Latest news with #ScottRobertson
Associated Press
a day ago
- Business
- Associated Press
New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson to step down at year's end
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson will step down at the end of the year, creating a vacancy in one of the most powerful jobs in New Zealand sport. Robinson led New Zealand's national sport for six years, through the difficult period of the pandemic when matches often took place in empty stadiums. He also has guided the sport's national governing body through difficult financial times. New Zealand Rugby has reported substantial deficits in each of the last three years. Along with many national rugby unions, New Zealand has faced increasing costs in retaining top players. The almost 20 million New Zealand dollar deficit ($10.2 million) posted by NZR in the last financial year came despite record revenues, reflecting the increasing difficulty national rugy administrators face in making ends meet. Robinson oversaw the deal in which investment company Silver Lake paid more than 200 million dollars ($120 million) for a share of NZR's commercial revenues. The deal at first was opposed by the professional players' union but later allowed NZR to financially support provincial rugby unions after the pandemic. Robinson also was party to the decision to appoint Scott Robertson as All Blacks head coach months before Ian Foster's tenure finished. Foster led the All Blacks to the final of the 2023 World Cup in which they lost by one point to South Africa. Robinson on Monday said he's leaving to join his wife and family who have relocated to Australia. '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,' Robinson said in a statement. 'I will reflect on that as I get closer to stepping away but I firmly believe the foundations of our organization are extremely strong and the game is well-placed for the future.' Robinson succeeded Steve Tew as chief executive in 2019. He will leave prior to a reorganization which will see the incoming chief executive take charge of both New Zealand Rugby and New Zealand Rugby Commercial, the sporting and commercial parts of the game. ___ AP rugby:
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson to step down at year's end
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson will step down at the end of the year, creating a vacancy in one of the most powerful jobs in New Zealand sport. Robinson led New Zealand's national sport for six years, through the difficult period of the pandemic when matches often took place in empty stadiums. Advertisement He also has guided the sport's national governing body through difficult financial times. New Zealand Rugby has reported substantial deficits in each of the last three years. Along with many national rugby unions, New Zealand has faced increasing costs in retaining top players. The almost 20 million New Zealand dollar deficit ($10.2 million) posted by NZR in the last financial year came despite record revenues, reflecting the increasing difficulty national rugy administrators face in making ends meet. Robinson oversaw the deal in which investment company Silver Lake paid more than 200 million dollars ($120 million) for a share of NZR's commercial revenues. The deal at first was opposed by the professional players' union but later allowed NZR to financially support provincial rugby unions after the pandemic. Robinson also was party to the decision to appoint Scott Robertson as All Blacks head coach months before Ian Foster's tenure finished. Foster led the All Blacks to the final of the 2023 World Cup in which they lost by one point to South Africa. Advertisement Robinson on Monday said he's leaving to join his wife and family who have relocated to Australia. "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,' Robinson said in a statement. 'I will reflect on that as I get closer to stepping away but I firmly believe the foundations of our organization are extremely strong and the game is well-placed for the future.' Robinson succeeded Steve Tew as chief executive in 2019. He will leave prior to a reorganization which will see the incoming chief executive take charge of both New Zealand Rugby and New Zealand Rugby Commercial, the sporting and commercial parts of the game. ___ AP rugby:
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Thoughts on return after an eventful hiatus
Some things ... Hello again! The good news for the 17 dedicated readers of this column is that it is back, more or less on a weekly basis, now the man who writes it is not knee-deep in Highlanders stories. (And, er, is back from a lovely Australian holiday.) The bad news is you can expect roughly 437 mentions of Liverpool being champions of England between now and February. On that note, here are 29 things that have happened, or that I have been pondering, since the column last appeared: 1. The Highlanders claimed the wooden spoon. Oof. Did not see that coming, to be honest. They played good rugby — some really good rugby — at times. Four or five of their players were consistently brilliant. But, as one noted rugby brain told me recently, they just lost too many of the small moments. Their inexperience in some positions showed, and they lacked a couple of real game leaders to take control. Last is not good, and while most supporters will move on quickly, it will not be pleasant if results do not significantly improve next season. 2. The Chiefs are the best team in Super Rugby, by miles. Hard to see them being stopped. If it has to happen, let it be the Hurricanes, not the Crusaders. 3. Super Rugby continued its year of resurgence. The rugby has been good, new stars have emerged, and there has been plenty of uncertainty. Match attendance increased 6% despite regular season games dropping from 84 to 77, and television and digital viewership went up. Significantly, it has been the second-highest scoring season — an average of 58 points per game — with a historically low average of 2.1 penalty attempts per game. Hard to complain. 