Another New Zealand Rugby heavy hitter is leaving the organisation. Lendrum will finish in May but stay on in a consultant role with some professional rugby projects until the end of the year. He has served on the NZR executive since 2020 with responsibility for men’s and women’s high performance, national tournaments and competitions, professional player management and Super Rugby clubs. Interim NZR chief executive Steve Lancaster paid tribute to Lendrum’s long-standing contribution to the game. Lancaster will assume the chief rugby officer role, which oversees all professional and community rugby, once a new chief executive has been appointed.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 24, 2026 15:34 UTC