New Zealand Rugby rocked as top boss to step down from position after ‘unprecedented challenges’ of the role

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) have announced that their chief executive, Mark Robinson, will step down from his position at the governing body at the end of this year.

Robinson was appointed in 2019 and officially stepped into the role in 2020, succeeding Steve Tew.

He said it was a privilege to serve as the NZR’s chief executive after previously serving as a board member of the organisation and he also represented the All Blacks in nine Tests as a centre from 2000 to 2002.

“My family have been based in Australia for the last few months with all three of my children studying there,” Robinson said in a press statement. “My wife is already there supporting them and, ultimately, I will be joining them early next year.

“The past six years have been a period of rapid change, or unprecedented challenges through the pandemic, and significant evolution across commercial, competitions and structures.

‘Believe the foundations of our organisation are extremely strong’

“I will reflect on that as I get closer to stepping away, but I firmly believe the foundations of our organisation are extremely strong and the game is well-placed for the future.

“Our vision is to inspire and unify through rugby and that opportunity has been an easy motivator for me every single day, from the community game right through to the international level.

“I have had the privilege of leading an amazing group of people at NZR who have a huge amount of care for the game. There’s a deep hunger to get better every day no matter how well we think we are doing and that drive sits right across every person working for NZR, our competitions and our national teams.”

The 51-year-old admitted that he faced some strenuous challenges during his tenure, which brought with it significant scrutiny.

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“That reflects the immense passion that so many Kiwis feel for our sport and the special place rugby has in our country,” added Robinson.

“The fact people can come up to me, share their views and talk with incredible knowledge and depth of feeling is something we never want to take for granted.

“My focus now is on supporting the board and leading the organisation through a pivotal year, including ensuring the Black Ferns have the support they need to defend the Rugby World Cup in England.

‘Focused on implementing a new financial model’

“We also remain focused on implementing a new financial model for the game in New Zealand and completing the remaining work on what will be an exciting future international calendar.”

NZR chairperson David Kirk paid tribute to Robinson and acknowledged his contribution since stepping into his position.

“On behalf of the board, I’d like to recognise Mark for his great service to NZR and the sport,” he said “He has led with a passion for rugby and we thank him for his commitment over the past six years.

“Mark has driven significant change, both in New Zealand and internationally, and the board believes the organisation is well-placed to capitalise on this. Of note was his leadership through a global pandemic that saw the game deal with an unprecedented crisis.

“We also understand Mark’s desire to relocate to Australia where his family are now all living. He will go with our best wishes when he moves there at the end of this year.

“Mark will continue to lead for the remainder of the year as we conclude key projects, and the board will now commence recruitment for the new role.”

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