One of the country's most respected former All Blacks is urging the governing body not to waste the opportunity to implement meaningful change.
The New Zealand Rugby board will vote on Monday for its new chairman, with Brent Impey having recently called time on his seven-year stint in the role.
Former All Blacks captain Buck Shelford may not be able to get everyone's attention but is hopeful of getting New Zealand Rugby's, believing now is the time for fresh ideas.
With the important vote at NZ Rugby on Monday, Shelford wants those at the top to consider it carefully.
"There is an opportunity there to do something different, rather than the norm and sticking with your normal person who's been there for six or seven years," Shelford tells Newshub. "It's your turn to take over."
Three current board members will contest the chairman's position.
Stewart Mitchell - the former Canterbury Rugby chairman who's been on the NZR board since 2014
Bailey Mackey, the youngest of the three candidates who has been on the board for a year
Shaun Nixon, the former chairman of North Harbour Rugby and director of the Blues who was elected in 2019
Newshub understands there is a real appetite for something different within New Zealand Rugby and Shelford doesn't want to see more of the same at the top.
"We have got to look outside and look for youth, and new ideas," he says. "This is because rugby is changing dramatically, and it's changing quickly."
The nine-person board gets one vote each in the process to replace outgoing chair Impey.
Mackey is understood to have the backing of three of them, but a five-vote majority is needed to be successful.
And Shelford thinks New Zealand Rugby has a big one in front of them.
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