Tasman Makos: News

Players speak out on Tasman rugby
02-Oct-2008

The Marlborough Express

Harlequins and Tasman Makos rugby forward Tristan Moran has appealed to Marlborough Sub-Union officials and the general rugby public on behalf of his Air New Zealand Cup rugby team-mates.

The Makos were given a second chance by the New Zealand Rugby Union last week after initially being kicked out of next year's ANZC but there were conditions, one of which was that Marlborough and Nelson Bays sort out their differences and back the rugby marriage, the other that they sort out their financial situation.

A Marlborough sub-union meeting on Tuesday night gave Tasman a month to come back to them with a viable financial package and convince them that the Tasman Union could work, otherwise they want to go back to Heartland rugby as a separate union.

Tristan Moran's open letter:

Over the last three years we have all seen the highs and recognised the lows and problems of Tasman rugby. I understand and acknowledge where the people who are against Tasman rugby are coming from, but I think they misunderstand the reality that Marlborough Rugby will be facing in the heartland competition.

It will be a sub-standard competition which all of the current top players and all players with aspirations to play at the top level will have little option but to leave. We will be left with a world class park with no one to fill it. The players are fully aware of the problems and difficulties that the Tasman rugby union have been facing and are only wanting to work together with the Marlborough union to fix them.

We, the Tasman rugby players believe that the way forward for the greater good of both Marlborough and Nelson rugby is for the Tasman Makos to survive. We need to build the relationship back up for Tasman to work, otherwise the proud history of Marlborough rugby will be lost forever into the doldrums of heartland.

We agree that it is not the place of the players to be in the role of financial decision making, however we do feel that we are part of a team effort in this current situation and that by sitting down at the table with all those involved we have a greater chance of finding a solution.

Some players from Nelson club rugby said they would come and play their club rugby in Marlborough to help boost Marlborough club rugby. It seems disturbing that a minor group of narrow minded people with such a negative outlook can have all the say.

It is a disgrace and an embarrassment to see our once proud union on the news undermining and damaging the future of young up and coming rugby players by taking away Tasman Rugby. They have not once asked the rugby players of Marlborough what their thoughts are, instead it seems they go off on personal agendas.

Kade Poki, Joe Wheeler, Quentin MacDonald and myself as players of Marlborough rugby clubs and as players of the Tasman representative team, requested to speak to the Marlborough Sub Union Board at their meeting on September 30, on the sub union remaining part of the Tasman Rugby Union; to give our views on the future of Marlborough Rugby as players.

This was denied by Craig Morris, who said it was not appropriate. I believe there should be a special general meeting of the Marlborough Sub-Union open to the public and all Marlborough rugby stakeholders to discuss and have their say on the matter.

It is my greatest wish to see players moving forward, encouraged by the communities in which they live and play, reaching the highest levels that they aspire to and not held back in any way by the politics of the game or by perceived malcontent between unions.

I hope the affirmative Tasman rugby people remain stubborn and brave to provide a clear solution which will not be an easy one, but needs to be resolved for Marlborough rugby to have any future.

Tristan Moran