KEY POINTS:
The latest - and possibly the last - in a long series of deadlines for the Tasman rugby union arrives today, with the troubled joint venture due to respond to NZRU queries over its financial viability.
Tasman and Northland had been threatened with expulsion from the Air New Zealand Cup but were granted a reprieve when the NZRU voted in September to retain a 14-team national championship.
That vote went against the advice of NZRU management, which had wanted to trim the competition to 12 teams as a cost-cutting measure.
Although given a preliminary green light to continue in the cup, both threatened unions were given a set of criteria to fulfil to confirm their participation. Northland have done so and were on Friday confirmed for 2009.
But Tasman's perilous financial state delayed a decision on its fate.
The union, which has already received its annual $1.1 million basic grant and a $340,000 bailout loan earlier this year, had applied to the NZRU for further funding assistance.
That request was declined on Friday and the union given until today to come up with an alternative.
Previously, the biggest sticking point over Tasman's future had been Marlborough's apparent reluctance to continue as part of the joint venture, but NZRU chief executive Steve Tew indicated that had been rectified.
Tew also announced that a one-off payment of $150,000 would be made to all provinces following the national body's strong financial performance.
An NZRU fund of $1.2 million, which will cover 75 per cent of provincial unions' payments to All Blacks, has also been established, while a further $1 million would be made available to help unions' financial restructuring.
There would, however, be no extra money forthcoming for Tasman, Tew said.
"Tasman will be eligible for the immediate additional payment and will also accrue some additional relief through the All Blacks payment provision in 2009."
The Tasman union and its partners needed to demonstrate they could operate at the Air New Zealand Cup level under their own steam.
