Officials seeking change to rugby draw

New Zealand rugby officials are confident they can convince South Africa and Australia to change the Tri-Nations draw so it does not ruin the National Provincial Championship.

A draw published last week by the South African and Australian unions, and listed on the official International Rugby Board internet site, has the All Blacks playing three tests during the NPC.

The late finish, on September 1, is because the Wallabies play the British Lions on June 30 (when the All Blacks meet France in Wellington), July 7 and July 14.

The first Tri-Nations test between New Zealand and South Africa is on July 21 in Cape Town, which suggests there is little room for movement of dates.

However, New Zealand Rugby Football Union chairman Murray McCaw said the draw was not completed and there was ample room for dates to be shifted.

The squabble over the Tri-Nations draw comes amid increasing calls for the rugby season to be streamlined and for some harmony in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere seasons.

Australian skipper John Eales said the European unions should shift their season to the northern summer, which was not as harsh as the summers in Australia or South Africa.

"I think it would be great for rugby to have the Six Nations played at the same time as the Tri-Nations, then you could have your tours when they both finish up," he said.

"It would streamline the season for everyone and it would have to make the game more marketable the whole world over."

The Wallabies had a two-month gap between the end of the Australian season and their tour of France and Britain.

The All Blacks' tour of Japan, France and Italy came hard on the heels of the NPC.

South African union chief executive Rian Oberholzer said in August that drastic changes were in store for the New Zealand, Australian and South African seasons.

He said that from 2002, domestic competitions of the three countries would be played from March to May, the Super 12 would kick off in July, and the Tri-Nations played during September and October.

McCaw challenged Oberholzer's comments at the time, saying they were premature. He said yesterday that such a structure to the season seemed logical, but was also simplistic.

The New Zealand union had to be mindful of club rugby and where it fitted into the year, and of the ever-increasing demands on players.

"There is too much rugby, but that's not easy to fix," McCaw said. "We have to try to ensure that the season is not an imposition on players because they are not like a chair that you can shift from one room to the next and keep using."

But McCaw said that did not mean no more end-of-year tours to Europe, despite conceding that the format of the All Blacks' present tour was not ideal.

The All Blacks have played a warm-up game in Japan and two tests against France, and play Italy this Sunday. With no midweek games, there has been no opportunities for development.

"It does not optimise value for New Zealand rugby financially and from a player welfare perspective, but if you don't tour the Northern Hemisphere, you won't get international teams touring here."

NZPA