The NZRFU Chairman, Jock Hobbs concedes there would have been significant damage to the rugby communities supporting Northland and Tasman if the two sides have been dropped from the top tier of competition.
They have won a reprieve and will again take their places in next year's Air New Zealand Cup.
Hobbs says another factor in keeping the two sides in the top competition was that the competition below, the Heartland championship,is very happy with the way things are and didn't want Northland and Tasman to join them.
