New Zealand Rugby has apologised for failing to properly support the elite women's game following a damning review into the Black Ferns culture. Video / Dean Purcell
Departing coach Glenn Moore has regrets as he stands down after seven years in charge of the Black Ferns.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Nathan Limm after announcing his decision to quit, six days after a damning review into the team's culture, Moore acknowledged he wished things had playedout differently, for himself and the team.
"It was a really emotional and tough decision and it was off the back of quite a bit of consultation with my family and people that are close to me.
"I have regrets. This process that we've been in has probably shone a bad light over our brand that we're all passionate about."
That process – a review released on Monday – initially saw Moore retained as head coach, but the 62-year-old revealed why he changed his mind.
"After the release of the review and being endorsed by NZR, which I really appreciated, I started thinking through the amount of time the review process has taken, in terms of what it was initially going to be and the fact it had been very distracting for me.
"We're in the last six months leading into a World Cup and I really felt that the team needed to be able to be fully focused on performance and what happens on the grass. I certainly didn't want to be any distraction to them and felt the best thing to do was to step away and ensure the team has the best opportunity of winning the World Cup."
Despite stepping away and acknowledging he could have done things better, Moore still doesn't agree with the allegations that sparked the review.
Black Ferns hooker Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate revealed via social media that she suffered a mental breakdown after alleged critical comments from Moore on last year's end of year tour that featured four successive record losses to England and France.
She claimed that she was told, among other things, that she didn't deserve to be in the team and "was picked only to play the guitar", and that those comments had a toll on her mental wellbeing.
Moore didn't think her allegations were fair, and explained why he waited until he quit before publicly noting his objections.
"I just didn't think it was appropriate. My concern through that was that TK was okay. My focus was on ensuring that her wellbeing was being supported and I didn't think there was going to be any benefit in trying to add any fuel to that.
"The second part is that whole process was very hard on my family; my parents, who are elderly, my children, and my partner and her children. I just chose to keep that to myself in the interim."
Glenn Moore quit as coach of the Black Ferns. Photo / Photosport
Moore also said the team's poor results against England and France had nothing to do with his decision.
"That team had not played a game for 26 months. When we embarked on that northern tour, we had a number of players that had been locked down in Auckland for a number of weeks with no ability to train as you normally would, and we were simply going up against two of the best teams in the world who had been playing regularly and actually had a lead-in to the internationals over there on the back of a professional club competition.
"We just weren't battle hardened. We knew that from the outset, but it wasn't enough to play no games at all in another year. One by one all the lead-up fixtures to us going away were getting cancelled.
"It was nothing to do with that. I totally believe this group can win that World Cup and I'm backing them and I'll be supporting them."
Moore, who has no plans for what he's doing next, believes the Black Ferns will still be in a good position to succeed without him, and is positive about the future of women's rugby.
"I'm very grateful for the opportunity to work with a fantastic group of management people and coaches and it's been an absolute pleasure to have worked with some of these players, not just this group that is currently there, but also for the previous campaigns as well.
"The positive side of the review is that it's also highlighted some things and I know there will be a lot of resource put into that, and that will be the catalyst that will carry it forward."
