Is Steve Tew F****ng Mad ?!?!?!?

Voluntary leaving of the First Division to move to the second.

Now lets just think about that for the moment. The head of New Zealand Rugby, Steve Tew has stated that four teams have to go from the Air New Zealand Cup to make it a ten team competition from 2010. We're fine with that but what the brains trust haven't made clear is how this process is being carried out or attempted. Well on Sunday Steve "Alcatraz" Tew revealed that information - it will be voluntary and he's hoping the unions who want to be demoted will nominate themselves.

Pardon us?

Tuesday week there was a NZRU meeting in Wellington. At that meeting all the unions were asked to consider jumping ship and joining the reformed second division. The SST states that 'Unions such as Tasman and Counties have been vigouroulsy lobbying to keep the competition in its present state'. However the NZRU has yet to come up with a plan B, that is that there is currently no viable alternative involving a second division.

We just can't believe this! Why on earth would a team nominate itself for relegation from the premiere New Zealand domestic competition! Voluntarily?!?!??! Where dear god is the sense in this? Even though we have Unions that are Bankrupt (Hello Counties Manukau) even they won't voluntarily go down. No exposure on television apart from that awful Heartland Rugby Program, limited corperate and sponsorship opportunities, smaller crowds, less money? Does any of these seem viable and something that a team would voluntarilty want?

What's scarely as plausiable is the fact that there is no plan 'B'. We have stated this before and at length, Steve Tew needs to make a decisive decision here and cull the chaff.

Here's your plan Steve, the one that you need to keep your job and we wont even charge you for using it: Goodbye Northland, Goodbye Tasman, Goodbye Counites Manukau, and goodbye to Auckland. Make a decision Steve and be decisive. Also bring back the Magnum PI.