Cantabs pull out of rugby sevens

The financial squeeze on the Canterbury Rugby Union has prompted it to pull out of this year's national provincial sevens tournament in Queenstown.

Sixteen unions from throughout New Zealand will this weekend take part in the annual event in the resort town, with 13 of the 14 Air New Zealand Cup unions again accepting an invitation to play.

However, New Zealand rugby powerhouse union Canterbury is the one notable omission, with officials citing financial constraints as the reason for their no-show.

In October last year it was revealed the Canterbury Rugby Union ran at an $800,000 loss for the year and has been since looking at ways to cut back costs.

Unions are required to front with a set fee of $4500 to attend the national sevens tournament, which sees their travel and accommodation costs covered by the tournament organisers, the Sevens With Attitude group.

Sevens with Attitude chairman Clark Frew said yesterday he didn't believe Canterbury's decision to opt out should be viewed as a black mark on the tournament.

However, while the sevens weekend in Queenstown has turned into a massive festival spectator event it is hard to argue that a shadow hasn't been cast over its credibility as a serious date for unions on the rugby calendar.

Rugby Southland boss Roger Clark indicated last year that if the tournament wasn't played so close to its door step his union would also look at whether it would send a team.

Frew, however, didn't fear the beginning of a trend of more unions opting out in future in an effort to trim costs.

"(Canterbury Rugby Union CEO) Hamish Riach indicated they wouldn't be coming because of finance. That's fine, that's a decision they've made. But this won't have an effect of the weekend one bit. This is a magnificent weekend and has become one of Queenstown's iconic events," he said.

Canterbury had agreed to release players on loan to other unions to allow them to take part at Queenstown.

South Canterbury have filled the spot of their big brothers this weekend and are likely to pick up a Canterbury player or two.

Again unions from the top of the North Island are expected to be the frontrunners to win the national sevens title.

North Harbour last year beat Counties in the final and both are expected to be hard to beat in 2010.

Bay of Plenty, Auckland, Wellington and Waikato are other promising prospects for a shot at the title.

Bay of Plenty won a North Island sevens tournament in Mt Manganui on Sunday.

It is hard to see any of the South Island teams, Southland, Otago, South Canterbury, Buller and Tasman, getting their hands on the trophy.

Canterbury in 1993 were the last South Island team to win the national tournament.

THE POOLS

The pools (with rankings):

A - North Harbour (1) Auckland (8) Otago (9) Buller (16)

B - Counties Manukau (2) Bay of Plenty (7) Horowhenua/Kapiti (10) South Canterbury (15)

C - Waikato (3) Taranaki (6) Southland (11) Tasman (14)

D - Manawatu (4) Wellington (5) Northland (12) Hawke's Bay (13)

- © Fairfax NZ News