Blue card system nominated for innovation excellence prize

NRU's Kyal Collins has been heavily involved in the implementation of the blue card system, which is aimed at recognising concussions during rugby matches. Photo/John Stone

Three groups of Northlanders are in the running for recognition at the 2017 New Zealand Sports and Recreation Awards.

Sport Northland and ASB are up for the Commercial Partnership award, while Northland Rugby Union's blue card system is up for the Innovation Excellence prize.

Olympic gold medallists Blair Tuke and Peter Burling are finalists for the High Performance Campaign award.

NRU's innovative move to recognise more concussions on the field has been lauded for its success since it began in 2014.

The system allows a referee to hand out a blue card if players show signs of concussion, requiring a mandatory minimum three week stand-down period.

NRU Operations Officer Kyal Collins said the nomination is great for the system.

"Even just being nominated for the Innovation Excellence Award is helpful for it to be implemented across NZ. It raises the profile of the system and gives it integrity in rugby circles," he said.

"No funding was allocated for it at all really. We funded the trial ourselves, developed the protocol from scratch and swallowed the costs internally. It takes a lot to manage it, so there are small costs for players to help pay the medical side of it but it is definitely worth it.

"A lot of credit needs to go to Northland coaches and clubs who have really taken on the system. We are quite advanced in terms of recognising and dealing with concussions and they've been integral to that."

Referees have handed out 100 blue cards across all grades in Northland since 2014, with 11 being handed out already this season.

Collins said before they're given the green - or blue - light they need to go through a yearly session with one of the premier sports doctors in Northland.

"Before the referee gets a blue card here they have to go through a session with Northland's Mitre 10 Cup doctor Conlin Locke," he said.

"He works to educate the referees every year. They're trained to see signs of concussion which are blurry vision, unconsciousness and a whole host of other ones."

Meanwhile ASB and Sport Northland's partnership is being recognised after a highly successful 25 years.

Sport Northland Chief Executive Brent Eastwood said both sides are proud of the pairing.

"Both ASB and Sport Northland are extremely proud of this very successful 25-year partnership and the significant effects it has had on the Northland region," he said.

"We believe it is one of the longest commercial-community partnerships in NZ sport history, certainly at regional level.

"The partnership has truly focused on the needs of the Northland as a region, ensuring the significant resource contributed by ASB has been directed to initiatives and facilities that have had long-lasting effects on Northland people and their communities.

"A willingness to be flexible in changing the emphasis of the resource, often at short notice, has contributed significantly."

ASB Northland Regional Manager Glen Hardham says that originally when ASB came on board as a partner with Sport Northland, the objectives were based around spreading ASB's brand awareness throughout the Northland region while giving back to community.

The other nominees, Tuke and Burling, are being recognised once again for a dominant 49er skiff sailing campaign where they romped home to the gold medal at the Rio Olympics.

The pair also sail for the New Zealand America's Cup team.