Canty blueprint

Press, 21 November 1986, Page 32

Canty blueprint

By

JOHN COFFEY

Proposals to implement changes to the face of the club competitions in Canterbury have been made by the New Zealand Rugby League as part of its national five-year development plan. The N.Z.R.L. recommendation is for separate division one (premier) and division two grades, each with their own reserve teams. The nine. present premier clubs would remain intact, and the second division would comprise Parklands, Rangiora, Riccarton, Rolleston, St Albans, Shirley and Woolston. All clubs would be required to field at least two junior men’s teams (between under-23 and

under-16) and six schoolboys sides in 1988, increasing to four junior men’s and eight schoolboys teams from 1989 onwards. Relegation would be the penalty for failing to meet this requirement According to the N.Z.R.L. scheme, made public yesterday by its president, George Rainey, of Auckland, the bottom division one side in 1988 will be required to meet the division two leader in a promotion-relegation, best-of-three series. Other proposals are that at least two division one fixtures be allocated to club home grounds each week with reserve-grade curtain-raisers, that no new clubs be permitted within Bkm of an existing

club, and that new clubs have at least two agegroup teams. Mr Rainey said the Taranaki, Wellington and Auckland leagues had already received similar development reports and that all provinces would be covered by the end of 1987. “Both Canterbury and Wellington can get much closer to the club and provincial strength of Auckland and that is the goal we are seeking,” said Mr Rainey. He also advocates the establishment of a fulltime secretariate as a priority for Canterbury and has asked for a report by next October on “how and when it intends to implement the proposal.”