Whats for certain is that rugby in New Zealand is currently lost within itself. The last fifteen years of professionalism have changed the landscape entirely and administratively New Zealand rugby is lost in trying to establish whether they are promoting a sport or a brand. With proposed further privatisation of Super 14 (Or is it 15 or 16 now?) organisations, extended Northern Tours set to continue and an impending World Cup in less than two years, these lines are blurring even further for your traditional rugby supporter.

Whilst the above factors definitely are a cause for concern, it’s not panic stations for the sport in this country. Rugby finds itself in a position, almost by default to forge ahead and develop a long term plan for sustainability in term of entertainment but also and importantly finance.

Responsibility is the key, and its a theme that has been predominant from the NZRU when it argued that a fourteen team competition was ‘unsustainable’. It’s an attitude that needs to change quickly, the sheer amount of noise the rugby public has made shows that the ANZC in it’s current format can be made sustainable.

Work with the Players Association and develop a player payment system that promotes equality between unions and means teams such as Tasman lose quality talent to larger unions, or in the words of one rugby correspondent ‘act as feeder unions to [larger unions]‘. Rugby is an asset, in this country it is even more than that, it’s a game we the public cherish.

Divisions that have arisen between provincial unions and the NZRU need to be settled and not played out in public with a real lack of decorum. These are the unions that develop the talent on which the game rests. The Dan Carters, Richie McCaws and perhaps one day soon, the Aaron Crudens, Kahn Fotualis and Ben Smiths.

Southland scored seven tries to nil as Tasman produced a largely ineffective performance in the battle between the South Island provinces. It was a more physical Southland side that gained traction with six tries in the second half  securing the home side five valuable competition points.

Tasman who suffered the loss of first-five Kahn Fotual’ili before the match, were made to pay for poor body position from the forwards as time and time again their ball carriers were held up by accurate Southland tacklers. Despite the mountain of early possession and territory, Southland went into the sheds with only a 7-0 lead, testament to a resilient Tasman cover defence.  The only points of the half,  just reward for halfback Jimmy Cowan. After out-mucling Tasman number eight Mark Bright back over the goalline at a scrum, Cowan scythed through a gap close to the line to score.

In the second half, Tasman fell away as they lacked any continuity, the massive first half defensive effort began to take toll as Southlands greater accuracy and body position at the breakdown saw them run in six second half tries, including a hat-trick to Glen Horton.

Tasman now have an interesting match against Otago next week and must rely on other results in the following two weeks to break back into the top four. Southland host Taranaki and will be far more comfortable after securing the bonus point in todays win.

Sevens inclusion at the 2016 Rio Olympics is a great opportunity to showcase the game

The news today that Rugby Sevens had been included in the 2016 Rio Olympics is great news for the game overall. It presents a fantastic opportunity to transport the game into regions previously unfamiliar with the code.

Some critics believe this could have an adverse effect on World Rugby, citing smaller nations such as Fiji who may invest more resources into Sevens at the expense of the fifteen a side game. These smaller issues should have no bearing on the fact however that this is a fantastic opportunity to grow Rugby as a global game.

One general feeling amongst many supporters of Rugby is that it has become a bit stale. The four year World Cup cycle grinds on between these competitions and fans are largely relegated to watching the same Tri Nations or Six Nations matches with a Lions tour every two years for variation. Recent developments such as the Argentinean Pumas inclusion into the Tri Nations  is a step in the right direction, but if Super rugby is any indication, simply increasing the number of teams in a competition doesn’t guarantee success.

Between World Cups, Football has the Euro competition and an aggressive qualifying format, Cricket has any number of competitions including the Champions Trophy and World 20/20 cup as well as the latest domestically franchised 20/20 leagues. These tournaments provide a showcase of talent for the sport and they largely gets fans interest. I can imagine a Northern Hemisphere versus Southern Hemisphere match attracting immense interest no matter where its played.

So whilst a fix is needed, I’m struggling to understand the logic behind the ‘criteria’ set out by the NZRU for which team to drop. Each union being rated on aspects such as population base and player developement as well as on-field and financial performance. An even more important fact is that these criteria are to be viewed retrospectively, meaning results from as far back is 2006 come into it. Meaning teams such as Tasman, Northland and Manawatu are well… f**ked.

Tasman finds itself in a situation different to other teams on the chopping block. On track to make the semi-finals and on track to record a positive financial result for the year, the region is also witness to increasing crowd sizes and a marked uptake in coach and player registrations. Despite this, Tasman still are marked to drop and Tew all but confirmed this in his interview yesterday, citing Tasmans $340,000 loan from the NZRU in 2008 as one example of how they had fared as a union.

