NPC changes delight Peters, Knowles

Rugby's bosses are talking up the new-look NPC but it remains to be seen whether fans will support the rejigged two-division format.

Wellington and Hurricanes chief executive Greg Peters and his Manawatu counterpart John Knowles were both delighted with the changes, which were announced after an agreement between the NZRU and the Players Association.

The key features of the new rugby landscape are:

Next year's NPC will remain at 14 teams, before splitting into two divisions of seven from 2011.

The top seven teams next season will form the `premiership' in 2011 with the bottom seven playing in a `championship'.

The top seven teams this year were: Canterbury, Wellington, Southland, Hawke's Bay, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

The bottom seven: Taranaki, Tasman, Otago, Manawatu, North Harbour, Northland and Counties Manukau.

Teams will play all other unions from their division plus four `cross-over' games against teams from the other division.

Teams will select their cross-division opponents with the detail to be finalised next year.

All matches carry full competition points and there will be promotion-relegation between the two divisions each season.

The 2011 season will be squeezed into an eight-week window before the World Cup, including three midweek matches and no semifinals.

The salary cap will also be slashed, from $2.2 million to $1.35 million.

Provinces can pay players a maximum $60,000 with the exception of two `marquee' players ($90,000).

The introduction of franchise contracting from 2011 with Super 14 franchises able to directly contract 28 players and draft up to four more.

Ranfurly Shield defences for home games remain intact.

Peters said it was a "fantastic resolution".

"The most exciting thing is that we've got a settled rugby landscape, both from the players' collective perspective, the competition perspective both at Super 14, soon to be Super 15 and national provincial competitions. The key point for this new contracting model is that it takes the heat out of the provincial union market.

"So broadly speaking, a guy will be paid the same if he plays for Wellington, as if he plays for Canterbury ... as opposed to some of the fairly ridiculous money that has been thrown at some players around the country."

Knowles was pleased with the new-look structure, which comes after months of bitter squabbling between unions and the NZRU.

"It did require everybody to recognise there would have to be a bit of give and take," he said. "Deep down every province wanted to see the other provinces still there. It was a question of making it work for both the big unions and the small unions."

It remains to be seen whether fans will buy into the two division format but Knowles was optimistic.

"I think it's much better than having a straight 14 and not having a full round-robin."

Knowles said the reduced salary cap meant smaller unions could compete with the large and he would now turn his attention to adding to the 16 Manawatu players already signed up.

"We've just got to work within the limits that we've got. Over the next 12 months, you're going to find that players won't be paid as much as they were. Everybody's in the same boat. No-one's in a position to go offering good money now so it's just going to come back to a more realistic level."

Knowles had no fears that Manawatu players would react to the salary cap slash by moving overseas.

"It's dried up. You've got to be good to get a contract overseas nowadays. But they've got a chance to go overseas and earn a few extra bucks in our off-season or go back to work."

- © Fairfax NZ News