29 Apr 2021

Grassroots rugby tells professional players to support deal

From Checkpoint, 6:07 pm on 29 April 2021

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The message from grassroots rugby to the professional players is clear - get onboard with the Silver Lake deal.

All 26 unions and the Māori Rugby Board approved plans to sell a 12.5 percent stake in New Zealand Rugby's commercial rights to US equity firm Silver Lake.

The deal is worth more than $380 million. But the deal is still not complete, because the professional players are blocking it. And mediation is at a stale mate.

Bridget Belsham is the CEO of Wanganui Rugby and Group chair of heartland rugby.

She says they like what they see and that's why they're for it - boots and all.