Murray Mexted hooked over NZRU criticism - report

Sky TV commentator and former All Black Murray Mexted says he was stood down over his criticism of plans to cull four teams from the Air New Zealand Cup next year.

Mexted, an unashamed advocate for New Zealand's provincial game, made the comments at a breakfast in Masterton this week, the Wairarapa Times-Age reported.

The former All Black No 8 has been consistently outspoken on the issue and launched a scathing attack on the NZRU in comments to other media about the axing of the NPC teams.

He has accused the NZRU of lacking vision over the future of provincial rugby in New Zealand.

"I think it's naive and I also think the NZRU could cause irreparable damage to the future of our game throughout the width and length of New Zealand," Mexted told Sunday News in September as emotions started to run high over the plan to cull the teams.

But after voicing his views on air at Sky, he allegedly received a letter from Sky's director of Sport Kevin Cameron pointing out the NZRU was a commercial partner of the network and Mexted should "refrain from being critical", the Times-Age reported.

Mexted claimed he was then stood down for the final, played between Canterbury and Wellington last weekend.

The New Zealand Herald reported that Sky TV management had told producers and commentators to also not cross the line over criticism of the NZRU.

Sky TV is yet to respond.

But if it is true, it has brought criticism for Sky from media commentators.

 "If the public thought that their presenters were being restricted on what they could say when it was pertinent to rugby as a sport, I think they would be disappointed and I think we would all be concerned that people in that role can't speak their mind," said Jim Tully, associate professor and head of the school of social and political science at the University of Canterbury

 "Commenting in a broader sense about the state of the game, I don't think people would be impressed if the broadcaster was gagging that," he said.

He said Mexted was hired as an expert on rugby, and as such he should be able to give his expert opinion on what was "probably the biggest issue in New Zealand rugby at the moment."

 "It seems to me that if you want informed and expert commentators they need to be able to be free to say things that are very much expert commentary about rugby.

 "It's not as if he is criticising Sky TV or abusing his masters which is a totally different issue altogether," Mr Tully said.

While the Air New Zealand Cup goes through a renaissance this year with crowd numbers and TV viewing figures going through the roof, the NZRU looks set to stick with its plan to yank four unions out of the top flight of rugby and play a 10-team Premier League next year.

The decision on the fate of the teams is due on December 13 at the next NZRU board meeting.

Mexted, who played 34 tests for the All Blacks between 1979 and 1985, has questioned how much the board knows about what's happening around the country and says the NZRU board was being ill-advised.

"We have a structure that is the envy of the rugby world and yet here we have the NZRU making a decision to cut off the heartland regions of the country.

"This domestic competition is the key to our future. We've got to encourage it to flourish, not to dilute it, because that's what this is doing, it's diluting the options for players.

"I ask how many of those board members are in touch with what's happening in the provinces and seeing who's doing the good work?"

- © Fairfax NZ News