Photo / Richard Spranger

By Dale Budge

The new Wider Auckland Club Knock Out competition that will take place in March could well be a preview to the future of club rugby in the region and the shot in the arm it needs to reach lofty new heights.

The pre-season knock-out competition features leading clubs from Auckland, North Harbour as well as our own Counties Manukau clubs playing in a Super City-wide competition in the lead-up to each province’s normal club season.

While it is all over and done with in three weeks, organisers and participating clubs are already looking at ways to expand in the years ahead with a Champions League-style qualification-based tournament or an FA Cup-style knock-out competition the most popular options.

It is no secret that club rugby has found life challenging the longer the professional game has been in existence and most regions are struggling to find ways to stay relevant and attract new players.

But a city-wide competition might be just the tonic to spice up club rugby.

Imagine a scenario where the club competitions in each province take place over one round at the start of the rugby season before they break into the city-wide competition, for round robin play and finals with winners crowned at the end of the season.

Teams could qualify for the three different levels of the city-wide competitions based on their finishing order in their respective provincial club competitions, meaning all teams have something to play for right throughout the season and all clubs feature in the new competition.

There would be greater media and broadcast interest in a concept that pitted the best against each other and it would provide different teams and places to play rugby at each season.

There is also scope to extend the concept out to age group or weight restricted grades as well.

The 2023 version will take place over three weekends leading into the start of the club season but expect there to be plenty of eyes on the competition with a move to something bigger and better in the years ahead.