Stuff Digital Edition

‘Australia should look for their solutions rather than to blame

Some rugby insiders welcomed his tough talk. Others wished he kept quiet. But former NZ Rugby boss Brent Impey has no regrets about it all. So was he NZ Rugby’s most outspoken chairperson? He talks to Richard Knowler.

When Brent Impey was appointed chair of the NZ Rugby board in 2014 he said his name wouldn’t glow in the hot headlines.

His duty, he said, was to form a working relationship with thenCEO Steve Tew, and tap into his own leadership skills if needed.

For about six years Impey, an ex-Auckland lawyer who was the boss of Media Works for nine years, was largely true to his word — while many would have identified Tew in a line-up of New Zealand rugby identities, Impey remained in the background.

Then everything began to change – and fast.

By the time Tew departed NZ Rugby in early 2020, to be replaced by ex-All Black Mark Robinson, Impey had started to step out of the shadows.

Covid-19, which gripped New Zealand in March 2020, played a major part. So, too, did NZ Rugby’s decision to chase a deal with US private equity firm Silver Lake, which led to a prolonged and messy stand-off with the NZ Rugby Players’ Association.

Impey stepped forward. It became clear he could be vocal and forthright. Some in the NZ rugby fraternity applauded his willingness to challenge Players’ Association heavy-hitters Rob Nichol and David Kirk. Others were of the view he should stop provoking a powerful organisation that had recruited former Richie McCaw, and other respected former All Blacks, to be involved in negotiations.

Because when Impey, who stepped down from the board last month after being replaced by chair Stewart Mitchell last May, drew a line in the sand he used an excavator, not a blunt stick.

Controversy? There was no shortage of it during a turbulent period that also saw Impey cop flak from Rugby Australia counterpart Hamish McLennan.

Firstly, let’s go back to the stoush with the Players’ Association.

Does Impey regret his fiery comments on a radio show hosted by Martin Devlin in 2021, in which Impey described a report on the Silver Lake proposal, which was carried out by BDO on behalf of the Players’ Association, as, among other things, ‘‘pathetic’’?

The short answer: no. Impey doesn’t understand what the fuss was about.

‘‘To be frank, the comments that have been made about that interview – a bit too strong? Hey, it was a debate on the issue,’’ he says.

‘‘I never, ever approached it on a personal basis. So there was no criticism of individuals. My job was, as chairman of NZ Rugby, to explain the deal to the New Zealand public. To answer any questions anybody wanted to raise, to be challenged on the subject. I’m comfortable with that.’’

Yet there’s no doubt his strident views added another layer of tension to an already fraught relationship. The Players’ Association, which held all the aces on whether the Silver Lake offer could be ratified (provincial unions will vote whether to approve a reshaped proposal next month), struck back by leaking confidential information to media.

Robinson later blasted the Players’ Association leadership for trying to destroy the private equity deal, saying he was upset and frustrated the players had been dragged into the debate.

Impey plays a straight bat when asked if has issues with Nichol — he states the Players’ Association is a union, that its job is to secure the best deal for its members.

He would, however, like to see the collective agreement undergo substantial change, so players not benefiting from the current deal stay in New Zealand.

‘‘We have taken losses of young players who have left and never returned.

‘‘However, the model, by the time you pay out 36.5% to the players, and 17% to the (provincial) unions, it puts real strain on NZ Rugby’s ability to fund the other essential needs of the game.’’

Impey also engaged in some rough and tumble with the Aussies. Again, there was friction.

When Covid-19 forced Super Rugby to shut down in 2020, NZ Rugby pushed for the South African teams to be cut loose and suggested Rugby Australia field just three teams in what it believed was the best economic model for a fresh competition.

The Aussies, in return, told NZ Rugby where to shove the idea.

Impey said NZ Rugby was simply reacting in ‘‘a time of crisis’’. Having slashed more than 25% of its staff, it was also facing a potential situation where sponsorship could have dropped from $200m to $60m under a no-rugby option.

Rugby Australia instead said it wanted five teams in the new Super Rugby Pacific format.

‘‘Which we said ‘OK, that is your decision – but you are going to have to fund it’,’’ Impey says.

‘‘And therein lies the heart of Hamish McLennan. Because he believes New Zealand should have just dished out money to Rugby Australia.

‘‘We do provide them some financial support through the TV deal, but at the same time . . . we believed the right move was to add the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika into our competition.

‘‘And that also requires money from television, to make them sustainable, particularly in the early years.’’

In September, McLennan had a public crack at Impey.

When asked if NZ Rugby would support his organisation’s bid to host the World Cup in 2027, McLennan told the Sydney Morning Herald: ‘‘I’m not sure Brent would have supported us, but Stewart Mitchell is a good guy, an old school Kiwi, and I would be disappointed if they didn’t support us under his regime. He’s a guy who has shown his word is his bond.’’

Impey says he only met McLennan once. There were also two Zoom meetings, and the odd phone call.

‘‘My view is that Australia likes jumping for headlines,’’ Impey says. ‘‘They should look, domestically, for their own solutions, rather than to blame us.

‘‘We have argued, from time to time, that we need Rugby Australia to be strong.’’

Impey recalls having dinner with former Rugby Australia chair Michael Hawker in 2013, with the latter acknowledging what NZ Rugby had done for it in terms of third Bledisloe Cup tests and commercial deals.

He’s not so warm when discussing McLennan, who also said NZ Rugby ‘‘definitely think they are superior to us’’.

‘‘So I feel, now, it was a case of Hamish looking for others to blame for the financial state of Australian rugby,’’ Impey states.

‘‘On a personal level, I have got

‘‘. . . the model, by the time you pay out 36.5% to the players, and 17% to the (provincial) unions, it puts real strain on NZ Rugby’s ability to fund the other essential needs of the game.’’

a huge amount of respect for the likes of Michael Hawker, Cameron Clyne (former chairs) and Andy Marinos (current CEO) but I wouldn’t call Hamish and my relationship close in any respect.

‘‘We are different people.’’ Impey joined the NZ Rugby board in 2012, replacing Mike Eagle as chair in 2014. He was also the Sanzaar chairman for five years, stepping down in late 2020.

When he arrived on the NZ Rugby board, Impey says it had revenue of around $112 million. This year it has budgeted for around $260-270 million. He’s satisfied with what he contributed to the commercial side of the business.

He admits mistakes were made during his tenure. Expanding Super Rugby to 18 teams didn’t work, but he regrets the Jaguares, from Argentina, had to be culled after the pandemic forced the competition to be revamped in 2020.

He was also vocal about World Rugby needing to do more for the island teams, and was confident the inclusion of Moana Pasifika and the Drua in Super Rugby would strengthen their test sides.

During his tenure there was also the appointment of Ian Foster as All Blacks coach, following Steve Hansen’s decision to step down after the 2019 World Cup.

The value of the All Blacks’ brand to NZ Rugby, he emphasised, can’t be underestimated and is the reason why Silver Lake were so keen to strike a deal.

Impey says the All Blacks are the commercial driver of the business, and must always be properly resourced. The Black Ferns sevens team also represent a huge opportunity.

Unlike the sevens players, who have been on fulltime contracts for several seasons, the Black Ferns 15s players had to wait until this year.

Impey, who lives on Waiheke Island with partner Wendy Palmer, is active in three directorships and chairs Te Korowai o Waiheke, which aims for the island to be predator free by 2050. He’s happy to take a break before looking at fresh opportunities.

‘‘I am not the retiring type at all . . .’’

Sport

en-nz

2022-05-22T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-22T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/282570201720467

Stuff Limited