Sally Loane on Monday became the first woman in the 134-year history of the NSW Rugby Union to be elected to the board, with her skills rather than her gender making the choice a "no-brainer".

Loane was appointed to an initial three-year term as a non-aligned director after former chairman Arvid Petersen stepped down from the board.

She is believed to be only the second female elected to a major rugby board in Australia, following one previous appointment to the Victorian board.

The media and public affairs director at Coco-Cola Amatil, Loane has spent 25 years working in the media as a journalist, columnist and radio and television broadcaster.

A renowned rugby nut, who initiated the business networking "Women at Rugby" lunches, Loane has followed the sport passionately since she was a schoolgirl.

She hoped one day a woman attaining a similar position in a major sporting body would no longer make news but was excited by the appointment.

"It's something that I think is the first in 134 years of Waratah history, so it is very exciting for me," said Loane.

"I don't look at the gender issue specifically, I look at the fact that I've been approached because of the skill sets that I bring, but clearly there is a factor, I'm a female.

"I've loved rugby and been a passionate advocate for rugby since I was about 13 years of age when I realised that, of course, the best looking men played rugby."

NSWRU chairman Edwin Zemancheff described Loane's election to the Board as bringing a fresh, new and sharp focus.

"As a board, we looked at where we needed particular skills and one of the skills we felt we needed was the media, PR, communications area," Zemancheff said.

"Given Sally's background and great passion for the sport and her undoubted skills and expertise in that area, it was really a no-brainer."

Loane's vast media experience would probably have come in handy last year when the Board came under fire following the mid-season decision not to renew the contract of coach Ewen McKenzie, who subsequently steered the side to the runners-up spot.

"The Board should be there as governance and not really in the news, I think the team and the management are the ones out the front," Loane said.

With a rugby-playing 16-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter who supports the Waratahs passionately, Loane emphasised the importance of attracting families to the code.

Zemancheff hoped to announce later this week another large sponsorship deal following the recent re-signing of major sponsor HSBC.

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