Syd Millar New Vice Chairman Of International Rugby Board.

The International Rugby Board today announced that Dr. Syd Millar has been appointed Vice-Chairman of the Board and of Rugby World Cup Ltd.
With immediate effect Dr. Millar will also assume the role of Acting Chairman of both organisations during the present incapacitation, through ill health, of Vernon Pugh QC. His appointment, which has been
made by the IRB Executive Committee, will be subject to ratification by the IRB Council when it meets in November.

In order to remove uncertainty, and in the interests of continuity and good management, Mr. Rob Fisher, who has been Vice Chairman of the IRB and a Director of Rugby World Cup since 1996, has elected to stand
down.
Mr. Fisher who has been a representative of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union on the IRB Council for the last eight years, said, “I am pleased that Dr. Millar has made himself available in order to perform this important role, and I am reassured that these interim arrangements will enable the work of the Board to proceed as smoothly as is possible
under the current unfortunate circumstances. It has been a great honour to have served both the IRB and Rugby World Cup Ltd., and my best wishes are extended to all those who will now take both organisations forward.
In particular, my best wishes for a speedy recovery are extended to Vernon Pugh and to his family”.

Dr. Millar, who has represented the Irish Rugby Football Union on the IRB Council since 1992, added, “I am grateful for the support I have received from the Executive Committee and from other Council members.
And I am grateful to Rob Fisher for having enabled my appointment. This is an important time for the administration of world rugby, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that its affairs are kept in good order.”
Syd Millar, M.B.E., D.Sc., (1992) is a retired company director from Ballymena. He played as a prop for Ballymena and Ulster, was capped 37
times for Ireland 1958-70 and made three tours (1959, ’62 and ’68) with the British and Irish Lions. He later undertook further Lions’ tours (’74 and ‘8O) as coach and then manager.
He managed Ireland at the 1987 Rugby World Cup and is a member of the IRFU Committee and the 6 Nations
Committee.

Rob Fisher (1994), a barrister and solicitor from Auckland, was Auckland RFU Chairman from 1990-1995 and is a life member of Auckland University Club having played prop and hooker for 35 years. He was Chairman of
the New Zealand RFU from 1997 to 2000 and appointed Chairman again in July 2002. In 1996 he became the first elected Vice-Chairman of the IRB Council. Rob was a Director of Rugby World Cup from 1996 to 2002.