University B, an important part of the fabric of Dunedin premier club rugby since 1916, will be missing from the tapestry next year after losing the promotion-relegation match to Taieri 17-42 on Saturday.
Otago University Rugby Club life member Russell Church has been on the club committee for more than 30 years and understands the problems the club will face.
"I'm disappointed about what happened," he said yesterday.
"But it has been staring us in the face for a while. We are going to face some real problems now.
"It is a real body blow to us. I don't know what the ramifications will be."
During the 1990s and the early years of the 21st century, University was one of the strongest clubs in the country.
"My bigger concern is what will happen to the club," Church said.
"It is a worrying time. If it happened to us it could also happen to any other club.
"It's a big blow for us. It is bigger than it appears on the surface. The club is in a state of flux and will have a new chairman next year. It will be up to the new committee to decide what to do."
The University club is reviewing the way it operates.
"There are a lot of things we did in the past that we are not doing now," Church said.
"For the last five years, our club has not been the first choice for students.
"We have got to get back to the past and make sure the club is the first choice for students playing rugby in Dunedin.
"There needs to be some important reconstruction in the club if it is to survive. We can't go and watch it get weaker and weaker."
He said the club had had difficulty keeping a team in the premier 2 competition, and he did not know if that would change now that University B was no longer part of the premier competition.
The last time University B lost a promotion-relegation game was in 1991 when it was beaten by Eastern 7-6.
But it was given a reprieve that year because of the amalgamation of Port Chalmers and Ravensbourne to form the Harbour club.
"But our club was much stronger than it is now," Church said.
"History may repeat itself. There is a lot of water to go under the bridge before next season, I know that other clubs are having problems as well."
Church said University B and the University club had become victims of changing times in rugby.
Club teams had not won banners in any competition this year.
"In my time on the committee I can't remember a time when we did not win something," he said.
"It just shows how weak the club is."
