Te Hāpai Community Impact Nomination Form

Rugby has the ability to bring communities together to achieve great things. In 2023, we introduced this new award to recognise an incredible person from a Provincial Union, community rugby club, organisation, school, iwi or Super Rugby club that has significantly impacted their community in the current year. This includes growing participation, culture, diversity and inclusion, women and girls, mental health and wellbeing, player welfare and leadership.

Nominees have used rugby to make a significant impact on New Zealand communities and have not won this award previously. Nominees are not limited to community volunteers, including professional players and staff.  

Criteria 

Nominees for this award will have demonstrated some or all of the following: 

• Made a significant community impact which has assisted their Provincial Union, community rugby club, organisation, school, iwi or Super Rugby club in achieving positive outcome/s in the current year. 
• Community impact focus areas include: community rugby participation, women and girls’ rugby, participant safety and wellbeing, culture, diversity and inclusion, and other community services and programmes. 
• Are actively involved in rugby – noting what roles/responsibilities they have within the game. 
• Are a role model for New Zealand rugby and/or within their Provincial Union, community rugby club, organisation, school, iwi or Super Rugby club. 

NB: This is a difficult category to award, and it is recognised that the judging panel can only judge based on the information they receive in the nomination. 

Process 

• Nominations are open until 28 September. 
• The top six nominations as judged by NZR to be presented to the judging panel for their consideration. 
• The judging panel determines the top three nominees and winner.  
• The top three nominees will be announced in mid-November.
• The winner is announced during the New Zealand Rugby Awards 2025 in December.