New Zealand Rugby has appointed Michael Collins as chief rugby officer, a role that will see him lead professional rugby operations, tournaments, competitions, community rugby and stakeholder relationships.
Collins, currently director of sport at Bond University on Australia's Gold Coast, will start in September. He previously served as chief executive at both Taranaki Rugby Union and the Chiefs Super Rugby franchise.
The former loose forward played 82 games for the Chiefs and captained the franchise for one season, also representing Waikato in the NPC.
Collins will collaborate with Don Tricker, the new high performance director who officially begins in November.
NZ Rugby chief executive Steve Lancaster said the role was critical for the organisation. "This is a critical role for NZR and Mike will lead a connected New Zealand rugby system which maintains a thriving community game and connects the structures that support our professional environments," Lancaster said. "It's a broad remit, one we know that Mike is committed to and well-equipped to advance."
Collins said the opportunity was an honour. "It is an honour to be given this opportunity and it's a role I don't take lightly," he said. "I've been lucky enough to see this game from a lot of different angles - as a player in the amateur and professional eras, in game development, in high performance, and leadership positions."
The appointment continues executive restructuring at NZ Rugby following a governance reform plan agreed by stakeholders in 2024. An independent review in 2023 found NZR's governance model was not fit for purpose, leading to the board voluntarily stepping down in late 2024 to enable the selection of a fully independent board. David Kirk now chairs the board and has led changes at executive and high performance level.