4. Just 16 days until Scott Robertson names an All Blacks squad for a second season. The Highlanders will clearly have at least one new test cap (Fabian Holland). Fingers crossed for Timoci Tavatavanawai. Elsewhere, it is hard to imagine too many new faces. Chay Fihaki, perhaps. Du'Plessis Kirifi? 5. In my last column in March, I wrote the Warriors were "miles off the pace". Oops. Sorry, Wahs fans! They have rattled off a bunch of wins and sit pretty just two points off the top of the NRL table. 6. My beloved Penrith Panthers . . . well, let's just say a fifth straight premiership was always going to be unlikely. 7. The Otago Nuggets have parted company with Jose Perez — one of the weirdest, most interesting basketball players I have seen — and become rooted to the bottom of the NBL table. Both the Nuggets and their sister team, the Hoiho, still face an uncertain future as they seek new owners. 8. In the least surprising development since Jacinda Ardern's autobiography was released with 792 references to "kindness", the Indian Panthers have been booted out of the national league. This whole shambles has been one of the great stains on the history of New Zealand sport, and some people should be feeling really embarrassed. 9. No doubt you read my thoughts on the NBA finals in yesterday's paper. Should be a good series. But my Knicks are not far away. ... that have been 10. If you are only good as your last game, the Southern Steel are awful. But the 70-45 loss to the Pulse was an early outlier in a season that is already suggesting the Steel are vastly improved from recent years. 11. I will take some convincing that a two-point shot belongs in netball. 12. What is with netball and its persistence with calling players out of retirement? The Steel raised a few eyebrows when 40-year-old assistant coach Liana Leota came off the bench in the opening game. Now an Australian team has called in Silver Ferns great Casey Kopua, a staggering six years since her retirement. Are there no decent players coming through the ranks? 13. One last netball thought. The national boss might think things are going swimmingly but there has to still be a concern that the future beyond 2026 looks so uncertain thanks to the new broadcasting deal. 14. Great to hear a new $15 million roof could be coming for the Edgar Centre. It is the best asset in this city, and needs to be protected. 15. I waited this long. Did you hear Liverpool are champions of England for a 20th time? Bliss. 16. Arsenal again looked good and won nothing. Chris Wood had the greatest season by a New Zealand footballer. Spurs are "champions of Europe", ha ha. And Manchester United . . . ye gods. 17. You had to feel for Auckland FC. They were wonderful in their inaugural season, deservedly won the minor premiership, and were unlucky to fall in the playoffs. Like every normal football fan, I would rather the A-League just had a plain old league format. 18. The Phoenix appear to be in freefall. Really worrying. 19. Liam Lawson has been busy. He was demoted by Red Bull — who never really gave him a chance — and after a rugged start with Racing Bulls, he appears to be finding his feet. Hopefully he continues to progress. 20. My cousin in Canada and a work colleague are all-in on the Edmonton Oilers winning ice hockey's Stanley Cup, as am I. Lessgooo Oilers. 21. Closer to home, those were two fantastic ice hockey world tournaments held in Dunedin. This newspaper did a sterling job covering them, too. At which point I humbly highlight the sports department's contribution to the Otago Daily Times being named metro paper of the year at the Voyager Awards. We are still covering things other papers have abandoned. ... on my mind 22. And the prize for the stupidest sport-related activity goes to . . . this "run it straight" nonsense. Just shut it down, please. 23. Can we also shut down any talk of the major boys' secondary schools in Otago and Southland abandoning a really good southern schools rugby competition in favour of an over-blown South Island First XV league, designed purely and futilely to attempt to maintain an arms race with the big North Island schools. I don't like it at all. 24. The best book I have read this year has been Spearhead , the amazing story of a tank crew in World War 2. The only sports book has been Not Everything Counts But Everything Matters , the yarn with Penrith coach Ivan Cleary. Not bad. 25. Cricket remains undefeated as the sport with the coolest scorelines. In case you missed it, the Richmond Fourth XI won the toss and fielded in a Middlesex County League game last month. Not such a brilliant decision, as the North London Thirds rattled on 426 for five off just 45 overs. In reply, Richmond were all out for two. Yes, two. One run off the bat, one from a wide. Off 5.4 overs. Brilliant. 26. Rory McIlroy completed the career grand slam with a dramatic and long-awaited win at the Masters. Awesome to watch. 27. Naomi Osaka's tragic tale continued when she crashed out of the French Open, teared up, and sounded extremely down on herself. She just seems so unhappy to be playing tennis at times. 28. Miami quarterback Cam Ward was taken at No 1 in the NFL draft by the Tennessee Titans. The best names in the draft included Aireontae Ersery, Omarr Norman-Lott, Princely Umanmielen, Upton Stout, Zeek Biggers, Gunnar Helm, LaJohntay Wester, Aeneas Peebles, Konata Mumpfield, Dante Trader jun and Lathan Ransom. 29. As mentioned, The Last Word is just back from a trip to Australia. A bit of Melbourne, the amazing Great Ocean Rd and Murray River, and a bit of Adelaide. Did not attend any sport but went to Les Miserables in the Rod Laver Arena, and noted the ratio of Aussie Rules coverage to all other sport in a major newspaper (six pages to two).
