Scott Kahle
Chairman
Scott has player senior club rugby in several regions throughout the country and is involved in coaching at secondary schools level.

Scott brings strong expertise to the board with a background in finance, he also has an established background in business growth and the formation of strategic partnerships.

He is currently Head of Alliances and Strategic Partnerships with FMG and is a strong supporter of the BOPRU.
Outside of this role Scott is active in the local community with governance roles within a local charity and the education sector, together with being busy with kids sports most weekends.

Megan Cleverley
Independent Board Member
​​​​​​​Megan is passionate about community sport and has worked alongside and supported many of our Bay of Plenty clubs during her 9 years as the Sport Manager at Sport Bay of Plenty and this is a key focus for Megan.

As an independent director Megan’s, knowledge, skills, and experience in increasing the capability of sporting organisations to make them strong and resilient, coupled with her human resource management and health and safety background will add real value to our sport.

Megan has been involved in governance roles in the sport and education sector for over 15 years. She has   held senior leadership roles in the Bay of Plenty including surf lifesaving and Tauranga City Council and continues to enhance many sporting organisations with their operational and governance practices across New Zealand.

Outside of this role Megan continues to be involved in other community volunteer organisations, loves to tramp and when she has a free time in the summer, she is a surf lifeguard up at Hot Water Beach.

Phil Barnett
Rugby Director
​​​​​​​Phil has a long involvement in rugby through playing at a senior level in Canterbury and Wellington before embarking on a 32 year long stint with the referee's whistle. With 300 premier games (in Wellington and Bay of Plenty) under his belt, Phil retired from refereeing at the end of the 2015 season, his passion for the game crossing over into 2 year terms as Vice President and then President of BOP Rugby.

As a Rugby Director, Phil brings to the Board both administrative experience and a strong commitment and enthusiasm for the game at all levels – from weekly Club visits as a member of the President’s Group during the Club season, through to passionate blue and gold support in all aspects of our High Performance programme.

Phil has had a long career in banking and finance, most of which has been associated with area and regional people leadership roles within BNZ and currently NZ Post/Kiwibank.

Sam Fellows
Independent Board Member
Sam was born and bred in Tauranga, returning in 2016 after study and working elsewhere in New Zealand and overseas. 

He is a current Bay of Plenty premier referee and has refereed in Unions across New Zealand and overseas.

A lawyer by training specialising in litigation, Sam provided advice to a number of International, National and Regional sporting organisations as well as athletes and sponsors.

Sam is currently a manager at Tauranga city Council and sits on the boards of community, charity and educational organisations. 

Warena Morgan
Rugby Director
​​​​​​​Warena Morgan from Rotorua and of Te Arawa/Tuwharetoa descent has played rugby in Rotorua from Junior level through to Senior level. In 2016 where the journey started, after a persuasive nomination, Warena found his passion for Rugby Administration, starting as a club committee member, club president, sub-union executive member, sub-union president, judiciary committee member and now BOPRU Rugby Director.

As a Rugby Director Warena brings his knowledge of club and sub-union administration. The understanding of the struggles clubs and sub-unions go through year in and year out from financial difficulties, keeping club kawa/traditions, attending funerals, communicating with local agencies, struggles of fielding a rugby team.

Warenas previous work experiences involves 5 years as a Controls System Technician and 12 years as an Industrial Electrician. Warena is currently working as a Reliability and Safety Technician after realising the need for a challenge.

Mel Manley
Independent Board Member
​​​​​Mel started her passion as a rugby supporter after growing up in the mighty Waikato, moving to the Bay of Plenty in 2021 after long stints overseas in the UK and Australia. With a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management and a Bachelor of Arts (Japanese/Politics), Mel has worked in a variety of senior People & Culture roles prior to branching out into broader executive roles.

Mel is currently the Corporate Services Manager for Quayside Holdings (the investment arm of the BOP Regional Council), owner and Director of HR Unplugged and the Events Manager for Beach Rugby Australia and N.Z. With a rugby-mad family, Mel has been involved in and around rugby clubs for a long time as either a Club Secretary, Committee member, supporter or parent, enabling her to see rugby through the lens of various stakeholders.

Mel has a strong leaning towards people and leadership, marcomms, commercialisation and stakeholder engagement. With a keen interest in the environment and the outdoors, Mel and her family love the beach, mountain biking and travelling.

Whetu Rangi
Independent Board Member
Whetu (Tūhoe) is a proud Bay of Plenty native, hailing and Te Waimana in the Eastern Bay, growing up around Rotorua and now residing in Tauranga Moana. 

He played age grade rugby throughout Central Bay from Tai Mitchell, BOP age grade, to club before finishing his schooling at Rotorua Boys’. After returning to the Bay in 2019 his involvement with BOP rugby is both as a player and administrator in the Western and Eastern Bay.  

With a background in commercial banking, Whetu is currently the Head of Māori Business Growth at BNZ and is tasked with enabling the prosperity of Māori businesses by growing its people and communities. 

Whetu brings his knowledge of rugby at the community level, with a deep understanding of te ao Māori, whilst knowing the commercial challenges of organisations like the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union.