22 Apr 2009

NZRU not backing down on decision to cut Maori

7:28 am on 22 April 2009

The New Zealand rugby union says there are no plans to revisit its decision to scrap the Maori programme for 2009, despite a planned match against South Africa in Soweto falling over.

In December the NZRU announced there'd be no Maori matches this year because of cost cutting.

The South African rugby union then suggested it might host the Maori side ahead of the British and Irish Lions tour there.

However South African officials have now said the match isn't commerically viable and won't be going ahead.