SIX days. That’s the length of time which elapsed between Munster announcing that Ian Flanagan was stepping down as CEO and subsequently confirming that New Zealander Avan Lee was stepping up.
Munster have been caught on the hop a fair bit in recent times, but they were out in front on this announcement.
The province believe they have landed a serious operator in Lee, hailing the Kiwi as ‘one of the most experienced executives in club rugby’ in yesterday’s press release.
The 51-year-old, who arrives at the club after a decade in charge of the Wellington-based Hurricanes Super Rugby franchise in his native land, joins the province as interim chief executive officer.
Lee was a calm, respected and effective CEO during his time at the Hurricanes
But he intends to stay a lot longer.
‘It’s 12 months, as the interim, which is whatever you take from that. But from my perspective, my attitude is that it’s permanent,’ Lee said yesterday.
‘And, you know, once I do a good job, I’m sure that will happen. But I’m not coming over to look at a 12-month job. I feel like I’m leaving New Zealand for this opportunity.’
He certainly appears committed. Lee is looking to move his entire family over to Cork in the coming weeks.
Lee was a calm, respected and effective CEO during his time at the Hurricanes. All Black icons such as Jonah Lomu, Christian Cullen, Tana Umaga, Ma’a Nonu, Jerry Collins, Beauden Barrett and Ardea Savea have won the yellow and black jersey with distinction.
For a long time, however, the Hurricanes were something of a sleeping giant, with the Crusaders and Chiefs achieving far more success at Super Rugby level.
That changed during Lee’s 10-year stint in the top job. They won a historic Super Rugby title in 2016 and, a few months after Lee stepped down from his role last year, they landed another one.
Lee was hailed for developing a rich network of commercial contacts, both in New Zealand and abroad. He fostered a healthy culture in the organisation and he is known to be a smart operator when it comes to recruitment. Especially on the coaching front. Chris Boyd, the highly-experienced coach who spent some time at Munster in a consultancy role last year, came on board as head coach early in Lee’s tenure.
The ‘Canes were beaten Super Rugby finalists later that season. They went one better 12 months later. John Plumtree, Jason Holland, and current head coach Clark Laidlaw were all subsequently hired on Lee’s watch.
All of those made big impacts in Wellington.
Lee was credited with steering the club through some serious challenges, particularly the Covid-19 pandemic. The franchise turned a profit for the first six years of his tenure. Not a bad return, given the grave financial issues facing New Zealand rugby across the board in recent times.
Ian Flanagan stepped down as CEO at Munster
‘He’s guided the club with integrity, professionalism, and vision through a decade of significant change. His contribution to our organisation, and to professional rugby in New Zealand cannot be overstated,’ said then Hurricanes chairman Iain Potter when Lee stepped down in November of last year.
Born in Dargaville, the same town which produced Joey Carbery, Lee grew up in the neighbouring district of Whangarei. The eldest of three brothers, he played cricket and rugby in his formative years.
He once described himself as a ‘skinny’ out-half or full-back during his playing days. Lee dreamed of becoming an All Black but when it became clear that a pro rugby player career wasn’t going to materialise, he went down the sports management route, completing a degree in management studies and marketing.
Like a lot of young New Zealanders, he decided to head overseas for work experience and to play a bit of rugby. He went to Dublin, doing an entry-level gig with a marketing company by day and lining out for Clontarf on the weekends. He happened to meet his wife in the capital, too.
He later returned to these parts between 2013 and 2015 when he took up a role with World Rugby, the game’s governing body. He also held prominent roles with his beloved Northland, serving as the club’s commercial manager for a year, as well as New Zealand rugby between 2007 and 2012.
Lee’s in-tray will be stacked when he gets his feet under the desk at Munster’s headquarters in Cork later this month.
On the financial side of things, the province have recently been through a round of redundancies while the operation are set to post a loss of €1m for the second year in a row.
The findings of an Independent Governance and Organisational Review, which was commissioned in the wake of the Roger Randle debacle, is expected to be delivered in the coming weeks.
Things have been equally turbulent on the pitch with Lee now overseeing a once-proud club, formerly a powerhouse of the European game, that has fallen on hard times.
Munster fans will be hoping for a return to the glory days, like this triumph in 2008
A shallow squad, a revolving door of coaches, and dwindling attendances have been key issues for a long time.
Lee will soon discover other problems, with participation, pathways, and divided factions level all requiring attention.
It’s a big task and none of it will be fixed overnight , but it sounds like Lee is in this for the long haul.
‘My message to everyone connected with the province is simple: we are stronger when we stand together,’ he said yesterday.
‘If we unite behind a shared ambition and a commitment to excellence, I am confident Munster Rugby can achieve great things in the years ahead.’
We’ve witnessed a lot of false dawns at Thomond Park.
Lee will be hoping to buck that trend.
