Manawatu

[Rooboy 1]

42-16 over North Harbour.

So which of these two teams is going to be culled from the top flight Steve?

[THE TORCH 665]

42-16 over North Harbour.

So which of these two teams is going to be culled from the top flight Steve?

Haha! Yeah what a joke. About as big a joke as appointing Wilson and Dowd as coaches. Good job but sadly Harbour will have the last laugh. Should only last a year though.

[optimist 1]

My mail is Mr Tew is not happy with the North Harbour performance off the field and they are not a shoe in at all.

[talkabout 0]

Have to feel sorry for the teams concerned,Manawatu had games they lost by 2 or so points,along with others,and against some good teams.Just leave it as is ffs,unless the money not in teams coffers to support the squad.

[Cat 25]

My mail is Mr Tew is not happy with the North Harbour performance off the field and they are not a shoe in at all.

geez,you should rename yahself Pessimist;)

Cant see it myself,but maybe your 'mail' is better than mine?

[Goodlobster 0]

I am gutted and want to know what happened to the person(s) who decided that the 4 teams should go up. Have they lost their job....I bet not

This is the first year that there has been a complete 13 game round and it has been great and showed that the 14 team comp can work.

If all teams are financial they should stay....end of story

[Rooboy 1]

The 2009 Air NZ Provincial Rugby Comp has been a major success capped by Southland's victory over Canterbury. Southland, Tasman, Manawatu, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Bay of Plenty and Northland have all been involved in many close, absorbing encounters, with players appearing to really want to turn out and give their guts for the jersey they wear. They have been well supported by locals who were willing to travel, appeared to have a genuine interest in the comp and made for a great atmosphere at games.

On the other hand in Auck, North Harbour, Waikato, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago crowds were down and interest was average at best. In addition a number of their players appeared not to show much passion for their provinces jersey.

The problem for 2010 and beyond is that it's these latter six provinces who the NZRU want to build their new look provincial comp around. Are their crowds and players suddenly going to get hyped up just because it's a 10 Team comp? I think not.

[Goodlobster 0]

The 2009 Air NZ Provincial Rugby Comp has been a major success capped by Southland's victory over Canterbury. Southland, Tasman, Manawatu, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Bay of Plenty and Northland have all been involved in many close, absorbing encounters, with players appearing to really want to turn out and give their guts for the jersey they wear. They have been well supported by locals who were willing to travel, appeared to have a genuine interest in the comp and made for a great atmosphere at games.

On the other hand in Auck, North Harbour, Waikato, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago crowds were down and interest was average at best. In addition a number of their players appeared not to show much passion for their provinces jersey.

The problem for 2010 and beyond is that it's these latter six provinces who the NZRU want to build their new look provincial comp around. Are their crowds and players suddenly going to get hyped up just because it's a 10 Team comp? I think not.

When the likes of Napier / New Plymouth / Manawatu / Blenheim / Southland pretty much only get 6 or 7 games a year they are going to make the most of it. Super Rugby isn't taken to these places anywhere near often enough which is why (for example) the rest of the Canes Franchise don't think the Canes are "their" team.

AND If Steve Tew and Co are saying that the bottom team will be relegated from the new 10 man comp, with automatic promotion to the winners of the new division one....who wants to bet me that if that team is Waikato or Auckland that the "goalposts get moved" and the rules changed again...

An absolute shambles from the NZRU board and just goes to show that the $$$$$'s that we receive for TV rights for Super rugby is more important than getting our own competition right and developing our provincial players.

[talkabout 0]

The 2009 Air NZ Provincial Rugby Comp has been a major success capped by Southland's victory over Canterbury. Southland, Tasman, Manawatu, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Bay of Plenty and Northland have all been involved in many close, absorbing encounters, with players appearing to really want to turn out and give their guts for the jersey they wear. They have been well supported by locals who were willing to travel, appeared to have a genuine interest in the comp and made for a great atmosphere at games.

On the other hand in Auck, North Harbour, Waikato, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago crowds were down and interest was average at best. In addition a number of their players appeared not to show much passion for their provinces jersey.

The problem for 2010 and beyond is that it's these latter six provinces who the NZRU want to build their new look provincial comp around. Are their crowds and players suddenly going to get hyped up just because it's a 10 Team comp? I think not.

Spot on,when you pay $10 to watch Manawatu play,and kids free with adults it fills the embankment etc.Same at Taranaki,the Bay etc,except the main centres,could it be the larger centres are too rugbyed out,i.e tests or super 14 games in Aukland,Canterbury,Wellington etc,so feel the local provincial level is below them as a spectator sport given the games they're used to watching,and maybe costs are greater than provincial NZ.