Manawatu Rugby Union chairman ready to stand down

Tony Murphy is now virtually certain to step aside as the Manawatu Rugby Union chairman.

Six applicants are standing for three positions on the union's board and one of the vacancies will be Murphy's.

The others stepping down are Mark Buxton and Phil Gibbons, who has been transferred to London with the New Zealand Army.

Murphy has been 10 years as a director, and last month said he would stay only if there was no-one of suitable calibre to stand.

The Manawatu Standard understands company directors Grant Smith and Steve Lee are among those who have been nominated, as has union president Steve Morris.

"I said if I needed to stay for the good of the union, I would," Murphy said. "I don't believe it's the case now. At this stage I'm certainly not standing.

"I've got to give other people a chance."

At the start of his tenure a decade ago, he always said he wanted to see crowds lining up to see Canterbury play at Arena Manawatu.

"And that's happening."

Murphy said he had enough on his plate, running the Catholic diocese, sitting on many of its boards and running a city motel.

He can see the healthy competition for board places is a result of the Manawatu Turbos securing their long-term future as a first-division team. Morris is being tipped as the next chairman if he gets through the appointment process. The prospective directors will be interviewed by an appointments committee, which will include Murphy, probably club rugby council chairman Kevin Tod and two from the institute of directors.

Appointments must be ratified by the clubs at the annual meeting on February 15.

Lee, a partner in NZ Travel Brokers, put his name forward at the urging of his Old Boys-Marist club after holding out hope of being "boardless" this year.

He served a decade on the old High School Old Boys committee, one season as chairman, was on the Destination Manawatu board, was the Sport Manawatu chairman and will finish his tenure on the Palmerston North Boys' High School board in April.

The union can also expect to seek a new president.

- © Fairfax NZ News