The first real front-of-house job Dame Patsy Reddy had to perform as New Zealand Rugby chair was one she didn’t really want to do at all.
She said as much herself.
“Until now, New Zealand Rugby has been reluctant to talk publicly about an appointment process for the All Blacks coach to protect the integrity of the process, and to minimise the scrutiny on the individuals involved,” she told media at a hastily convened stand-up to announce a timeline to appoint the next All Blacks coach. “Recent events, however, necessitate some clarity.”
That’s a nice word - clarity. Historically, it is one not associated with NZR unless it is preceded by the words “lack of”.
The national body has for the past World Cup cycle seemingly lurched from one crisis to another. Not all of them have been of their own making - there’s been the small matter of a global pandemic, for example - but some of them have, including serious breakdowns in relationships with some of our closest allies and a near calamitous civil war with players.
Merge this increasing sense of isolation with a community game that is on life support in some regions, an All Blacks machine that looks as vulnerable
