Unions rebuff extra-day plan for big games

Hosting national championship games outside the standard Friday-to-Sunday times holds little appeal for unions in the northern region.

The New Zealand Rugby Union has suggested playing one of the seven second-round matches from next week on Thursday night to avoid a weekend logjam.

Monday night is the other, less preferred, option.

All six Air New Zealand Cup games in the round robin stage have been played between Friday and Sunday.

This weekend is the final round of pool play, but when the competition is split into a top six and bottom eight, the NZRFU is considering using an extra day for three weeks to allow for the extra game.

It does not want to squeeze four games in from about 12.30pm on a Saturday or have two games on Friday nights, starting at about 5.30pm and clashing with the main television news bulletins.

Provincial unions contacted yesterday were cool about the Thursday plan.

In April, NZRFU deputy chief executive Steve Tew dismissed the introduction of Monday or Thursday night rugby this year because of concerns about the effect on gate takings.

But that stance has changed because broadcaster Sky is keen to avoid low-rating afternoon games, particularly on Saturdays.

NZRFU tournament director Neil Sorenson said after meeting Sky that Thursday night was "back on the table".

The Auckland Rugby Union has made its views known.

"The NZRFU consulted us, and we set out that our preferences are for Friday night, then Saturday night and I'd have to say Thursday was well down the list," chief executive Andy Dalton said yesterday.

"It wouldn't suit us. It's not our preference at all."

Dalton said that if Auckland ended up playing on a Thursday night away from home, that would be fine if it suited the host union.

Waikato union chief executive Gary Dawson shares Dalton's reservations about weekday games.

"One of our big arguments is that the big proportion of our crowds are families and young people," he said.

"Our anecdotal feedback is parents wouldn't bring kids to a 7.30pm game, when it's 9.30-10pm by the time they get home and there's school the next day.

"We've worked hard to encourage families, so we're not terribly excited about it."

Dawson acknowledges that broadcasters need games, and that there are advantages for people staying home and watching on television.

"But in terms of coming to games, it's going to be very challenging."

At North Harbour, Brett Hollister's concern is that it is a risky proposition for unions which will host only one of their three second round games.

"There is some risk associated with hosting a game on a Thursday or Monday night," the North Harbour chief executive said.

"Your typical rugby consumer is not familiar with going to rugby then. We are focused on attracting a younger audience and a school night is not helpful for doing that."

Hollister said if North Harbour had two home games in the top six playoff it might be possible to play one one in the newly proposed slot.

But unions hosting only one game had to make as much as possible at the gate, and that meant sticking with the usual Friday-Sunday slots.

Longer term, Hollister reckons spreading the games over four days rather than three is something that fans might need to get used to.

Nick Shepherd, chief executive at newly-promoted Counties Manukau, is philosophical, although his union has not planned for dates outside Friday to Sunday.

"We put our name in the hat, we want to play in this competition and if that's what we have to do to be part of it, we'll roll our sleeves up and get on with it," he said.

What's next?

The New Zealand Rugby Union will reveal the draws for the Air New Zealand Cup top six playoffs and the bottom eight repechage on Sunday night.

Plans have been mooted to play one game on Thursday or Monday night, and the other six in the usual Friday night to Sunday afternoon times.

Having two games on Friday nights, or four on Saturdays are also options.

Teams must have at least five days rest between games.

Some unions are unhappy because they believe crowd figures will be affected if they have to host a game in an untested school-night slot.