Former All Blacks manager John Sturgeon has succeeded Andy Leslie as president of the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU).

Sturgeon, who was elected vice president in 2007, was elected president at the NZRU annual meeting in Wellington on Thursday.

The 73-year-old, an NZRU councillor from 1987 to 1995 and All Blacks manager from 1988 to 1991, will take up his post immediately.

Meanwhile, former All Blacks wing Bryan Williams was elected vice president.

Williams played 113 games for the All Blacks between 1970 and 1978, and later went on to coaching at the provincial, franchise and international level as well as serving as a director of the Auckland union.

In other elections, chairman Jock Hobbs and fellow board member Ivan Haines were re-elected to the NZRU board.

Hobbs was re-elected unopposed as a central zone representative, while Haines was re-elected unopposed as a north zone representative.

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