All Tasman can really do, is aim to continue doing what they’re doing. They are a team with no tomorrow and thats what going to make them difficult to deal with on the field. If Tasman aim to make the semi-finals and win their semi-final, it would be interesting to see how that affects the criteria rankings. Especially considering Tasman are one of only five unions expected to make a profit this year.

The population base for Tasman is 140,000 in Nelson and Marlborough. This makes up ten percent of the rankings system. Player, referree and coach registrations alongside player development makes up a further forty percent. Since Tasman joined the ANZC in 2006, they have provided Ben Franks, Ti’o Paulo, Jonathon Poff, Kahn Fotuali’i, Kade Poki and Blair Cook to the Crusaders. More players have gone close and you would imagine after a successful 2009 season that more Super 14 contracts would be issued.

It’s going to be difficult for people to see teams such as Tasman demoted at the expense of provinces struggling both on and off the field such as North Harbour, Otago and Taranaki. It’s going to make it even harder for the Crusaders with the loss of their only franchise partner. Especially considering the Hurricanes five unions may only become four.

The NZRU is contemplating player losses from the demoted teams, in fact they expect this and Steve Tew has alluded to this when citing the increased quality of a ten team division, and the fact the new ‘second’ competition has to be ‘meaningful’ for the teams playing within it. One only needs to watch Heartland Rugby to see that a Tasman C or D team (considering player development in the region) would ease to victory over some of the Meads Cup Heavyweights. The only thing making this meaningful will be the weakened strength of the demoted teams.

Sort it out NZRU, is it pride at stake here? Does the union have an agenda? Think about the effects this will have on a province like Tasman, a province that has the right never-say-die attitude we have seen in so many Crusaders teams over the years. Will players in the footsteps of Kahn Fotuali’i and Kade Poki revert to driving courier vans around the streets of Nelson. Irrespective of their talent and with the big red machine only 430kms down the State Highway, they may have no choice.

Well at least with three rounds remaining, Tasman may be set to be the first profitable province to win the top provincial rugby prize in New Zealand only to earn demotion for it’s trying. Congratulations NZRU, you’ve created a corporate monster.

Daniel Vettori will be hoping his big game players step up in tonights final

Tonight though, the Black Caps have defied the odds. People have been saying it for some time, but this could be a fantastic couple of years for the team if they continue with this attitude. Players such as Grant Elliot and Ian Butler are making contributions and Daniel Vettori continues to amaze as usual. Even with Shane Bond faring worse than usual, this BC team has shown they have the mettle to take on the best players. Their ‘never say die’ attitude never more evident than in this competition.

My prediction? New Zealand to skittle Australia for 183 and chase the game down with fifteen overs to spare. Ah, the unpredictable snake that is the Black Caps batting lineup, go you good things!

This approach is fair enough considering the circumstances. Rugby reporters in New Zealand worked themselves into a frenzied panic during the most recent Tri-Nations. Commentators from outside the New Zealand rugby sphere were also quick to move on these tremors, divulging their glee in watching the All Blacks struggle sideways. After four intriguing losses and some even more interesting selections, even fans were becoming twitchy.

Will Cruden fall victim to conservative selection strategies?

Whilst the win against Australia in Wellington was comprehensive and allayed some of these concerns. This Northern tour is even more important for the team and the coaches to show they are dedicated to winning the World Cup in 2011. This is where measured selections may come into the frame. The coaches have the chance to build momentum on this tour, the way to do that they will argue, is win matches.

Whilst arguably a much tougher prospect than the early season matches against tired Northern Opposition, these tours haven’t proved too much of a struggle in recent years. Traditionally the higher skill level, better continuity and more discplined Southern teams have managed to dominate the Home Unions. The odd scare such as against Munster is usually downplayed by the fact several second string combinations (Thomson, Messam, Waldrom as a loose trio anyone?) are usually fielded from the Southern teams.

I feel as if we may see a conservative approach from the selectors regarding the squad for this tour. Sure, the pros and cons of this strategy will be argued and thrown back in forth by the media like a beach volleyball. However, the All Blacks will look to win games first and foremost with most of the emerging talent in the ANZC having to wait until the 2010 Super 14 to advertise and stake their claim.

Wouldn’t it be great however, to see some of these young stars given a chance. The All Blacks have played predominantly safe rugby since 2005, taking control of the game by centering their play around the seven, ten ‘axis of genuis’ in McCaw and Carter. Apart from the odd Matt Giteau or Bryan Habana flash, opposition teams (especially up North) have not been able to match their class.

