Saving rugby in New Zealand.

 Fact - there is too much rugby in New Zealand and it's sucking the available funds from income.

Fact - The rise of Womens Rugby is sucking a huge amount from the current coffers.  And for good reasons.

Fact - Attendances in most competitions since COVID have dwindled so that possible income not on the cards anymore.

Question??  Something has to give.  Super Rugby, NPC or club rugby as far as expenditure goes for the NZRFU.

So what is the priority.  Franchise rugby or NPC?? Club rugby is valid to grass roots. My personal thinking is Super Rugby goes.  Ideally, for me, the NZRU needs to redress the $$$ going to players in Super Rugby and boost provincial rugby. In the current worldwide financial realms sponsorship $$$ are also dwindling and there will be nothing going into Franchise Rugby in the coming years.  Keep that money for the All Blacks and Black Ferns, and put the money saved from Super Rugby and give good financial backing for provincial rugby (Bunnings NPC and Ranfurly Shield, Farrah Palmer Cup, and Heartland Rugby.)

My priorities as far as rugby goes??

1.  NPC

2.  Club/Heartland/Schools Rugby

3.  I have not followed Super Rugby for over 3 years now.

Just had a thought.  Run the NPC from April to September.  Two rounds - first round all 14 teams play home and away.  All 14 teams play each other in one competition, and after that round the top 7 teams go to Championship Playoff and bottom seven plays for kudos, both also home and away. Same goes for Farrah Palmer Cup. 

All Blacks/Black Ferns international Window still in June/July and Bledisloe in July/August.