NRL: Warriors boss Cameron George addresses speculation around New Zealand Rugby role

Warriors boss Cameron George has ruled out any interest in taking on the top job at New Zealand Rugby (NZR).

Over the past two years the Australian has been mentioned as a possible contender for a role at NZR, given the impact he has had at the NRL club and on the local sporting landscape.

He was linked with the head of NZ Rugby Commercial when Craig Fenton departed last October and has since been earmarked as a contender for the chief executive role.

That talk has intensified since Mark Robinson confirmed his departure last month, with the former CEO due to step down at the end of this year after six and a half years leading NZR.

The Daily Telegraph reported last month that George had been approached by a “figure of influence” at NZR to canvass his potential interest in the job, while George’s name has been regularly mentioned in sporting circles here.

NZR has told the Herald since that no approach to George has ever been made.

George didn’t want to comment on any possible approaches and assured that he was solely focused on continuing to grow the NRL club, on and off the field.

“My whole interest and my whole passion and commitment is to the Warriors,” George told the Herald. “That’s my dream – to be here and be successful – and that’s all I need to say.”

Asked if it was a compliment to be linked to such a massive role, George deflected.

“Oh, I don’t read into that,” said George. “I’d rather have the compliment of winning a [NRL] premiership. My focus is just to do the best job I can, mate. You can’t control that stuff.”

However, the revival of the Warriors has turned heads across the sporting and corporate landscapes in New Zealand. In terms of franchise sport, they have become the hottest ticket in town, with crowd numbers through the roof and unprecedented commercial interest, including an army of sponsors and partners.

They are also enjoying bumper television audiences, promising success on the field and have diversified investments into property.

George has overseen a major overhaul – since the Covid pandemic left the club marooned in Australia for three seasons – and also had to deal with significant ownership challenges in the early years of his tenure (2018-2019).

He hasn’t got everything right – with the circumstances of the Shaun Johnson exit in 2018 an obvious black mark – but it’s hard to find fault with many of his decisions, with the recruitment of Andrew Webster and Andrew McFadden recent masterstrokes.

The Warriors have also built a remarkable connection with the community, something most Super Rugby clubs can only admire from afar, and are making significant inroads in pathways and development, with academy structures across the country.

NZR is a much bigger beast – having probably eight times the revenue of the NRL club – with layers and layers of stakeholders, many and varied arms of the business, complex broadcasting deals and a global presence.

There are also the constant push and pull factors between competing parties and private investment, which are less of a factor in an NRL environment. But there would be some synergies.

The NZR CEO role has yet to be advertised but it’s understood that global recruitment companies have already been engaged. It will be a lucrative but demanding post, even more so than Robinson faced.

That’s because of the likely restructure of NZR, with the new chief executive to lead NZR and NZ Rugby Commercial, in what is more akin to a group CEO role.

Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.