David Moffett Signs Up To 2008

The WRU Board of Directors unanimously agreed to extend Mr Moffett’s contract, which means he will be in position to oversee the Union‘s 125^th birthday celebrations in season 2005/2006 and Wales‘ challenge at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

“This is excellent news for the WRU, Welsh rugby and all our stakeholders. What we are seeking to achieve is long-term stability within our game and we feel that David Moffett has demonstrated on all fronts the qualities we need in our chief executive,” said WRU chairman, David Pickering.

“We knew we were employing one of the world’s leading sports administrators and David has proved his leadership qualities and business acumen time and time again in the 18 months he has been with us. He is highly respected at the IRB and has become one of the key negotiators at the Six Nations Committee table.

“His reputation as a strong leader has been borne out in the way he drove through the move to regionalisation in Welsh rugby. Having successfully transformed the professional game from a top tier of nine clubs into five regions his next task is to help those regions become increasingly competitive both on and off the field.

“This news will be welcomed by all our commercial partners who see in David a man who can drive forward our business and tackle the difficult issues.”

David Moffett’s appointment as the first Group Chief

Executive of the Welsh Rugby Union was announced on 31 October, 2002. Since then he has overseen the move to a more streamlined administration at the Union, where he is a member of the new 18 man Board of Directors and also chairs the Executive Board.

“This was a very easy decision for me to make because I have developed a strong working relationship with David Pickering and the rest of the Board of Directors,” said Moffett.

“We are a short way on a long journey and I want to continue with that journey. Ever since I started my job in Wales people have been asking me when I will be leaving.

“I hope that by committing myself to Welsh rugby until 2008 I will be able to convince everyone that I’m in this for the long haul and that I’m relishing the challenge.

“By 2008 I would love to see one of the Welsh regions having won the Heineken Cup, the Celtic League title to have found a regular home in Wales and the Welsh team having reached the final of the 2007 Rugby World Cup. We are also looking for a substantial increase in participation in the community game.

“Off the field, I want to see our business operating within its means, developing reserves and investing the requisite amount of funds into the community game. It is all about running Welsh rugby like a proper business.”