New Zealand Rugby Names Michael Collins

New Zealand Rugby is firing up with a major leadership overhaul, bringing in Michael Collins as chief rugby officer — a former Chiefs prop with deep roots in Taranaki and Bond University. His arrival marks the start of a new era following a damning review of old governance, with Collins set to lead everything from pro rugby to community programs alongside new high-performance director Don Tricker. The shake-up follows heated debates and a player-led standoff, culminating in the old board stepping down in late 2024 to make way for a fully independent, restructured leadership team headed by David Kirk. Key hires like Chris Kinraid and Chris Brown have already joined as CFO and COO, while a Kaihautū Māori remains to be appointed. Collins, starting in September, is energized by the chance to build a unified system from grassroots to elite level — blending his playing, coaching, and leadership experience into a bold new vision for the game. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/165301198455b671