Northland Rugby Union CEO Cameron Bell said, “I’m proud to announce that the newly appointed Chair of the Northland Rugby Union is Nikita Tomlinson, following the Board meeting held on Wednesday, 3rd July. Nikita’s appointment, and that of Deputy Chair Kelly McCallum, has sent a clear message that we can be confident that our organisation heads into the future under the guidance of strong and effective leadership and governance. It is this governance that will allow us to continue to foster our goals of long-term sustainability, the growth of participation and high performance, and the ongoing drive to be a leader in entertainment and innovation within the New Zealand rugby ecosystem.”

Nikita Tomlinson noted, “It is with the support of a skilled and passionate Board that I have accepted the role of Chair of Northland Rugby Union. This is a privilege and responsibility that carries with it both the legacy of those that have come before us and the challenges that we know we will face in the future.

It's important at this time to take a moment to acknowledge those who have sat around the NRU Board table before us, and also the ongoing support from our stakeholders. I would also like to extend the Board's gratitude to Andrew Golightly for his guidance and direction as a transitional chair since September 2023. Ngā mihi nui Andrew for your mahi.

On behalf of the Northland Rugby Union Board, we look forward to continuing to support CEO Cameron Bell and his amazing team with their mahi on the ground, right at the heart of our communities.

The vision for our Provincial Union is not a small one, but neither is our Province.”

In signing off, the outgoing Chair and Northland Rugby administrative legend, Andrew Golightly, commented, “It has been a privilege to serve Northland rugby as a transitional chair from September 2023. As I said at our recent AGM, I set a number of priorities and these have been ticked off. The last priority was to set about finding a new chair to lead Northland Rugby. Nikita was appointed Deputy Chair late last year and chaired the Finance Committee. I value her skills in business, finance, strategy, and rugby passion, and this sees her well placed to be the NRU chair in 2024 and beyond. She has my full support in taking up this important role, and I know she will do an outstanding job. I step back knowing Northland Rugby is in safe hands with Nikita as Chair, our quality board, and our great staff.

I have very much enjoyed working with our CEO Cam Bell, who drives and understands that Northland rugby is stronger when we act collectively. Our WHY remains - One Team - One Goal - To be the best. I also acknowledge the outstanding support from all our stakeholders. I thank the board and staff at the NZ Rugby Foundation for their support while I was juggling two important Chair roles for rugby.”

The final makeup of the Board is confirmed as follows:

Glen Subritzky has been reappointed for one more year and is our longest-serving Board member
Te Tai Tokerau Māori Rugby Trust Board Chair Mike Te Wake
Council of Unions Chair Peter Robinson and Deputy Chair Clayton Murray
Newly appointed Board members are Boyd Wiggins and Warwick Taylor
President Bryce Woodward
Kaumatua Te Warihi Hetaraka
Past President Andrew Golightly
Patron Richie Guy

Article added: Friday 05 July 2024