The Auckland Rugby Union has been quick to deny newspaper reports in New Zealand that they had offended the North Harbour Union over a charity lunch event.

On Thursday morning the following release was issued:

Media reports today suggested that the Auckland Rugby Football Union has
boycotted the so-called Battle of the Bridge Lunch. This suggestion is not
correct.

When the lunch was first mooted to Auckland coach Wayne Pivac, the ARU
indicated it would support it. However, that indication was based on the understanding that the lunch would be similar to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce Battle of Bridge breakfast debate held in 1998. Proceeds from that event, held on relatively neutral ground in Auckland City, were split between the rugby unions and charities.

Only this week did details arrive from North Harbour. The breakfast was now
a Thursday lunch, held at Albany Stadium, with all proceeds going to North Harbour. A number of other circumstances, such as sponsor conflicts, the pulling out of celebrity speakers and late invitations, compelled the Auckland management to decline attending.

ARFU chief executive Geoff Hipkins, who was not consulted on the event and
received an invitation just two days ago, said if the North Harbour Rugby
Union had worked with the ARU to properly plan a charity lunch that would
be beneficial to all parties, then the ARU would have got behind it 100%.
He added that the Battle of Bridge lunch has nothing to do with the Blues
franchise or building a Blues partnership, as claimed by North Harbour.

"Until my invitation arrived on Tuesday, I thought the Battle of Bridge was at 7.35pm on Friday night at Eden Park," he said.

With the main course on Friday evening, it will be interesting to see how much spice has been added to the occasion by this tiff.