Rugby: NZRU accused of ruining game

New Zealand Rugby Union management have come under heavy fire from Counties Manukau chairman Matthew Newman.

The NZRU board will today debate whether to confirm a 10-team Air New Zealand Cup competition next year, despite legal challenges being issued by Tasman and Counties Manukau.

Newman said the NZRU top brass have no idea what they are doing to the game.

"If we look at the individuals running New Zealand rugby from a management point of view, they come from that professional piece of the game and what we have seen over this last several months is a complete lack of understanding and disconnection from rugby people," he said.

Newman said the 10-team situation has been ideologically driven as it is something that would clearly have the support of the "favoured" four or five teams.

Both Manawatu and Northland have undertaken legal advice but have confirmed they will wait until the NZRU board makes a decision before considering their next move.

Rugby: NZRU accused of ruining game

Assuming of course that the Amateur version of the game will die under the professional administration.

I actually think that (although these unions are losing out on a team in the premier league) the system could work really well. It's obvious that no country has the quality of player for every union to have multiple teams at every level of the game. It would be like Rocko or Eastwood being pissed that they can't have a Super 14 team. What needs to happen is to clearly define several strata for clubs to exist at. Club level should consist of a large number of teams which play only at the same level. Once you step up to the next strata there should be semi-professional teams utilising players from several clubs (it matters not how this is organised, territories might be good, or simply commercial agreements) this strata feeds into a professional code where che teams are (again) made up from players of feeder teams below them and so on ad nauseum.

You see everybody has their club rivalries, they love their club and hate Soaks, but when you step up to a new level it's a different story. I'll call Benn a fat slow piece of crap every time he pulls on a poofy blue jersey, but wait until "The Cat" starts to run the ball in the international season. Every time I see an article, or legal action like this I begin to wonder who actually thinks about this stuff.......and if I'm inspired, or insane!