New Zealand rugby players are at odds with the governing body and are calling for a Pasifika team in Super Rugby next year.
NZRPA chief executive Rob Nichol says 50% of the current All Blacks squad is Pasifika Photo: Photosport Ltd 2020
New Zealand Rugby has declared Super Rugby Aotearoa will continue in 2021, after deeming none of the Pacific bids would be able to be competitive on the field.
Players association chief executive Rob Nichol has told Checkpoint they were "caught out" by NZR's announcement and says their partnership is struggling.
"They were so firm in this is what we're doing. It's like whoa, whoa, whoa you've actually got to talk to us about that," Nichol said.
"We're saying hang on a sec you shouldn't treat your partners like this. It's about relationships in this time of Covid.
"You want to maintain, you want to strengthen partnerships...and we've just seen a dangerous trend this year where they seem to be struggling in that space and now they're struggling with us and that's not a good thing.
"They were disrespectful of our relationship and agreements and that's disappointing from our perspective."
NZ Rugby Players Association boss on Super Rugby 2021 saga
Nichol says the players haven't agreed to NZR's plans of a five-team Super Rugby Aotearoa nex year.
"Look when it comes to competitions in New Zealand the players association and New Zealand Rugby have to actually agree to them.
"I guess the frustration we have New Zealand [Rugby] have kind of prematurely closed that process of by saying that actually we're going to do this which is the five team Super Rugby Aotearoa."
Rob Nichol Photo: Photosport
The players association wants a long-overdue Pasifika professional team now, not in 2022 as proposed.
"We're in a unique position to do something right here which is to look at a six team competition next year that includes a Pasifika team.
"What we're saying to them [NZR] is sure you can have your preferred option but don't close off the opportunities to spending the next three to four weeks around the table with us and the wider Pasifika community...on seeing if we can exhaust all possibilities around making this happen because frankly it's time. If not now, then when?
"40% of our Super Rugby players are Pasifika, 50% of the current All Blacks squad is Pasifika you know they've made such a massive contribution to rugby in the southern hemisphere and all over the world.
"They don't have a professional Super Rugby team underpinning their national teams. Their national teams are struggling, if we don't do something soon they may very well not be here. We've got an opportunity to do something so if we can why don't we exhaust every opportunity to do something."
And Nichol says there a subtle advantages with an extra team.
"A six team competition produces 33 games versus 21 games of a five team comp. You can put the byes where you want and they can rotate the squads when they play the new team."