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Written by Site Admin
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Thursday, 19 April 2007 |
Oroua's was the dissenting voice in opposition to the two divisions-of-eight rugby format proposed for two years' time.
Chairman Gary Nesdale continued the Oroua party line it has held for years in which it sees restructuring as endangering the Kimbolton club's future.
Nesdale believes the union is only looking after the top players, while he has been elected to look after every player.
"They're making an issue out of something that's not an issue," he said. "If they swing it and it works, good luck."
Oroua has three teams and probably five players chasing spots in rep teams.
"If it's about looking after rugby players, what happens to the other 55 players out there?"
He said they were playing for social reasons. He cited stalwart Oroua No 8 Kris Callon, a solid senior player who might not make a rep side and who would probably not play if Oroua lost its status.
"They play because they enjoy it, with their friends and their communities.
"The union has assured us the gateway (country) clubs won't close. At the end of the day it has bought us 18 months and if this tips up we can fight it again. You need clubs arguing against what we consider a poor decision."
He said Manawatu hadn't had the cricket scores in matches so prevalent in Hawke's Bay and he cited Oroua's 31-10 win over Varsity last year.
Nesdale said the clubs had been sold an eight-team competition with promotion-relegation, and there were not the players to support an eight-team second division. "Where are they going to get the players from, busloads of players from Argentina and Fiji?
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