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| PNG's National Rugby Team are called the PukPuks (Photo: IRB.com) |
Papua New Guinea are the current Asia-Pacific Women's Sevens Champions having defeated China in the final of the 2011 Asia-Pacific Women's Sevens Championships in Borneo. They won bronze medals in both the Men's and Women's Sevens competitions at last year's Pacific Games in New Caledonia and the Men's Sevens team won the Bowl final at the 2010 Commonwealth Games - claiming the prized scalps of Canada and Tonga along the way. They are the current Oceania Cup Champions, proceeding through the 2011 Oceania Cup undefeated, and reached the final stage of qualification for Rugby World Cup 2011 where they took on Samoa for the right to qualify for New Zealand.
Papua New Guinea is classified as a 'Targeted' Union by the IRB - one of only 10 in the world and the only one in the Oceania region. This classification is a reflection of PNG's strategic importance not only as a country, but also their potential as a Rugby playing nation. This classification brings with it increased funding opportunities but it also brings with it an increased level of responsibility and for this reason, the PNGRFU has been undertaking an ambitious series of reforms to ensure that it has the administrative and governance structures in place needed to propel the Union into the next stage of it's development.
Background to the PNGRFU Reforms
A Major Review of the PNGRFU was conducted in 2010. The Review, which is undertaken in all Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions (FORU) Member Unions at least once in a four year cycle, identified a number of priority areas that required attention by the PNGRFU. These recommendations can be grouped into 4 main areas:
- Governance
- Administration
- Financial
- Rugby Operations
Governance Reforms
Arguably the area requiring the most urgent attention was in Governance. The PNGRFU Constitution was found to be outdated, ambiguous and quite possibly not being validly applied. Any Member Union that is found to not be validly applying its constitution will likely find that their membership of the IRB will be reviewed and this is a situation that we did not want to find the PNGRFU in. Consequently, the IRB and the PNGRFU engaged a constitutional expert to assist in the redrafting of the PNGRFU Constitution. The revised Constitution was tabled at this week's AGM for consideration by the membership and is a marked improvement on its predecessor.The next step that is required is the development of a Common Association constitution, as well as clearly established affiliation criteria, for the Provincial Unions of the PNGRFU. This is needed to protect both the PNGRFU and its Members and will result in a more robust membership structure that clearly outlines the criteria that Provincial Members need to meet in order to be affiliated to the National body. Such a structure ensures that the PNGRFU clearly outlines what is expected of it's Provincial Unions and the Provincial Unions clearly understand their obligations in growing the game of rugby. Work on this document has commenced.
Administration Reforms
The Union review identified an absence of adequate operational structures, and suitable policies and procedures, expected of a Union receiving such a significant grant from the IRB. The weak administrative structures were also hampering the ability of the Union to assist the Provincial Unions in fostering the growth of rugby throughout the country.The appointment of a General Manager earlier this year is a positive step and addresses one of the key recommendations made in the Major Review. The benefits that this appointment will bring to the Provincial Unions in partiuclar is significant, however it is important to temper the level of expectation with the realities that history has taught us. As we have learnt from administrative reforms undertaken in other Unions in the region, it takes a long time to develop and implement proper administrative reforms. With that said, the IRB and FORU staff are better able to assist the PNGRFU in this regard now that effective administrative structures are being put in place.
Financial Reforms
The absence of adequate Financial controls has been a problem for the Union for a number of years – and this has to be addressed urgently if current funding levels are to be maintained.Consequently, the IRB and the PNGRFU commissioned a 'Review of Financial Procedures at the PNGRFU'. The Review was undertaken by KPMG Auckland and the final report has recently been received.
The report has identified a number of recommendations that need to be implemented in order to develop best practice financial management and reporting structures. When done, this will provide the Union, the Board and the Membership with appropriate financial reports upon which informed decisions can be made. The IRB and the PNGRFU are currently in the process of prioritising the recommendations contained in the report and establishing implementation plans for the highest priorities.
Rugby Operations
The Major Review identified a need to review and reform domestic competition structures to provide a better athlete pathway to international Rugby. Perhaps more importantly, robust domestic competition structures are the foundation for rugby’s growth in the country. Once again, the IRB development team remain ready to assist the PNGRFU, and its members, to undertake this difficult process. This a complex process and will take time – if we are to successfully restructure the domestic competition structures we have to be working towards a common vision and that is the challenge that lies before the PNGRFU.
If the PNGRFU, and indeed any Pacific Island Member Union, aspires to compete on the global stage with the big rugby nations and the big economies, it has to have best-practice administrative and governance structures in place as well as a robust domestic competition structure.
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