A complicated situation for domestic rugby to work through as it tries to get a full Mitre10 Cup going for 2020.
Some unions are battling to get to the startline for the competition starting in September due to the cost of player contracting in a Covid-19 world with little to no revenue.
Taranaki, Northland, Southland and North Harbour are believed to be asking for players to take a 30-per cent pay cut to make fielding a team viable.
Auckland chairman Stu Mather is acting as spokesman for the provincial unions and says it's between them, the Players Association and New Zealand Rugby to find a deal.
"The RPA would like NZR to throw more money in, NZR doesn't want to throw any money in, and the teams just want the costs reduced so we can participate."
Mather says unions have four revenue streams and each one has been impacted severely.
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