The Players' Association has delivered a scathing assessment of New Zealand Rugby's planned renewal of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
Chief executive Rob Nichol says the proposed second installment of the all-Kiwi tournament is premature at best and in leaving out a sixth team from the Pacific, they may have done irreparable damage to their relationship.
"The way in which they've communicated over the last 48 hours has caused all sorts of issues, particularly among the Pasifika community and I'm not sure they'll be able to come back from that so easily," Nichol tells Newshub.
On Thursday, Newshub revealed that Kanaloa Pacific were one of those sides who were left frustrated by a "shady" bidding process.
Nichol believes if we don't take the opportunity to include a Pacific side now, the damage may be too much to come back from.
"I know they're hurting, they feel affronted and they feel insulted to a certain degree," he says.
"The time is right for a Pasifika team. If not now, then when?
"It's been 26 years they've been left out in the cold… we've got the opportunity to embrace them."
The New Zealand Rugby board rejected a number of proposals for inclusion of a Pacific side from 2021 on the basis they weren't prepared.
"There were parties that wanted licenses for 2021 but we considered that, both on the field and off the field, none were ready," NZR chairman Brent Impey said.
Highlanders captain Ash Dixon admits he's looking forward to a second season of Super Rugby Aotearoa but feels for those Pacific sides again left out.
"It would be cool to have the Pacific in there and those guys doing their thing," Dixon says. "I do feel a bit sorry for them."
In 2022, NZR says it's eager to add a minimum of three new teams, and Nichol says the pressure is now on the governing body not to drop the ball.
"The events of the last few days are gonna take a few parties a bit of time to get over and to work through, but ultimately there is still an opportunity there," he adds.
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