Things have been different this year. Thanks largely to greater Springbok depth and a gameplan played to their strength, South Africa were able to dominate the men in black. The selectors need to expose some talent in provincial rugby and christen them to the All Blacks environment.

The games against Italy, England and the Barbarians would be an ideal opportunity to examine an Aaron Cruden or a Kahn Fotu’ali. Players such as Cowan and Carter provide a superb padding for the bench if required.

We can reflect on the end of the 2006 season, when the Springboks had lost four straight, Jake White at the time claiming there was ‘daylight’ between his weary veterans and the next level of player in the South African squad. Three years later and not only are the Springboks ranked the number one team in the world, they are World Cup Holders, Tri Nations champions and the Bulls put daylight itself between them and second place in the Super 14. 

Whilst there are policies and selections I have doubted, I’m  generally supportive of many aspects of Henry’s reign. The way the team has bounced back under pressure with performances such as Paris ’04 and Auckland ’08. Henry seems to be able let his players take ownership of their game when it matters.

This tour has similarities to that 2004 tour that set up the Lions whitewash in 2005. Henry needs to build further depth in his squad options, time will run out otherwise and we may witness another World Cup chance go begging due to conservative selections and good domestic level players being shown up time and time again as average international players.

It could be argued that Club Rugby and especially Provincial Rugby are the birthplace for talent within New Zealand Rugby. From Dan Carter’s humble beginnings in rural Canterbury to Carlos Spencer and his plucking from the muddy paddocks in Horowhenua, this level of rugby is a great levelling field to sort the good from the bad. Unfortunately for New Zealand, the NZRU has also found a way to use this level of rugby to sort the rich from the poor, unions that is.

The Air New Zealand Cup has been witness to a great emergence of talent this season

The recent Auckland match against Tasman at Trafalgar Park was of real interest. Some of the dynamic and powerful play from players, seemingly on a lower tier than the top Super 14 players was truly heartening to watch. Kade Poki, the Tasman centre for one has revelled in the past three seasons with the opportunity to get regular provincial gameplay. We have seen glimpses of this at Super 14 level, but this season Poki has taken his game to a new level. 

The emergence of these players, from Tasman, Poki and Jonathan Poff (arguably one of the form openside flankers in the competition), Aaron Cruden from Manawatu, Rene Ranger of Northland is boosting the amount of competition for places in Super 14 rosters and in turn, increasing the skill level of our national game. 

The NZRU approach to remove four of these teams effectively is a measure of safety. From a business perspective, the theory to eliminate as much of the risk as possible in order to safeguard its own war chest is sound, especially during difficult economic times. From a sporting and consumer perspective however, this approach is an ugly indictment on our national game.

Rugby, the National game, our game is struggling to reinvent itself. We’ve been witness to rule variations and law experiments, new teams and competition structures at every level, even where rugby is played is changing. We’ve seen Australia versus New Zealand in Hong Kong andthis year we’ve got a fourth Bledisloe match in Tokyo.All this, aimed at increasing the entertainment value associated with ’Rugby’ as a brand, thus maximising revenue of the brand.

This is where it could be argued the New Zealand Rugby Union has fallen short in regards to their decision to re-structure the competition. For me, it’s a short-sighted proposal based on a very conservative strategy. The NZRU rather than prodding and poking at the fourteen team competition needs to take a chance, look at this as an opportunity.

Sure, we’ve seen the figures that paint a gloomy picture of the game and of course there’s the argument that matters or ‘criteria’ off the field are more important than those on it, but that,  for lack of a better word, is the fatalistic  approach the NZRU has decided to take.

Unfortunately for the man in the stands, the man who watched Mark Milne  score a matchwinner in the Third Division Final in 1992 or Warren Johnstons crooked penalty struggle it’s way over the post in the Second Division final of 1999, this might be it for teams such as Tasman.

Fight on, all these teams deserve their shot and my advice is to invest in the product rather than focusing just on the bottom line. The key thing is, the quality of the product is effectively your bottom line.

The revamp of the domestic rugby structure,  involves a new First Division competition running alongside a ten team Air New Zealand Cup. The predominant issue so far played out in the media, singles out the effective ‘demotion’ of four unions to the new second-tiered division. 

It’s important to take a thorough, measured approach in analysing and determining strength and weaknesses to the NZRU decision. This is the introduction and a lead in to the first of three articles dedicated to the issue.