Wait year for new comp, Tew told

Northland Rugby Union chief Andrew Golightly says that delays about vital decisions surrounding the proposed 2010 competition structure may make it more sensible to wait until 2011 to implement major changes.
"There are a lot of unknowns surrounding important factors like player contracts and television coverage of the proposed second-tier division and the year is passing quickly without too much certainty emerging from the NZRU," he said.
"They're getting into December [to make these decisions] now, and these are major issues that need to be addressed ... making it somewhat difficult to plan for the following season, given that your player contracts and sponsorship contracts are often negotiated in October, November and December," he said.
Golightly continues to push for a deferral of the competition start date to the original plan of 2011, but NZRU Chief Executive Steve Tew remains firm that a premier division of 10 teams and a first division of six teams can be implemented by 2010.
Tew was in Whangarei on Sunday to take part in David Howell's 100th game celebrations at Okara Park. Although he missed the start of the celebrations due to delayed flights caused by Air New Zealand's computer meltdown, he arrived in time to catch the second spell.
He said a board meeting in the second week of December will vote on the recommendations that the NZRU will make, in November, on which of the four provincial unions will be culled from the competition.
"All the information will have been gathered from this year's competition and we'll make the assessments as we've indicated we would," he said.
Some unions facing the drop, like Southland and Tasman, have produced good results on the field to buoy their campaigns to stay up. While Northland have always been one of the unions favoured by commentators for the drop after the ranking criteria were released earlier this year by the NZRU, Golightly said a factor that has long been ignored is financial solvency.
"Solvency was always going to be the key for the unions as we've always said," he said.
Golightly believes that there is a weight of opinion growing throughout the country that suggests that the success of this year's competition - with its increased gates and television audiences could yet grant the four bottom-rated teams a reprieve.
"It would be interesting to see why he thinks that," Tew retorted.
"As I reminded Andrew on Sunday, Northland were a part of a group that came to us and asked for an urgent review of the competition and signed a letter asking us to do exactly what we've done, so I guess this year's comp has buoyed some people, which is great, because we're all pleased about how it's gone - but I'm not sure the underlying circumstances are that different, frankly."
Tew said he couldn't guarantee  broadcasting and player payments negotiations would be completed by the time the four unions are cut from the competition.
"All of those issues are subject to our negotiations with the players, so we are somewhat restricted in terms of what we can say, like the broadcast negotiation they are a work in progress.
"We are very aware that there are things that will make the (second tier) competition more meaningful and we're going to work hard to deliver them, but until we get through our processes, I can't make any guarantees," he said.
Ranger joins injured list
GRABBING HIS CHANCE: Matt Harrison earned his second cap for Northland against Wellington on Sunday. While the current injury crisis is a headache for management, it is giving the development players a chance  at the top level.CHRIS RUDSDALE
The injury toll for Toll United Northland continues to mount with backline star Rene Ranger likely to miss the two remaining games of the season after limping from the field during Sunday's match against Wellington.
Ranger fell awkwardly after attempting to gather a short kick-off and has been on crutches ever since. A scan later this week will show if there is ligament damage to his ankle area, but he has already been ruled out of  the game against Waikato in Hamilton on Saturday.
"He's definitely out this weekend and Pat O'Connor is also extremely doubtful," coach Bryce Woodward said.
A hamstring strain to the injury-prone O'Connor is also likely to keep him on the sideline for at least this week's game against Waikato. The development squad's Steve Baker is on standby to move up to the top team for the match against his old province, if Cam Jowitt hasn't recovered from a head knock received in the previous week's match against Tasman. His
 chances of making the game can't be rated any better than 50-50.
The long Air NZ Cup campaign has begun to take its toll for the Northland players, particularly in the forward pack.
Karl Haitana tweaked an old injury on Sunday, but is expected to be available for Waikato and Woodward is still hopeful Bronson Murray may be back at training this week.