Rugby board to lose two more members

By WYNNE GRAY

Chairman Rob Fisher and board member Craig Norgate have indicated they will not stand for re-election to the New Zealand Rugby Union.

It is unclear whether those intentions will be conveyed to the chairmen of the 27 provinces who gather in Wellington tomorrow to give their response to the Eichelbaum Report into the loss of World Cup hosting rights.

However, from sources in Sydney, the Herald understands the NZRFU had a mid-week conference at which both Fisher and Norgate indicated they would not stand for the next board.

That would mean three immediate vacancies if the provinces called for a special annual meeting to examine the nine-member board as former chairman Murray McCaw has also decided to stand down.

In the lobbying which followed the Eichelbaum Report and the exits of David Rutherford and McCaw, Fisher returned to the chairmanship he resigned from in 1999 and Paul Quinn was made his deputy.

If seven provinces or more call for that meeting, it cannot be convened for a further 15 days and directors can be removed only if three-quarters of the provincial votes go against them. Should that occur, another two months have to be allowed for nominations.