Not all clubs support the changes being made to the Otago Rugby Football Union's board.
But they have no option and must accept the changes.
The new ORFU board will have only six members, and clubs will have no direct say on who will serve on the board.
But they will still have an indirect say at the annual meeting by voting in two people to sit on the selection panel that appoints the board.
Taieri president Warren Grant reluctantly backed the changes.
"While it would be preferable that we have a say we understand the situation that Otago's in and feel at the end of the day that beggars can't be choosers," he said.
"We realise that it is difficult times for the whole province and the overriding factor is to get the right skill set on the board to make sure that Otago rugby gets back to the top of the tree."
Maniototo club chairman Paul Dougherty did not agree with the change. He was adamant that clubs were the most important part of Otago rugby.
"The clubs should still have a say. There are too many people on the board who are only interested in looking after themselves."
Dougherty said the whisper had been around for a long time about the financial problems of the union.
"But it was never made official until it was too late," he said. "If we'd had more club delegates involved earlier it could have helped."
Roxburgh club president Dave Hall backed the changes.
"We need people on the board to run it prudently and in a fiscally responsible way," Hall said.
"People running clubs may not be the right people for the job.
"The changes had to be done because the old system didn't work."
Harbour club chairman Jack Medder felt that the clubs did not have any choice.
"The die is cast. We either accept it or we go down the gurgler," he said.
"I don't see that we've got any way out of it.
"It's a shame it's come to this but I think it's something we have to live with.
"My concern is that we will have a board that is loaded with business people rather than rugby people. It's not something that sits comfortably with me."
Alhambra-Union chairman Gary Wheeler said that the clubs would still have control of the amateur game through its delegates on the Metropolitan Rugby Council.
"As long as they have the right people on the board I'm sure they won't make the same mistakes twice. I'm happy to have the new board," he said.
"It's a semi-professional sport and we are the amateur side of it. As long as club rugby keeps running I don't see a problem.
"We need people who are best qualified to run the board to keep Otago rugby going."
Southern chairman Blair Crawford said the clubs did not have much choice and must accept the new board structure.
"The constitution has been put through and all other deals are off," he said. Clubs still had input in selecting the panel that appoints the board.
"The people who put their names forward for the board must see the bigger picture and do what is best for Otago rugby.
"That includes the professional and the amateur game."
Clubs still had their own area of control of the amateur game through the Metropolitan Rugby Council and the Otago Country board.
