Former All Blacks coach Sir Steve Hansen has taken aim at New Zealand Rugby, saying the relationship between the players and organisation is "the worst it's ever been".
Following a time of intense scrutiny of the way the national game is being run by NZ Rugby, Sir Steve has pointed the finger at the organisation - taking aim at its seeming reluctance to back its people.
In April, former Black Ferns coach Glenn Moore stood down from his role less than six months out from this year's Women's Rugby World Cup held in New Zealand, citing the toll of a culture review on his side on last year's Northern Hemisphere tour.
Meanwhile, All Blacks coach Ian Foster's position has also been under fire in recent weeks following a historic series defeat to Ireland on home soil, with just over a year until the men's World Cup to be held in France.
Speaking to Today FM, Sir Steve pinpointed issues within the national game as stemming from the top - accusing New Zealand Rugby of doing little to support Moore and Foster during periods of adversity.
"I don't think the issue's inside the team," Sir Steve said. "I think there are bigger issues than that.
"There's been a lot of reviews done recently - Glenn Moore and Ian Foster on their coaching ability. When was [the last time] New Zealand Rugby did a self-review of itself?
"We talk about 'he tangata, he tangata, he tangata' in New Zealand Rugby - that's a Māori proverb for, 'It's the people, it's the people, it's the people.'
"I didn't see much of that with them protecting Glenn Moore and Ian Foster. We still don't know what happened with Glenn.
"They've come out and aired all their dirty washing in the front part of the property, rather than out the back.
"So their job [NZ Rugby] as an organisation is to run it with strength and leadership but do it in a way that you're going to look after the people that work for you.
"Otherwise, you'll end up with a high turnover of staff which I think that they're having at the moment."
Sir Steve also took issue with the handling of the Silver Lake deal, whereby the US tech firm invested hundreds of millions of dollars into New Zealand Rugby.
But the deal was stalled for more than a year, as the New Zealand Rugby Players Association took a stance against the investment before coming around.
And, as Sir Steve alleges, the relationship between the players and the organisation is at an all-time low - highlighting his own tenure as All Blacks coach as a key point in history where both parties worked in harmony.
"The relationship between the board and the exec and the players is at the worst it's ever been," he told Today FM. "The way they handled the new money scheme, [former chairman] Brent Impey came out and absolutely roasted the players with no consultation.
"I don't think they're doing their job right at the moment.
"You've got a group of great All Blacks captains coming out and forming a group, and went and spoke to them. Kirky [David Kirk] is in the paper the other day saying they don't feel they got listened to.
"Let's start there and let's get that right. If you look back to when we were really successful from about 2010 through to 2019, which was our most successful era, the board and the exec at the rugby union were humming.
"There was complete togetherness and connection was with the actual All Black team."
