Rugby: Future of game lies in group bargaining

Steve Tew accepts that key decisions on the future of domestic rugby will be made through collective negotiations. Photo / Paul Estcourt

The onus for development of a sustainable domestic rugby landscape now rests firmly with collective bargaining.

The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) yesterday backed down from their decision to cull four teams from the top flight of the national provincial championship, citing the threat of legal action from the four culled unions and a shift in the position of the Players' Association regarding the proposed 10-team premier division, six-team first division format.

Instead it will be left to the collective bargaining process, which will determine a new player-contracting model, a new salary cap and costs, as well as a new competitions format.

It is this process that has effectively stymied the NZRU's bid to push through changes to the Air New Zealand Cup in time for next year, although the resistance of the endangered unions played its part too.

"There is a fair amount of frustration," said NZRU chairman Jock Hobbs yesterday. "The decisions we made were the only sensible ones we could make in regard to the fact appeals have been lodged ... the fact legal action outside of that had been threatened, and also given the shift in position of the players in respect to the competition.

"Given those factors, the roll-over of the competition from this year into 2010 was really the only sensible decision we could make."

NZRU chief executive Steve Tew, who will be seen, probably unfairly, as the loser in all this, recognised that the bargaining team will play the biggest role in shaping the future of New Zealand domestic rugby.

"We knew that ultimately whatever we put in place had to get through a collective negotiation."

Tew said he would like to see that process wrapped up by Christmas.

Head of the Players' Association Rob Nichol welcomed the challenge last night, and endorsed the leadership of Hobbs and the under-fire Tew.

"The pressure is absolutely on collective bargaining and that is the way we want it."

"It's been a really tough few months," Nichol said, "but the board has made a really good decision, which has created a platform from which we can now work from.

"You have to remember Steve and Jock are working in a time when we are hosting the World Cup in 2011, we are trying to sort out the landscape for international rugby, we are making changes to Super rugby and we are trying to do the same for domestic rugby. They have both worked extremely hard and extremely well to pull that all together.

"We just have to get domestic rugby sorted out and I have every confidence we will do that shortly."

While Hobbs and Tew are still publicly backing the 10-6-10 format, this is a face-saving position. The six-team second tier has been almost impossible to sell to stakeholders and it is difficult to see that changing.

"That might be their preference and that is fair enough, but they have been sensible enough to leave the door open for another option if it is more compelling and that's exactly what we are after," Nichol said.

Speaking to the Weekend Herald, Hobbs said he could not offer an opinion on the players' proposal for two seven-team divisions with inter-divisional play, but did say: "They have tabled it and the bargaining team will give consideration to it."

What Hobbs and Tew were unequivocal about was the competition would not remain as a 14-team round-robin format beyond 2010.

There will be a hybrid competition of some sort in World Cup year.

In 2012 the future begins. What shape it will take remains to be seen.

REASONS FOR BACKDOWN

* Two unions launch appeal over the change to the competition format.
* The threat of legal action by other unions.
* A shift in position from the Players' Association on 10-6-10 format.

FULL CIRCLE, FOR NOW

2008

After complaints that the Air New Zealand Cup is not sustainable in its current format, the NZRU calls for submissions to a competitions review. A report based on the submissions advocates fundamental changes to the Air NZ Cup format.

July 23, 2009

A new competition structure is announced by the NZRU that will see a 10-team premier division, a six-team division one and a 10-team Heartland competition.

August-October

The Air NZ Cup captures the imagination in the provinces while concerns are starting to be voiced over the criteria used for determining the four teams to be culled.

November 7

The Weekend Herald reports that the Air NZ Cup will stay at 14 teams in 2010 as concerns about the ability of two heartland teams to make the step up to a six-team first division are raised.

November 24

The threat of legal action rears it head. The Herald reports that Tasman have appealed the decision to cull four teams, while Counties and Northland indicate they will take further action if necessary.

December 8

The Players' Association competition model is revealed. That will see the status quo remain next year, with a proposal to move to a seven-seven split into 2011, with three rounds of inter-divisional rugby to be determined by a draft.

December 11

The NZRU announces the status quo will remain in place for next year.

What happens next?

The NZRU, the provincial unions, the franchises and the Players' Association thrash out the new collective agreement to set the contracting model, costs and competition structure from 2011.