Something like a 2million loss already and more losses to be announced the stadium isn't actually owned by the rugby union as far as i can tell. I think it is actually owned by the community with rugby franchises leasing it out.
Muwhahahahaha. Like there's any Otago players at the Highlanders these days anyway. The Highlanders are a total irrelevance to this at this stage. My biggest concern is that this somehow impacts on the NPC and once again we have the number of fixtures cut as the Unions can't afford it. The obvious move is to drop Otago down to Heartlands, and bring King Country back into the top flights. :troll:
Bring up Poverty Bay :ninja: They don't even play their players, the free accomodation on away trips is that big of a step up from home life. :troll:
Good.:ninja: I'd be surprised if we have the ability to field a Super 15 side, but if we did it would stop the player drain to other provinces. It's hard to ask people to spend 6 months in Wellington or wherever and 6 months at home year after year. Manawatu isn't very far away from Taranaki either so it would work well for them, though the Hurricanes are only a two hour drive away so they are okay either way. Hawkes Bay have a long way to travel, no matter which franchise they team up with. Pretty sucky for them. If Taranaki had a Super 15 franchise I would actually watch the competition. As it stands, I only watch NPC and international games.
yeah the highlanders arent affected or is it effected? as they contract players indvidually anyway (nonu and weepu for instance are still wellington lions as far as npc goes for instance)
Probably should be semi-amateur, or at least have a fairly low salary cap. Heartlands works, so they just need to implement that model at the next level up. I haven't bumped into my mate who's fairly senior at the NZRU and who's a big Otago fan since the news broke, but I'll get the inside scoop from him, no doubt.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/6503170/Taranaki-in-bid-for-Super-Rugby-franchise There ya go
MORE Super Rugby teams?!? Seriously, fuck off. Mess with the NPC, you mess with Heef. And I know where you all live, motherfuckers.
Urgh, don't like the sound of the NPC being a feeder competition at all. The Super 15 has no soul. If this is what's going to happen though, I'd rather Taranaki was its own franchise rather than part of the Hurricanes or some big city team, who I don't care for at all. Sucks for the smaller unions. I can't believe people prefer Super Rugby over the NPC. What's the appeal of it?
Looks like the bail out has happened. http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/6576237/Otago-rugby-union-bailout-approved
i like it how now people are moaning about them getting more ABs games and maybe unions like waikato need to go broke in order to get more as well but then again theres always gonna be moaners