Fourteen Air New Zealand Cup provincial unions and the New Zealand Rugby Union will meet for a workshop next week to consider the structure of the competition.
Recent reports have suggested unions outside the main centres feel the cup needs to be saved from an increase in the size of the Super 14 tournament, which they feel could water down their rugby and ruin the game in New Zealand.
NZRU chief executive Steve Tew says the meeting is intended to build on a consensus reached at a provincial forum held in March last year.
But he says it also reflects the increasing financial pressure that the existing competition structure and the wider economic environment is placing on provincial unions.
