Mates may be offside over Super

The Chiefs have a fairly sorry Super rugby history. There is a danger the annals could be about to record more misery if the board recommend adopting a model similar to that used by Canterbury and the Crusaders.

The franchise is in the midst of a strategic review and there are rumblings the outcome will see Waikato become the powerhouse, sucking up the region's best players and possibly even recruiting directly from franchise partners Counties and Bay of Plenty.

If this plan is endorsed, Waikato had better be prepared for an irretrievable breakdown in their relationship.

The Chiefs board must understand that if they go down the Uber-union road, they will be stabbing a dagger through the heart of two proud provinces who have scrapped for every of inch of progress they have made in the last few years.

They must also understand that they will be trying to help Waikato cut it at a time when every other franchise is heading in the opposite direction. Canterbury are making concerted efforts to work with franchise partner Tasman and have sent Chris Jack to Blenheim. No doubt more young Cantabrians will be sent to hone their craft at Tasman when there is no room at the Christchurch inn.

Even the Blues, a notoriously divided franchise, are making some headway towards a united future. The partners, Auckland, North Harbour and Northland have at least agreed on the principle of sharing resources and working together.

Co-operation has become the buzz word. Where once unions were in competition now they have moved to a new phase - co-operation.

The New Zealand Rugby Union has partly driven that change by putting in place a salary cap to prevent the bigger unions from hoarding. For the first time in the modern era, there has been amicable player movement between franchise partner unions. The NZRU would like to see more but slowly, slowly the wheels are turning and momentum will build.

And this is why executives at Counties and Bay of Plenty are perplexed the Chiefs are even contemplating a model so at odds with what the Air New Zealand Cup was set up to achieve.

It's as if the Chiefs are determined to buy Betamax when they know the rest of the world has fixed on VHS.

It's not just the timing that is curious. Both Counties and Bay of Plenty want to be heavy contributors to the Chiefs. To fulfil their own ambitions, Counties and the Bay need to be able to retain talent and offer players a genuine pathway to Super 14.

They don't want to be feeder unions who nurture local players and then see them lured to Waikato where they have to be playing if they want to earn a Super 14 contract.

They have been there and done that and it wasn't a happy business, particularly for Counties who saw Sitiveni Sivivatu, Stephen Donald, Casey Laulala and Kristian Ormsby poached by those with bigger purses.

All three unions within the franchise agree that the Chiefs have to look at ways to boost crowds and revenue. But neither Counties nor the Bay agree that being reduced to bit-part players is the way to go.

Counties have made it a stated aim to be providing the majority of the Chiefs team by 2010. Given the natural talent within the region, the predicted growth of Manukau's population and the relentless ability of Wesley College to turn out phenomenal athletes, it's an achievable goal.

The Bay already pull their weight, having provided nine of the Chiefs' squad in 2005 and seven this year.

If the Bay and Counties are strongly represented in the Chiefs, seen as equal partners, there must be some hope that the support base can be increased. It's not a major trip from either Pukekohe or Tauranga to Hamilton. Plenty of people will make it to support a team they can identify with.

If the Chiefs are seen purely as an extension of Waikato, it will be hard work persuading people from outside Hamilton and the surrounding area to make it to home games.

But there is an alternative view that growing Waikato will grow the Chiefs more effectively. If the bulk of the players are contracted to Waikato they will be able to spend 12 months of the year in Hamilton. Splitting time between two venues is a lifestyle concern for many players. Then there is the theory that if Waikato are constantly successful they will generate more income and allow the Chiefs to piggy-back on their success.

The Chiefs don't have a whole lot of happy memories. A semifinal spot in 2004 is all they have got. It's hard to see how they will add to that collection if they leave Waikato operating as a lone wolf when all their rival predators are now hunting in packs.