Trouble in Tasman

Thursday 26th June 2008

Air New Zealand Cup union Tasman may be extinguished at the end of the year, with the two member unions, Marlborough and Nelson, falling out over how to solve Tasman's mounting debt.

The problem has been caused by the Tasman union suggestion that the Lansdowne Park pitch in Blenheim be sold to put Tasman back on an even financial keel.

The suggestion has caused an uproar in Marlborough over the past fortnight, culminating in a threat by Marlborough to withdraw from the alliance with Nelson by the end of the year.

At a meeting on Wednesday of more than 120 club officials, Tasman chairman Max Spence pointed out that without the sale, the ground would almost certainly be seized by the Bank of New Zealand as an asset in lieu of the debt.

Little agreement was met though, and currently Nelson are considering pursuing the Tasman brand in alliance with the Buller union if Marlborough do pull out, as seems likely.