THE NÉO-ZÉLANDA FEDÉ PATRON ANNOUNCES ITS DEPARTURE

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) boss Steve Tew announced Wednesday that he will step down at the end of 2019 after 12 years at the helm of the New Zealand federation, citing the need for "new blood". Steve Tew took control of NZR shortly after the disastrous elimination of the All Blacks in the quarter-finals of the 2007 World Cup by France. Since then, the New Zealand team has won the trophy twice, in 2011 and 2015. It has also cleaned up the finances of the organization and managed to persuade several major players to stay in the country rather than accept attractive offers abroad.

His retirement announced after the 2019 World Cup in Japan is in addition to those of All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and captain Kieran Read. Other players - Ryan Crotty, Ben Smith, Liam Squire, Nehe Milner-Skudder - are also on the start.