Andrew Golightly predicts negative implications for the renovation of provincial rugby in New Zealand.
Northland chairman warns that culling teams will create bad feeling
Andrew Golightly, chairman of Northland Rugby Union, predicts negative implications for the 2011 World Cup if the anticipated renovation of provincial rugby in New Zealand goes ahead.
The New Zealand Rugby Union are intending to axe four provinces from the Air New Zealand Cup at the end of this season and split the new competition into two divisions.
The revamp is expected to generate plenty of bad feeling as the decision of which teams get the chop will be based not only on where the teams finish in this year's campaign, but also on several criteria including their performance on and off-field over the past four years.
This could mean that some of the teams facing the cull may not even be in the bottom four and, with Northland in the mix to be axed, Golightly expressed his disappointment at the proposal.
"The World Cup will be a great event but we will need the whole country united," he told the
Manawatu Standard.
"There will be disappointment in four key provinces and that won't be good leading into the World Cup."
Golightly revealed Northland are spending $16million on redeveloping Okara Park and also $2.5m for the World Cup which will see the stadium host two games, both involving Tonga.
Removed
Northland, who were removed from the Air New Zealand Cup with Tasman last year only to be reinstated due to community pressure, now face the axe once again alongside Tasman, Counties-Manukau and Manawatu.
Tasman currently sit sixth in the competition after eight rounds and are above higher profile teams such as Wellington, Waikato and North Harbour.
Northland are 11th out of 14 teams but have wins against Taranaki, North Harbour and Manawatu under their belt, while Counties are bottom and Manawatu 10th.
This season's Air New Zealand Cup final will be staged on November 7 and the NZRU will begin their appraisal of which teams to keep following the match.
Golightly stressed that the decision, expected some time in December, will be undoubtedly harmful to community rugby.
"This year has shown what a good competition it is and any team can win on the day, so why change it?" he added.
"We believe it would decimate rugby in the provincial areas and would undo all the good work that has been done in community rugby."
