Rugby: NZRU won't back down over Air NZ Cup restructure

NZRU chief executive Steve Tew. Photo / Paul Estcourt

The New Zealand Rugby Union is adamant it is making the right decision to dramatically restructure the Air New Zealand Cup, despite renewed public interest in the current format.

Viewership is up by as much as 75 per cent on last season's competition, but four teams face relegation to the new division one in 2010.

NZRU chief executive Steve Tew says they are delighted with the increase in interest, but they are not blown away. He says they always had a view that over a three to five year period they would have a competition that would be competitive but the problem has been making it affordable.

Tew says the renewed interest is not causing them to rethink their decision to restructure the national provincial championship. At the beginning of this year they were asked by the provincial unions to do something about the competition and they believe the new format is the best way forward. Tew says their challenge is to retain the current level of interest in next year's competition.

Tew stresses it is not all doom and gloom for the provinces that are demoted. He says all teams in this year's competition, no matter where they end up next year, will have a chance to be part of the premier competition the following year.

- NEWSTALK ZB