Editorial: Relief for Bay rugby

As Rotorua rugby legend Ron Preston says, it was a no-brainer they all had to stay as one. Ron Preston, front, is pictured here in 2003. Photo / File

There would have been a huge sigh of relief in the upper echelons of Bay of Plenty rugby this week.

The region's three sub-unions have agreed on a new unified competition, after months of speculation the Rotorua and Eastern Bay clubs would split off and play their own competition.

While a breakaway competition would have satisfied a few locals, it would have been disastrous for Bay rugby as a whole and undermined the development of the sport in the region.

As Rotorua rugby legend Ron Preston says, it was a no-brainer they all had to stay as one.

Some may not like that next year's format will involve six Western Bay teams and only three from each of the Central and Eastern regions, but we have to face facts - Tauranga and the Western Bay comprise a huge chunk of the Bay of Plenty population.

And three Rotorua sides in the premier grade is one better than the two we had this year.

Ideally, Rotorua's traditional rugby strength will see more local teams playing top flight rugby as the competition format evolves from 2016.

By 2017, there will be three divisions of eight teams, with more movement between grades, making for a much more varied and dynamic set of competitions.

Also this week came news of a shake-up for rugby league in the region - Bay of Plenty and Coastline combining - resulting in what has been described as one of the largest club competitions outside Auckland.

Between the two oval football codes in the region, it's set to be a very exciting 2015.