Comments on: ..we must save Northland rugby…

By: Bruce

Bruce — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:33:22 +0000

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.

By: N. Y. Llewellyn

N. Y. Llewellyn — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:15:21 +0000

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!

By: Aaron C Kirk

Aaron C Kirk — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 01:19:32 +0000

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.

By: chris

chris — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:44:16 +0000

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.

By: Inventory2

Inventory2 — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 03:20:46 +0000

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.