevitably be catastrophic.

And so it seems simple enough that the way to begin trying to restore the relationship between employer and employees is to reconsider this idea that the Silver Lake proposal meets all NZR's needs.