Santa arrives early for Turbos

For long-suffering Manawatu rugby officials, all of their Christmases came at once last night.

They were caught by surprise when the New Zealand Rugby Union decided a 14-team competition, including Manawatu, was virtually cast in stone until the end of 2012.

And after being told that, Turbos coach Dave Rennie was named coach of the year at the Steinlager Rugby Awards in Auckland last night and Manawatu first five-eighth Aaron Cruden was named age-grade player of the year.

It got better. The NZRU, with the assent of Rob Nichol's powerful Rugby Players Association, has agreed to slash the salary cap.

When ratified, it will be cut from $2.2 million to the lesser of either $1.35m or 36 per cent of a province's commercial revenue.

That's something the unions have long advocated to get a more even spread of players. And now players may not earn more than $60,000.

The Manawatu envoys, chairman Tony Murphy and chief executive John Knowles, did not run into the expected barrage from the bigger unions yesterday .

In the understatement of the week, Murphy said it had "been a good day".

"There was almost universal support for 14 teams," Murphy said. "No doubt some of the stuff we did with the Turbos has had an effect. It gives us life at least for three years.

"Unless there is a disaster, there is security for the longer term. It's a pretty good result for us."

The Manawatu men had no inkling such a meteoric change was to be made when they were summoned to Auckland.

Not when just a week ago the NZRU gave them a reprieve of only one year instead of cutting four teams from the Air New Zealand Cup.

"Providing we can afford to be in the competition, we're in the competition," Murphy said.

He said the certainty of being part of it meant Manawatu would be better able to afford to participate. And for Manawatu to continue to play the Canterburys, Aucklands and Wellingtons.

In addition, all games will be televised, which Murphy said was a key fundamental when it came to sponsorship.

As for the proposed salary cap, based on Manawatu's revenue this year their 36 per cent of revenue would have been between $1.1m and $1.2m.

The same 14-team format as this year's will be retained next year but from 2011, they will split into two divisions, a top and bottom seven, based on their 2010 finishes.

The whole process has to be ratified by the players association and the provinces but given the absence of dissent yesterday, that looks a formality.

Rennie called it "fantastic" before receiving his coach's award last night for twice winning the under-20 World Cup and helping revive Manawatu.

"It's a big positive," he said. "A lot of people have done a lot of good work."

He agreed that the campaign to save the four supposedly threatened provinces was significant.

"I think it played its part. In the end it's the public's game."

He said the clamour from all over the country, from previous All Blacks, made a difference.

Rennie now hopes the reduced salary cap will force all unions to operate within it.

- © Fairfax NZ News