New structure for domestic rugby decided

A 10-team premier division will underpin New Zealand domestic rugby from no later than 2011, it was announced today.

The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) board resolved that a new structure will be introduced comprising three tiers, with a division one competition and Heartland Championship to operate below the premier level.

No decision had been made over which unions in the existing 14-team Air NZ Cup will drop out of the elite division.

An NZRU statement said the board had agreed that the decision is subject to the development of a division one competition that is meaningful, sustainable, attractive and aspirational.

The board also resolved to adopt a set of key competition principles.

They are that the competitions must:

* Include Super rugby players

* Have a stand-alone window

* Feature a full round-robin and playoffs

* Have promotion-relegation

* Guarantee four or five home games per team

* Be completed within a 10-12 week window

* Be concluded by the end of October

The decision was discussed at a workshop in Wellington today, attended by all 26 provincial unions and Super 14 franchises and the New Zealand Rugby Players' Association.

NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said the task now was to develop the details of a meaningful division one competition.

"We will be moving as fast as we can to secure that so that all of our provincial unions, players, partners and supporters can have some certainty about the future of their teams and their competitions," Tew said.

"It's possible that these competitions could be implemented as soon as 2010."