Moffet Resigns As WRU Chief!
By Zippy
September 30 2005
In the best rugby news for a long time WRU dictator David Moffett has announced he is leaving his position as group chief executive of the Welsh Rugby Union, for details and initial reaction read on.
His shock resignation came late this afternoon at a WRU press conference. He will leave his position on the 31st December and return to New Zealand for personal and family reasons. Zippy Reaction I’ve spent yesterday evening and this morning reading what a great success David Moffett was for Welsh Rugby, the facts of this are there for everyone to see the bank balance looks a lot better and Wales won the Grand Slam in last years 6 nations, but apart from that what is actually better? Fans of top class rugby have spent the last few seasons watching the dire rubbish that is the Celtic League, the sides have failed in Europe and the grass roots in the nicest possible terms is a shambles. We are in the 3rd season of regional rugby and the majority of rugby fans are not happy with it at all with the people who run the clubs stuck between loyalties to the main Club and the supposed "Region" thye represent. Lets hope those taking over have more of an idea about how to take the game forward, however from what I’ve seen and heard of Steve Lewis I very much doubt this and I hope the decision not to appoint a successor is overturned. The WRU have a court case coming up and the way in which Moffett leaves Welsh Rugby runs many similarities to when he ran Aussie Rugby League:
The WRU will not replace Moffett, instead WRU general manager Steve Lewis and Millennium Stadium general manager Paul Sergeant will jointly take over his responsibilities.
WRU chairman David Pickering said, "On behalf of the WRU Group, I must put on record our grateful thanks to David Moffett for his outstanding contribution to the WRU Group over the past three years.
"He has made a huge difference to the business of the WRU Group and to the fortunes of the Welsh rugby both on and off the field.
"David has been fundamental in securing an extremely strong management team within the WRU Group and therefore it is not our intention as the Board of Directors to appoint a new Group CEO for the foreseeable future."
David Moffett said, "I have loved my time in Wales and I feel a particular affinity with the Welsh people. I am returning to live in New Zealand because of personal and family reasons. I have no professional plans."
I’m sure I’ll have more to say on the matter, but now this chapter is over at last and he has gone we’ll see what the next chapter will bring. One thing is for sure, I’m feeling that little bit more positive this morning and I haven’t touched a brains yet.