..we must save Northland rugby…
Northland has been dealt a cruel blow by the New Zealand Rugby Union’s decision to drop it from the first division of the NPC. The decision has been rightly been greeted with outrage by the people of the North who have been consistently on the wrong side of decisions made at all levels in Wellington.
This province has a proud heritage and nowhere has this been shown better than on the rugby fields.
Some of the great names in New Zealand rugby are still household names up there. Names like the Going brothers, Peter Jones, Ian Jones, JB Smith, Fred and Kawhena Woodman. Joe Morgan, Dickson Wright, Muru Walters.
Over the years the mothers of the rugby players have held the show together by filling their station wagons with teams of youngsters and all their gear, cheering from the sidelines, then driving long distances back home again.
The New Zealand Rugby Union has not exactly covered itself in glory over the past few years, pouring tens of millions of dollars into failed World Cup bids. The suits in Wellington need to realise that rugby is a game owned by the players and the supporters. If the clubs and provinces are strong, and the fan base is supportive, then New Zealand rugby is strong.
Great rugby provinces like Northland and Tasman should not be sacrificed on the grounds of expediency. We urge the New Zealand Rugby Union to think again and to remember the thousands of people who built the game in the North. The same applies in Tasman where the heart of rugby still beats very strongly.
August 23rd, 2008 at 10:02 am
I wholeheartedly agree with this post, Northland rugby is vital to New Zealand rugby. If only the NZRFU could see that. They are always chasing the almighty dollar, but what happens when the ABs don’t win the World Cup at home and Adidas pull the sponsorship? We have to go back to “grassroots” rugby then! And where will future ABs come from?
August 23rd, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Winston - Tasman is not a “great rugby province” . Tasman is in its third season of existence, and is already broke
I do however sympathise with you over Northland.
August 24th, 2008 at 1:44 am
I believe Northland rugby should welcome this decision. It’s no secret that the Northland people have always been marginalised, at least i think that’s the general consensus in Auckland anyway.
Northland should use this as an opportunity to regroup, evaluate, and step up and prove to the NZRFU and the rest of NZ where they stand and how they feel about that decision,but,on the field.
This decision actually highlights an even deeper social consciousness that some NZders have believed for years and the perception is that Northland people are a bunch of proud dope smoking,lazy dole bludging radicals.
This kind of social stigma tends to be perpetuated thru the media and as evidenced by this decision, in the sporting arena too.
August 24th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I’d like to ask everyone who posts comments on this website; why they’re all writing politically correct answers! What ever happened to reading or hearing from someone with a real answer. Geez. Maybe I need to take a break, take a Kit Kat.
August 25th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Inventory2 - Tasman may not be a great rugby franchise, but Nelson/Marlborough is a great rugby province. It has a proud rugby history (first game in NZ played in Nelson) and a number of All Blacks have come from the area, including current All Black Leon MacDonald. Such provinces shouldn’t be cast aside by the NZRU so readily in the pursuit of dollars. What will happen to the game in NZ when there are no good provincial players coming through anymore?
And Aaron, I enjoy the mature, reasoned debate on this site, unlike many other blogs where its all about attacking the messenger.
Good on you for setting up this site Winston!
August 31st, 2008 at 12:33 am
The best that I can see happening is for a combined Northland-North Harbour team (playing at the southern stadium) perhaps called northern Auckland in the first division. A Northland team in the second division and based at Whangarei.
For Tasman - competing separately as Nelson Bays and Marborough in the second division and having the right to form a combined team when challenging for a first division place.
Personally I prefer the original format - two groups of teams in a qualifying round and a top and bottom tier leading to finals. This would have allowed all 14 teams in the first division. If they had allowed a province of origin basis with standard payments to all players from a central fund team strength would have evened out.