The Orange

I don’t normally flog almost an entire story but seeing a paid journo did it and got away, then I may as well do it too.

A former Manawatu rugby administrator has written an open letter to the NZRFU and it’s certainly worth reading. Especially so as it appears on the Manawatu Sub Standard section of Stuff and no one will find it there.

I won’t comment at this stage as there’s a lot to digest but while I’m happy to see a ten team comp, he does raise some interesting points.

Tew and Hobbs were in Palmy to see the Turbos flog Harbour but that may not be enough to sway the people that matter.

Anyway, here’s the letter in question:

Thank you you for your prompt and concise response to the letter written by Barrie Angland on behalf of all rugby followers in the Manawatu.

However, the points you emphasised about fiscal responsibility, while valid, have a rather hollow ring to rugby followers in this area.

On the one hand you expect unions to exercise financial prudence. Yet almost daily we are being told about the escalating losses expected as a result of the Rugby World Cup which, despite being underwritten by the Government to some extent, will surely lead to more substantial future losses than those sustained by the Air New Zealand Cup.

You can see therefore the reason for the cynicism of followers in this area. To make matters worse, Steve Tew has stated publicly that the New Zealand Rugby Union will make a substantial contribution to the proposed new division one competition (when and if it begins). Doesn’t that strike you as a strange decision?

You have worked in the corporate sector for some time now and surely one of the basic principles is that when any commercial entity undergoes a sustained period of financial reverses, a normal process is a comprehensive review of the entire operation, starting at the top.

I would suggest you instigate an independent review of NZRU head office. However, I would suspect most of the employees would struggle to achieve normal key performance indicators, if the last few years are anything to go by.

A lot of the financial pressures have, particularly in the last year, been caused by falling attendances at Super 14 matches. Has the board noticed this? I ask this question because, rather than cutting back on this competition, the board has agreed to an expansion.

That is a further unwise intrusion into the already limited window to play Air New Zealand Cup fixtures. Why do the Sanzar delegates from the world’s premier rugby nation seem to get over-run by South Africa and Australia when, historically, Australian teams, in particular, perform abysmally in that competition?

When you open the Manawatu books in the near future you will hopefully agree that if the organisation you chair achieves the same financial turnaround, you would be a happy man. The Turbos have captured the imagination of the entire region unlike any sporting team I have seen during a lifetime of playing, coaching and lately administering a game. For the reasons outlined above, axing the Turbos at the end of this season will be seen as a major betrayal.

You must concede that the poor attendances at this year’s Super 14 matches were due in part to the brand of rugby and also to the saturation of matches early in the year.

By contrast, the Air New Zealand Cup has produced an entertaining quality of rugby, drawn good attendances and built a bigger fan base (especially in the provinces). This competition has brought back to the game a generation of people who have felt disillusioned for some time. Axing such a format will surely undo all the good achieved in the last few years, a situation aggravated by the less-than-stellar performances of our flagship team, the All Blacks, so far this season.When your board considers the future of our national game, it should be mindful of the fact that stakeholders include not just the bigger unions which have a Super 14 franchise.

I have detected at all levels an attitude of disenchantment. If you choose to ignore this, the long-term ramifications will damage the game way beyond the 2011 World Cup.

Bill Anderson