The two clubs battling at the bottom of the Dunedin premier competition are already working towards getting better for next year.
There also appears to be no desire to cut the competition to eight teams despite some lopsided victories.
After the finish of the first round of the premier competition, Green Island sits at the bottom with zero points, while Pirates has just one win, over Green Island.
Green Island was beaten 96-0 by Taieri on Saturday, and has conceded more than 500 points in nine games.
Pirates lost 65-8 to Southern and has conceded 466 points this season.
Metropolitan Rugby Council chairman Nigel Hodge said there had never been any inclination to move to an eight-team competition.
He said someone had to finish bottom of the competition, and large scores had been happening for a long time.
Green Island chairman Brigid Short said this season had been tough but the players werepersevering and the club was still in good spirits.
She said a couple of coaches had been set to take the team but they pulled out late and that had an impact on recruitment.
Motu Huch has taken on the coaching job.
A couple of key players - lock Jackson Hemopo and loose forward Mika Mafi - had moved to Southern, and that had greatly affected the side.
She said Green Island was already planning for next season and seeking ways to improve.
''We are determined to hang in there and have been talking to the Otago union about development and how to get the colts improving,'' she said.
''The support is still there. The clubrooms are still packed every Saturday night and people are still right in behind the team.
''Heads are still high and we have a lot of support off the field.''
Former Green Island player Dean Moeahu had set up a junior academy at the club to help develop skills at a younger level, and it was hoped these players would return to the club when they finished secondary school.
Pirates chairman Conrad Stedman said his club had been hit by injury and players transferring out of Dunedin because of work.
He said the club had never considered dropping out and was looking forward to next year. A meeting was planned last night to consider ways to improve next season.
Stedman himself played 80 minutes for the premier side on Saturday, propping against Southern.
''I would rather put the boots on than put the white flag up,'' he said.
Otago coach Tony Brown said he did not think the competition had to go to eight teams.
The standard of play was still high, he said, and some players were putting their hands up for higher honours.
The sides at the bottom were paying the cost of not being well organised.
He said they were proud clubs which would be working hard to improve.
Zingari-Richmond had lost 33 games in a row a few seasons ago but had turned things around with good recruitment and good coaching, Brown said.
