By D.J. CAMERON
The Blues' Super 12 unions - Northland, North Harbour and Auckland - will launch a new combined club competition in March.
The aims are to raise the profile of club matches and to strengthen the brotherly bonds of the northern franchise.
"Now that the 'Auckland' has been taken out of the old Auckland Blues name, this seems like a good way of strengthening the Blues family," said Rob Hargrave, a former University club player and one of the organisers of the new club competition.
The final details of the competition, which will run concurrently with the Super 12 in March-April next year, have yet to be determined, but the three unions agreed on the overall scheme this week.
"There will be 43 club sides from the three unions," Hargrave said.
"For a start, we considered running it as a straight knockout tournament, the competing teams being drawn from a hat.
"However, we found the three unions preferred to run the first two rounds within their own clubs, so the general draw will take place after that.
"The early rounds may have slightly relaxed rules, but we will use Super 12 rules for the second part of the competition.
"A number of byes may have to be used so we reach a field of 16 survivors for the later rounds of the competition."
At the moment, the Blues organisation is prepared to meet some travel costs, and overnight accommodation may only be needed for far-distant matches, such as at Mangonui in Northland.
"The Auckland provincial nature of the competition may lend itself to attract a sponsor with local ties," Hargrave said.
Though the planned tournament is eight months away, Hargrave said the planning had to begin soon, with the draw made before the end of the current season.
He said the Blues' tournament could act as a pilot scheme for a national club competition, which has been suggested several times, most recently by Lin Colling, a former All Blacks halfback and selector.
"The Blues' scheme may persuade the other Super 12 franchises to follow suit," Hargrave said.
"This could lead to national playoffs among the five Super 12 winners."
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