Soon was a member of the delegation alongside IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset, IRB secretary general Mike Miller, Humphrey Kayange, captain of the Kenya Sevens team, leadingplayer and referee Anastassiya Khamova and former Argentina scrum-half Agustin Pichot and was pleased with the reception that their proposal recived from the committee.

"I think the reception we received was very good," Soon told AAP. "There were board members clapping and cheering. We wanted to let them know about the speed, the excitement and the inclusiveness of sevens rugby, and in how many countries around the world the game is played.

"We want to play alongside the world's top athletes competing at the highest levels of their sports. It would be an absolute privilege to do so."

"I don't know a huge amount about the Magners League but the internet is a wonderful thing and I've been doing my homework on Glasgow and the rest of the Celtic sides," said Mitchell.

Crippled by the costs associated with staging poorly attended games at Mt Smart Stadium and then rocked by their major sponsor Tribro going into receivership, Counties Manukau required a bailout from the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to stay operational.

However, the NZRU offer relied on the union agreeing to drop out of the Air NZ Cup - a scenario union officials initially rejected, although that stance may be altered after next week's meeting at Growers Stadium. The union's board felt dropping out of the Air NZ Cup would reduce Counties Manukau to a feeder union, one where players, coaches and support staff were denied professional pathways locally.

Counties Manukau chief executive Phil McConnell said the community's views were imperative.

"We need to let our public know what is going on and give them a voice. We still believe enough people care about the province to save our union," O'Connell said, equating Counties Manukau's predicament to the one experienced by Northland last year.