Hurricanes revamp under way - and New Zealand Rugby could take a stake alongside major investor Malcolm Gillies
Friday, 31 October 2025
Hurricanes lost more than $2m in 2023 and 2024.
Developer Malcolm Gillies set to become major shareholder and chair.
NZ Rugby has previously owned shares in other Super Rugby clubs.
A significant shakeup for rugby in the capital is under way and New Zealand Rugby is likely to step in to take a stake in the Hurricanes, The Post understands.
Developer Malcolm Gillies has been working on a plan for months to buy a significant chunk of the Hurricanes from the Wellington Rugby Football Union (WRFU), and the completion of that deal is understood to be imminent.
But NZ Rugby could also take a minority stake in the Super Rugby club that has been most evidently buffeted by the country’s economic downturn and job losses in the Wellington region.
It is unclear if that stake will be permanent, or is simply to shore up the Hurricanes after a challenging period for the club.
NZ Rugby has previously taken shares in other Super Rugby clubs such as the Blues and Highlanders before selling them on to private investors.
After years of positive returns, the Hurricanes lost more than $2m during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, forcing them to seek a capital injection.
The WRFU have also suffered heavy losses in recent years - some of that attributable to their 50% stake in the Hurricanes.
The timing, therefore, is good for a reset and Gillies has emerged as a significant player across business and sport in the region.
Gillies and Kevin Melville co-own the NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport (NZCIS) in Upper Hutt, the state-of-the-art facility already used by the Hurricanes and the All Blacks.
Gillies was appointed to the Hurricanes board in May and is likely to become the major shareholder after the completion of the deal with the WRFU.
That will put him in a strong position to chair the Hurricanes, similar to the role that Peter Kean took at the Highlanders after investing in the Dunedin-based club.
But the renewal in the boardroom has accelerated in the past month.
Three new directors - William Dobson, Peter Thomas and John Mallon - have been appointed in October, Companies Office filings show.
The changes on the board are likely to be a precursor to changes at executive level.
Avan Lee has been the chief executive since 2015, making him the second-longest Super Rugby boss after the Highlanders’ Roger Clark.
The Hurricanes announced on Thursday that general manager of rugby Tony Philp will be leaving at the end of January.
Despite the off-field challenges, the Hurricanes are arguably in the best position to win Super Rugby since their 2016 triumph.
They currently have four props touring with either the All Blacks or All Blacks XV, not including the injured Tyrel Lomax.
They have also secured the services of Japan test lock Warner Dearns for 2026.
The Kiwi-born giant was the best lock on the paddock in the Japan-Wallabies test last weekend and could be the missing piece of the puzzle for a Hurricanes squad that is already stacked in the other departments.
The sale of the WRFU’s shares in the Hurricanes has also become vital for the provincial union’s financial wellbeing.
When the Hurricanes completed their capital raise earlier this year, the WRFU took part to maintain their 50% stake in the Hurricanes.
But former WRFU chair Rhys Barlow predicted they would have to offload the asset to strengthen their balance sheet.