Northland, Tasman get the Cup axe
Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:36
Northland and Tasman will reportedly be axed from next year's Air New Zealand Cup after the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) decided to change the competition format to include only 12 teams from next season.
Tasman were widely tipped to be the first team to be excluded from the Air NZ Cup, after sub union Marlborough went public with the news that they were keen to compete in the Heartland Championships, and end their affiliation with Nelson Bays.
According to the Sunday News, the axing of Northland will be a bitter pill to swallow for their fans.
Northland is a province steeped in rugby history, having produced All Blacks such as Ian Jones, Norm Berryman, Sid Going, Peter Sloane, Derren Witcombe, Ken Going and Norm Maxwell.
Furthermore, the province is also credited with discovering Fijian enigma Rupeni Caucaunibuca.
However, the other unions under threat, Counties-Manukau, Bay of Plenty, Southland, Hawke's Bay and Manawatu were all granted permission to remain part of the competition, and thus retain their status quo.
Northland chairman Wayne Peters told Sunday News that he was not yet informed by the NZRU of the decision to scrap his union from the competition.
"We will be told of the decision on Tuesday," said Peters.
"And we expect to be part of the competition."
NZRU chief executive Steve Tew announced the plans to reduce the competition to 12 teams last Wednesday, but said that the two axed teams would not be announced until all legal issues have been finalised and cleared up.
He also expressed his wishes that the decision should be properly communicated to the unions.
It would seem that Northland's poor financial state, as well as the current state of disrepair of their home stadium, Okara Park, counted against them when the NZRU decision was made.
It could be argued that Bay of Plenty could have been axed, as their finances are also reported to be in a dire state. However, Bay of Plenty have more registered players than any other union, and this fact saved them from losing out.
Further factors that had a negative effect on Northland's position is their poor run of form in the old NPC competition.
Northland played in the NPC first division before the competition evolved into the Air NZ Cup, but their track record was poor.
Between 2003 and 2005 Northland failed to win any NPC round robin games, and only stayed in the NPC first division by winning their promotion/relegation playoff matches.
Yet Northland still have a chance of redeeming their Air New Zealand Cup status in two years time.
They will compete in the Heartland Championship in 2009, but the NZRU have reinstated the promotion/relegation playoff game, which means that they will have a chance of playing for the right to enter the Air NZ Cup once again after the 2009 season.
The gap between the top two tiers of provincial rugby in New Zealand remains wide though, and it will take a mammoth effort for Northland to get their spot back in New Zealand's premier domestic competition.
Other implications of the axed unions will be felt by New Zealand's Super 14 franchises next year.
The Blues have only two Northland players among their ranks, in Justin Collins and Bronson Murray, which means that Northland's demotion will cause minimal disruption to the Auckland-based franchise.
The Crusaders will feel the impact of Tasman's demise much more acutely, having previously relied on Makos players such as Brad Thorn, Ali Williams, Kahn Fotuali'i and Kade Poki.
Canterbury will not be able to accommodate all these players, and Canterbury and Crusaders CEO Hamish Riach will be discussing the dilemma with the NZRU.
