Take NPC back to its roots

"I can't imagine Pinetree [Colin Meads] and I being able to get into the All Blacks by him playing for King Country and I for Wairarapa now." Brian Lochore

One of New Zealand’s rugby greats believes the key to reinvigorating provincial rugby is to return it to its amateur status.

Former All Black Brian Lochore said the move would level the playing field and encourage more players to play for their unions of origin, rather than chasing deals with cashed-up provinces.

Provincial rugby at the moment features a mixture of professional, semi-professional and amateur players across the varying levels of the game.

‘‘It would be nice to think that provincial rugby was amateur plus expenses,’’ he said. ‘‘I think unfortunately some players get better deals than others and that is unfair really. I am well aware that playing in NPC does cost money and I have no problem with them paying good expenses.

‘‘Province of origin would be very good news. Then you are reaping the rewards of guys playing club rugby in your area coming up through the grades.’’

He said it was disappointing to see provincial teams requiring players to train in the morning on work days meaning they can not hold down jobs and play as well.

‘‘At provincial level they should have either a full-time or part-time job. It shouldn’t be told that you either play rugby or work and you can’t do both.’’

Since rugby’s transition to professionalism in 1996, interest in provincial rugby has declined.

But Lochore’s playing days in the 1960s and 70s were the glory years of the provincial game.

He spent his entire career with Wairarapa, which later became Wairarapa Bush, while Colin Meads played for King County.

Lochore admitted that would not be the case if they played now.

‘‘I can’t imagine Pinetree and I being able to get into the All Blacks by him playing for King Country and I for Wairarapa now. We would have to obviously move for Super [Rugby], but we would have to move for provincial rugby as well which I think is rather sad,’’ he said.

‘‘Guys should [be able to play for smaller unions] if they want to but clearly they get more if they are playing for the big unions. Why would you play for Wairarapa for no money if you can get quite a bit playing for Wellington?

‘‘You have got to give everyone a similar pathway and a similar opportunity. At the moment I tend to think the boys from the big centres have everything going for them and the boys from the country don’t have quite as much.’’

But the pressures of playing for bigger unions is nothing new.

He said it was a message he received in his early playing days.

‘‘I was told that if I wanted to be an All Black I would have to go and play in Wellington. I said ‘I do not want to play in Wellington, I have a farm here and this is where I am staying’.’’