Rugby: Northland seeks details of four-team reduction

Northland have demanded the New Zealand Rugby Union provide full financial analysis to back up the claim that cutting four teams from the national provincial championship would lead to economic viability.

The Cambridge Blues yesterday continued their fight for survival in the Air New Zealand Cup top flight.

"Our own modelling suggests there is no financial benefit to the game to be had from these proposed changes and we are trying to convince the staff and board of the NZRU that causing a lot of pain for the game is not in the best interests of rugby," said Northland Rugby union chairman Andrew Golightly.

The union has asked the NZRU to provide full financial details to justify the decision to axe four teams.

"Any financial model carries assumptions, but the ones driving the bottom line as presented to us seem particularly optimistic."

They join Tasman, who this week used the NZRU's constitution to challenge the criteria used to determine the four teams to be axed and the process by which the decision was made to revert to a 10-team first division.