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New Zealand provincial competition reportedly cancelled for the first time in 104 years amid financial crisis
By Online Editors
New Zealand Rugby's Heartland Championship has reportedly been axed for the 2020 season, according to a report from 1 News.
The amateur competition acts as the second-tier provincial tournament behind the semi-professional Mitre 10 Cup, but won't be in action this year due to the imminent financial crisis NZR faces as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
According to 1 News, the 12 Heartland Championship sides - Thames Valley, King Country, East Coast, Poverty Bay, Wanganui, Horowhenua-Kapiti, Wairarapa Bush, Buller, West Coast, Mid Canterbury, South Canterbury and North Otago - sought the move to ease financial pressure on NZR.
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The organisation is already struggling with the significant loss of revenue that has come with the suspension of this year's Super Rugby in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
That led to reports on Friday that NZR could lose up to $130 million in budgeted revenues this season, which is a similar predicament that both Rugby Australia and England's Rugby Football Union are currently dealing with.
The drastic move means it will be the first time since 1946 that a New Zealand domestic season will not feature every province, while the last time a provincial campaign was called off was in 1916.
It's a significant blow to New Zealand's grassroots rugby, as the Heartland Championship embodies the amateur aspect of the game while allowing players from outside of the nation's main centres to represent their regions at first-class level.
Some have even used the competition as a pathway to greater honours, with the likes of former All Blacks wing Waisake Naholo and Blues first-five Stephen Perofeta shining at that level before going on to play professionally.
The dissolution of the 2020 season adds to a stressful period for NZR, which is enduring a growing rift between the private licensees of Super Rugby franchises and its top-tier Mitre 10 Cup provinces.
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Latest Comments
Yes, I agree, following this logic a Black Fern should’ve won it.
I haven’t followed enough the women’s 7s to state if there wasn’t too many BF players who were sharing the performances, while in the Australian team just one player outshone the others. Just like Savea’s win last year, with too many SA players having great performances.
What might have cost Argentina 7s at least a nomination or the title was that their best player Moneta got injured at the worst moment of the season.
Go to comments9.5 for BB? Show some respect to Italy & one would have to go back a decade to even consider such a BB performance.
DMac should be 10 with Roigard who gets to the ruck & plays with speed. For me, when those two are paired, we look threatening. Cortez should be dropped out of ABs & we blood others.
The 12 & 13 is very lost. Caleb certainly grew as a player this year showing a different dimensions in play & wiser decisions. I'd say he has a better ability to adjust to Centre. Reiko is lost & non-effective.
9.5 for BB 🤣🫢🤣 - the ABs need to move past him. He is & always will be at most a bench player. When he had the reins at 10 for RWC & more, he did nothing. This includes Super as well. Mo'unga had his measure all the time. I get tired of constant loyalty. Give those performing a go, as you have in various forwards & see them shine.
We need to use the squads of ABs & ABs XV in tandem to build nice depth is the Boks do
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