All Black legend critical of new NPC

Former All Black Grahame Thorne is critical of the impact the new-look NPC next year will have on rugby in the regions.

Manawatu, Hawke's Bay, Counties-Manukau and Marlborough-Nelson Bays amalgamation team Tasman will be promoted to the inaugural premier division, playing alongside the 10 current first division teams.

The remaining provinces will contest a division one competition featuring amateur teams, among them North Otago.

Thorne believes North Otago deserved a place in the top division ahead of some of the teams selected by the New Zealand Rugby Union.

"I think North Otago, in particular, have been the most hard done by province in all of this and they haven't been treated very fairly by those in charge of it all," Thorne said.

Manawatu have been struggling in the second division, and have failed to beat North Otago since the South Island side was promoted to second division in 2003.

"I can't believe the Manawatu team was chosen before North Otago got a look in," Thorne said.

"Specifically I think North Otago are the biggest losers in the new set-up overall."

The composition of the two divisions will not change before 2008 when a review is held by the NZRU, something Thorne said North Otago did not deserve.

"When you look at that you really have to ask why North Otago weren't seriously looked at," Thorne said.

"They must be really frustrated, especially since they have outplayed some of the other teams getting a look in and to represent Otago as a whole better as well."

Representation of the Highlanders' Super 12 franchise in the competition was not fair, compared to teams coming from New Zealand's four other bases, he said.

"All the other Super 12 base unions have three or more provinces under their wing and Otago only have themselves and Southland in the NPC (first division), so why haven't North Otago got a chance?

"I also think it's odd there are only four sides representing the South Island in the NPC compared to 10 in the North Island.

"It's just a case of the big get bigger and the small get smaller."

The criteria for eligible teams was set out by the NZRU and he wanted to know what the criteria in terms of setting up a competitive competition.

"I'd like to know what criteria was supposed to be met by the teams.

"It seems a bit strange how the teams were selected when you look at the performances of some of the teams in both first and second divisions."

He said there was a need for promotion and relegation and Thorne would like to see it return to the NPC.

"Some teams have performed very poorly since it was taken out, and this leaves teams like North Otago playing for nothing but pride. (Some of) these second division teams (are) left with nothing to play for."

With only this week's round of NPC left to play before the semifinals begin, Thorne hoped North Otago reached the semifinals and derived something from of this year's competition.

"If North Otago could win this week's game (against Poverty Bay) and the semi next week, they will put themselves into a place where they can prove the 'experts' wrong and show they deserve to be up there."

- nzpa