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- Sport
- NZ Herald
The All Blacks hopefuls facing nervous wait during playoffs: Elliott Smith's Tight Five
An explanation There might not be enough of a window for players to come from nowhere to make the cut, but the playoffs will crystallise the selections for Scott Robertson and co as they nail down the 35-man squad to face France. It's such an advantage the deeper your side goes in the playoffs, with a chance to show how you play in a pressure game and whether your skillset can remain whole or even expand as the big moments happen. Of course, the opposite can happen – and you can play your way out of the mix. A prediction That's why Fabian Holland and Timoci Tavatavanawai, two players in the All Blacks mix, face a nervous wait as the finals play out. Neither is a certainty to make the squad and there's little they can do over the next three weeks as Josh Lord gets his chance to impress for the Chiefs, while Braydon Ennor and Quinn Tupaea (assuming he can return from an eye injury) – feasibly in a shootout with Tavatavanawai – will be front and centre. A try here, a line-break there, a try-saving tackle, whatever it might be, special plays in the finals mean more to All Blacks selectors. A suggestion There's recent precedent for the playoffs helping to clear up tight selections for the All Blacks coaches, with Wallace Sititi's wrecking-ball performance against the Hurricanes in last year's semifinal for the Chiefs helping to earn him a spot. Akira Ioane and Hoskins Sotutu had a line drawn through their names as the Blues pack was torn to shreds by the Crusaders the previous season, with then All Blacks coach Ian Foster admitting their performances that night had made up the selectors' minds. Wallace Sititi caught the eye of selectors in last season's semifinal against the Hurricanes. Photo / Photosport A question Who can rule the big moments? Even indirectly, there can be comparisons drawn between the players in the mix as to the influence they wield in the last three weeks. Du'Plessis Kirifi may not get a chance to go head to head with Dalton Papali'i in the playoffs, but the chance to show that the former can handle it when the heat is turned up and keep his discipline – a major improvement in his game this year – could prove vital come June 23. Papali'i has an All Blacks jersey to protect after missing last year's end-of-year tour through injury and was seemingly on the outer before then anyway. The All Blacks were found lacking last year in closing out big fixtures, twice in South Africa and against France in Paris – three games they could have won. The Super Rugby playoffs are not test rugby, but they have a big say in who gets there.
France 24
6 days ago
- Business
- France 24
Crusaders seek to rebuild dynasty as Super Rugby finals begin
The Christchurch-based Crusaders won seven straight titles under head coach Scott Robertson but endured a torrid season last year after he left to take charge of the All Blacks. The Crusaders won only four games and failed to make the playoffs under new mentor Rob Penney. A year on, the Crusaders finished in second place, giving them home advantage against the Reds as they seek a semi-finals berth. The Crusaders have won 13 of their past 14 matches against the Reds, and three of four finals matches between the two teams. When the sides met earlier this year in round four, the Crusaders won 43-19. Waikato Chiefs finished top and they face the defending champions Auckland Blues in Hamilton on Saturday knowing -- win or lose -- they are guaranteed to make the semi-finals. As the number one ranked side, they have a guaranteed lifeline in a revamped finals system that sees the round's three winners, and the highest seeded loser progress to the final four. The Chiefs were by far the best side during the regular season, winning matches by an average of more than 24 points per game. Coach Clayton McMillan will leave the Chiefs after the final as he heads to Ireland to coach Munster. The Chiefs are looking to recapture their glory days of 2012 and 2013 when they won back-to-back titles, having lost in the final three times since -- including last year to the Blues. The Auckland side only just scraped into the playoffs on the final weekend and were well beaten by the Chiefs twice during the regular season. The final play-off on Saturday sees Wellington Hurricanes travel to Canberra to face the third-seeded ACT Brumbies. The Hurricanes are undefeated in their last six Super Rugby matches, coming from behind at half-time in three of those matches.
