Tasman Makos: News

Big Crowd for Makos v Wellington
26-Oct-2009

John Alexander - Marlborough Express
If Friday night was to be the Tasman Makos' last hurrah in the top echelon of New Zealand provincial rugby, they showed that they have no intention of going down without a fight.

More than 5000 fans packed Lansdowne Park to watch the Makos come oh so close to beating Wellington in what could be the final Air New Zealand Cup match played there.

Against a background of noisy and colourful support from Makos fans, Wellington won 22-14 on one of the biggest rugby occasions here for many years.

The key questions are now: Will the New Zealand Rugby Union make good its determination to sack four teams from next year's premier competition. Will the Tasman Makos be one of them?

Before the match, New Zealand Rugby Union CEO Steve Tew received a significant number of Save the Makos petitions from Marlborough Express editor Lance Dodd and Nelson Mail editor Bill Moore. The campaign was started by The Marlborough Express and supported by The Nelson Mail with the total number of signatures collected rising to over 14,000.

Mr Tew congratulated Makos supporters and the two newspapers for their passion in carrying out the campaign and said he would take the petitions and the message back to his board members in Wellington.

He also attended Saturday's match in Palmerston North where another big crowd watched the Manawatu Turbos, another endangered team, thrash North Harbour 42-16.

In an interview on Saturday morning in Blenheim, Mr Tew hardly gave Makos supporters cause for optimism. He suggested that a team like North Harbour, despite playing poorly, finishing near the bottom of the points table and attracting small crowds, was unlikely to be relegated because of their big player base and having All Blacks playing for them.

He said the NZRU was not oblivious to the emotion that surrounded the decision on which teams would be cut.

"If these communities genuinely want to have a team in the top flight of rugby, and they don't make the cut in the first year, it is a very simple formula. Stick together and give the rugby union the resources they require. Work hard to keep players together, which is clearly going to be a challenge, and you are up and you can stay unless you finish last."

If Friday night was to be the Tasman Makos' last hurrah in the top echelon of New Zealand provincial rugby, they showed that they have no intention of going down without a fight.