Latest news with #KelseyTeneti
NZ Herald
23-07-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Swann reflects on Gisborne's Rugby Park redevelopment, surge in player numbers
Swann said the success of locally born-and-bred Black Ferns and Black Ferns Sevens players such as Renee Holmes, Charmaine McMenamin, Kaipo Olsen-Baker and Kelsey Teneti also promoted women's rugby and showed there was a pathway for talented players. He said Horowhenua-Kāpiti was the only one of the other 25 unions to match Poverty Bay's increased player numbers, which came at a time of economic challenges and growing competition from other codes. The Covid-19 era was another testing time, Swann said. 'We were still having matches. Rugby was operating in a bubble. We worked so hard. It was really, really hard to keep going, but we did. 'We were wiping down posts and pads. We were wiping everything. We were breaking people down into groups, but we got there.' Gisborne's Kelsey Teneti in action for New Zealand against France at the Singapore 7s earlier this year. The success of Teneti and other Gisborne-connected female players is a factor in the increase in female player numbers in Tairāwhiti, says Hayden Swann in reflecting on his tenure as Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union chairman. Photo / Jayne Russell, Photosport The annual report said the Rugby Park redevelopment had been impacted significantly by the Covid-19 pandemic, Cyclone Gabrielle and inflation. But the union decided to develop 'our ageing asset' and the $12.5 million grandstand redevelopment, originally costed at $8m, had been fully funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment/ Kanoa Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit and Trust Tairāwhiti. Swann told the Herald the union was showing huge profits for the past two years of around $2.5 million, 'which of course' related to capital project funding for the grandstand redevelopment which had not yet been spent. 'It is not a real profit.' But the union had made an operating profit in 2024 of $45,000. Swann attributed that to an increase in commercial revenue and New Zealand Rugby (NZR) funding being boosted because of increased player registrations. The union retained strong relationships with local sponsors and funders and took a conservative approach to spending, resulting in more revenue and less spending in 2024, he said. The union was now endeavouring to 'put money away'. Swann said interest earned from the union's $500,000 share of the Silverlake equity payout to NZR would be ring-fenced for maintaining assets and would not be spent on staffing or operations. The union wanted to avoid the example of other sporting infrastructure in the district ageing to a point where it was not fit-for-purpose. The grandstand was due for completion next June and would result in a significant uplift in the equity of the union. Swann said the union had assets of only $321,000 back in 2018 and recorded a deficit of $129,000. Swann, who has stepped aside after serving as an independent member of the PBRFU board for the maximum period of three three-year terms (seven years as chairman), said his nine years had been the most rewarding and enjoyable time of any organisation he had served on. 'Being chairman is a privileged position because you are working for New Zealand Rugby,' the Makaraka School principal said. 'There are 25 other provincial union chairmen [and] you learn from their knowledge, experience and capabilities. 'Rugby is such a neat network and such a giving network.' The new union chairman is Trust Tairāwhiti general manager economic development Hayden Green.
RNZ News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
NZ Rugby not looking at axing All Blacks Sevens
Photo: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan New Zealand Rugby has no plans to follow in Ireland's footsteps and disband its men's sevens team. On Thursday, the Ireland Rugby Football Union (IRFU) announced the Irish men's sevens team would be dissolved at the end of the 2024/25 season as it seeks to cut costs. Ireland's Zac Ward scores against New Zealand. Photo: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan, ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan The Ireland women's sevens programme remains unaffected. The announcement comes after the IRFU posted a $34 million loss for the 2023/24 season. However, New Zealand Rugby won't be following suit, despite recording a $19.5 million loss for 2024. In a statement given to RNZ, New Zealand Rugby said the All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens were both set to be included in next season's World Series. "NZR intends on having our sevens teams participating next season but does recognise that at present there are very real financial challenges being felt by all national unions in doing so." Photo: Iain McGregor / The Black Ferns Sevens are coming off another another successful season. They won both the overall World Series league title and the winner-takes-all season finale to be crowned World Series champions. They won four of the six World Series rounds as well as the final event in LA. They also defended their Olympic title in Paris last year. Black Ferns Sevens player Kelsey Teneti. Photo: PHOTOSPORT The All Blacks Sevens weren't so strong. They finished seventh in the overall standings and failed to finish in the top three in any of the first six rounds, before taking third place at the season finale in Los Angeles, their first podium of the year. However, it appears they are safe for next season at least. The IRFU said axing its men's sevens team was "part of a broader strategic effort to ensure long-term financial sustainability". The IRFU said an internal review also concluded that the men's sevens programme "does not contribute as a development pathway for the XVs game". "The financial situation we face is challenging, and it's crucial that we take decisive action to secure the long-term success of Irish Rugby," said IRFU high performance director David Humphreys. "While the decision to end the men's sevens programme is a difficult one, it is necessary in order to ensure that our resources are focused on the areas that will have the greatest impact on the future of the game in Ireland."
