Rowena Davenport is right where she wants to be — perfectly positioned to tackle the big challenges in the game.
The former Otago Rugby Football Union chairwomen and former governor-general Dame Patsy Reddy have been appointed to the New Zealand Rugby (NZR) board.
For Davenport it completes a long journey from University second five, to sideline supporter, to volunteer, to administrator, to a position where she can have a big impact on the future shape of the sport.
"I’ve spent much of my life in and around rugby clubs and I’ve had a really positive experience," she said.
"This is what led to a number of volunteer roles in rugby governance ... starting when I joined the Otago Rugby Football Union (ORFU) as a director of the board in 2014.
"That was following their near collapse two years earlier, so it was a really interesting time to join the board."
The association narrowly escaped going bust. Davenport, who is the chief executive of Dunedin-based law firm Gallaway Cook Allan, was part of the rebuild and only recently stepped down as chairwomen of the board of the ORFU.
Having helped the association back on its feet, she is "really excited about the opportunity to influence outcomes for rugby right across New Zealand with the board appointment".
The sporting landscape is changing fast and rugby has been outpaced, she suggested.
"It is pretty obvious to all involved ... rugby in New Zealand hasn’t kept up, so there is a real opportunity to adapt and innovate the game.
"I don’t underestimate the challenges involved."
A key motivator for her is to see greater equality across sport.
"We really want to ensure that this is a game for all in the country and encourage participants, fans, supporters from all different backgrounds right across New Zealand."
Davenport was not involved in the recent review of the Black Ferns environment which highlighted challenges in its high-performance culture and with the resourcing of the team.
But she said NZR was committed to following through on the recommendations of the report and that was a positive outcome for the sport.
Reddy brings extensive skills to the board following a career as a lawyer, director, and crown negotiator before serving as New Zealand’s governor-general from 2016 to 2021.
She has served in numerous high-profile governance and consulting roles in both the private and public sectors.
“It’s an exciting time to be joining the NZR Board, with the Rugby World Cup in Aotearoa later this year," Reddy said.
"I am sure this tournament will inspire a new generation of women and girls to play rugby.
"I look forward to contributing to a sport that has unified and enthralled New Zealanders from all walks of life for over 150 years.”
Davenport and Reddy join New Zealand Maori board chairwoman Dame Farah Palmer on the board.
