New Zealand Rugby has named former governor general Patsy Reddy as the first woman chairperson in its 130-year history. She was elected at a meeting in Auckland, New Zealand Rugby.
On her appointment, she said: “It is an absolute honour to be elected to the position of chair at such a pivotal and exciting moment for rugby in Aotearoa.”
She will take over when outgoing chair Stewart Mitchell steps down in the new year. Another woman, Farah Palmer and Bailey Mackey have been appointed deputy chairs, a role Palmer already held.
“I would like to thank Stewart for his long service to the Board and his leadership over the past two years as chair.
“He has left rugby in a strong position to grasp the opportunities in front of us and with a diverse and skilled Board I could not be more excited about the challenges ahead.”
After a long career as a lawyer, Reddy was appointed to the board of New Zealand Rugby in
April having served as the country’s governor general from 2016 until 2021.
Deputy chair Palmer is now a professor, following a glittering playing career which included captaining New Zealand at three Rugby World Cups.
Palmer was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2014 and has served on the New Zealand Māori Rugby Board since 2007.
NZR hosted the women’s 15-a-side Rugby World Cup – which the host nation won – this year, following a year-long delay brought about by the global health crisis.
New Zealand won the women’s rugby sevens gold medal at last year’s delayed Olympics and came second in the men’s tournament.
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