KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Rugby Union at its meeting with provincial unions in Wellington on Thursday agreed to maintain the status quo for the Air New Zealand Cup premiership next year, but only after a majority vote.
Among the 14 unions the vote to continue with what has been largely an unpopular format was only 8-6.
This means that at least one of the nine non Super 14-host unions - the self-styled G9 - must have voted with the 'Big Five' unions. The Big Five forced Thursday's meeting because of their dissatisfaction with the competition and their concern at losing considerable money this year.
Though they failed to force a changed format for next year and especially a reduction in numbers, the five Super 14 unions did secure one concession: while the competition will continue for a third year, which was stipulated when it was introduced in 2005, the review has been brought forward to January 1, 2008, rather than October.
NZRU outgoing chief executive, Chris Moller, and CEO-designate, Steve Tew, were also believed to be more conciliatory about the provinces' concerns and sympathetic to some of their financial problems. However, the fact the competition will continue in its present form for another season at least means they will have to survive on reduced revenues.
The main reason for maintaining the status quo appeared to be impracticality and logistical difficulties in introducing a new competition in time for the 2008 season.
Player contracts and sponsorship arrangements were also in place and to alter all of those would be too costly and fraught with potential legal actions.
Besides the financial drain it is placing on the provinces other shortcomings of the present competition structure were raised, notably the fact that because of the time restraints not all teams are drawn to play each other in the qualifying round.
Not having a true round-robin caused such anomalies this year as Auckland and North Harbour not meeting in their Battle of the Bridge derby.
But to eliminate some of the greater problems which arose in 2006 because of the repechage system, all of the unions agreed to this year's qualifying round despite its obvious flaws.
Relationships between the top unions and the NZRU executive, however, continue to be strained.
At a time when the union and unions are meant to be economising, many found it strange that during the past week, the NZRU held a three-day conference for academy and player development managers at Russell in the Bay of Islands, instead of a more central and economic venue.
The self-styled G9 have again pleaded with the national body to force the Super 14-base unions to share more of their resources.
Having once again endured heavy financial losses and little on-field success in 2007, the G9 met last Wednesday to discuss ways in which they can become more competitive in 2008.
All nine provinces said they needed bigger cash pay-outs from their franchise partner and also for there to be easier access to human resources such as fitness trainers, physiotherapists and development officers that are essentially paid for by the profits accrued by playing in Super 14.
While Hawke's Bay were able to make the semifinal, union officials who have been around for some time know how hard it will be for them to emulate that success in 2008.
In 2004, Bay of Plenty made the semifinals, as did North Harbour in 2005.
But neither union has been able to sustain their place at the top of the table because, they argue, they don't have the economic base or infrastructure to compete with the Big Five.
- Additional reporting by Gregor Paul
