By EUGENE BINGHAM
Financially struggling grassroots unions are on a backwards slide as the rich of professional rugby get richer and the poor get poorer.
Counties Manukau, one-time winner of the NPC title and finalist in 1996-1997, is on its knees, lumbered by a $200,000 debt it blames on the switch to professionalism.
In Pukekohe, the union had to plead for help when it was relegated to the second division in 2001.
Rather than covering the losses itself or lending money, the New Zealand Rugby Union went guarantor for an overdraft extended to the province at the rate of about 14 per cent.
Counties chief executive Daniel Clifford said it had been a struggle to repay the money. "It's been a real community fundraising battle ... We've been back to the old cake-stall mentality.
"We have a doctrine out here - where all our game-day resourcing is volunteers cooking sausages, chips, selling beer - which is a far, far cry from the apparel, event management resources at the big [unions]."
Mr Clifford said the debt was a cost of rugby moving from the amateur era.
"That was a consequential outcome of losses sustained in the early years of professional rugby which the Counties management and board worked bloody hard to prevent being a problem.
"But when we were relegated [to the second division] and sponsorships reduced, suddenly the music stopped."
Asked whether the NZRFU should step in to help he said: "We're not shying away from hard work nor asking for charity. However, there are some more learned than myself in our union who question perhaps [whether] responsibility for the initial experiences of professional rugby [should be shared]."
NZRFU chief executive Chris Moller said he was aware of the financial strife facing some unions.
The issue would be considered as part of the review being done by the union in consultation with the 27 provinces. It is considering the future of all competitions, including the Super 12 and NPC.
But Mr Moller did not believe that the union should be in the business of settling provincial debts. "We will always consider options of how we will help, but we will not, as of right, bail out unions that get into difficulty.
"At the end of the day, responsibility must rest with them."
Counties rugby unions crippled by debt
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