Bay of Plenty Rugby Union held its 110^th Annual General Meeting at Rotorua International Stadium on Monday, reporting on a successful, albeit difficult, 2020 season.

Paul Owen, Bay of Plenty Rugby Rugby Chairman congratulated the clubs on their efforts in 2020 amongst the uncertainties that Covid-19 brought to everyone’s lives.

 “Although delayed due to the lock down, all community competitions for clubs and schools were undertaken. This was an amazing accomplishment for all the coaches, administrators and helped bring some normality back to peoples lives” comments Paul Owen.

A surplus of $183,126 was achieved in 2020. The result would have been a deficit if it had not been for the governments wage subsidy.

Owen also announced there were several changes in line for the Bay of Plenty Rugby Board, including himself, after 13 years on the Board and having spent the last 7 years as Chairman, stepping down from the Board in May.

Owen comments, “It has been an incredibly busy yet fulfilling time and I look back feeling very proud of the accomplishments and progress the Union has made over this time. I am retiring with the Union in a sound financial position which is a long way from the dark times when we were basically insolvent, to now with the Union being the third biggest Provincial Union in the country in terms of playing numbers and having regular success on the field with the Steamers and Volcanix.”

The Bay of Plenty Rugby Board will also put in place a new Commercial Board that will oversee the investments and the new business that has been developed over the last 6 months. Current Bay of Plenty Rugby Rugby Deputy Chairman Owen Cooney and Board Member Hellen Faulkner will become members of the new Commercial Board.

Bay of Plenty Rugby Rugby Chief Executive, Mike Rogers comments “Change is occurring very quickly in the rugby environment and we need to change if we are to remain viable and relevant, hence the establishment of the Commercial Board. The Bay of Plenty Rugby Board had the foresight to see this and have been bold in supporting a change in the governance structure that will aim to build new revenue streams that can support the development of the game in Bay of Plenty for the long term. Traditional revenue is being tested and so we have had to look outside the square to find solutions. It’s early days, but doing nothing would mean us going backwards and no one wants that”.

Don Thwaites was voted in as Vice President and Steve Axtens moved into the Presidents role replacing Kevin Hennessey who had completed his term.

Dick Littlejohn, was voted in as Patron of the Union again. The recently turned 90-year-old spoke of his pride in seeing the success the union had achieved, in return a hearty Happy Birthday was sung by the meeting.

Article added: Thursday 25 March 2021