Sport | Rugby union |
---|---|
Inaugural season | 1976 |
Ceased | 2005 |
Country | New Zealand (NZR) |
Most titles | Auckland (15 titles) |
Website | provincial.rugby |
Related competitions |
The National Provincial Championship, often simply called the NPC, was an annual promotion and relegation rugby union competition in men's domestic New Zealand rugby. First played during the 1976 season, it was the highest level of competition in New Zealand until Super Rugby launched in 1996. It was organised by New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and ceased following the 2005 season.
The league was restructured into two distinct competitions. The National Provincial Championship would include professional and semi-professional players, and consist of the top fourteen financial and best performing regional teams. For sponsorship reasons it was rebranded as the Air New Zealand Cup. The remaining teams would form a breakaway amateur competition known as the Heartland Championship. [1]
Twenty-eight teams had competed since the inception of the competition in 1976. Auckland were the most successful union with fifteen titles and Bay of Plenty were the inaugural champions. Six other teams had won the title: Canterbury (5), Wellington (4), Otago (2), Counties Manukau (1), Manawatu (1), and Waikato (1).
The first form of competition came in 1904 with the introduction of the Ranfurly Shield as a challenge trophy. The fixtures were planned each year in Wellington at the New Zealand Rugby Football Union annual meeting. An elected representative from each provincial union would submit a list of proposed dates and opponents that ideally wouldn't conflict with their local club competitions. In various parts of the country, regular matches were organised by neighbouring regions for challenge trophies. [2] One of the most prestigious competitions presented in 1946 by Timaru's former mayor, A.E.S. Hanan, was the Hanan Shield. It was contested between Mid Canterbury, South Canterbury, and North Otago. [3] Another notable trophy was the Seddon Shield, which was first challenged in 1906. It was named after the former premier of New Zealand, Richard Seddon and featured representative teams from Buller, Nelson Bays, Marlborough, and the West Coast. In the North Island, starting in the King Country and heading northwards, eleven teams played for the Coronation Shield. [4]
In light of the fact that were so many competitions throughout New Zealand, a national tournament was needed and demanded. In 1972, Barry Smith proposed an inter-provincial competition to the Auckland Rugby Union. Once approved by the union, it was called for discussion at the New Zealand Rugby Football Union annual conference in early 1974. The proposal contained an overview of the scheme and covered matters of finance, travel, sponsorship potential, general implications in respect of club and sub-union competitions, traditional representative matches, international laws and Sunday play. Following a meeting in October 1975, modifications were made and eventually accepted by all provinces. Radio New Zealand was awarded sponsorship rights worth NZD 100,000. They also contributed to the marketing of the new proposed competition that was later followed by Lion Breweries, National Mutual, and Air New Zealand. Teams competed in one of two divisions. The representative performance of each team over the previous five years determined which division they would play in. The premier division was decided by a ranking mechanism and determined Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Counties, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, Marlborough, North Auckland, Otago, Southland, and Wellington to take part. The remaining provinces, Buller, East Coast, Horowhenua, King Country, Mid Canterbury, Nelson Bays, North Otago, Poverty Bay, South Canterbury, Taranaki, Thames Valley, Waikato, Wairarapa Bush, Wanganui and the West Coast were split into North Island and South Island sub-divisions with the possibility of promotion to the top division. [5]
Team | Union | Established | Location | Joined | Departed | Seasons | Colours |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Auckland | Auckland Rugby Union | 1883 | Auckland | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Bay of Plenty | Bay of Plenty Rugby Union | 1911 | Tauranga | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Buller | Buller Rugby Union | 1894 | Westport | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Canterbury | Canterbury Rugby Football Union | 1879 | Christchurch | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Central Vikings | Central Vikings Rugby Union | 1996 | Napier | 1997 | 1998 | 2 | |
Counties Manukau | Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union | 1955 | Pukekohe | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
East Coast | Ngāti Porou East Coast Rugby Union | 1922 | Ruatoria | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Hawke's Bay | Hawke's Bay Rugby Union | 1884 | Napier | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Horowhenua Kapiti | Horowhenua Kapiti Rugby Football Union | 1893 | Levin | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
King Country | King Country Rugby Union | 1922 | Te Kuiti | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Manawatu | Manawatu Rugby Union | 1886 | Palmerston North | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Marlborough | Marlborough Rugby Union | 1888 | Blenheim | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Mid Canterbury | Mid Canterbury Rugby Union | 1904 | Ashburton | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Nelson Bays | Nelson Bays Rugby Union | 1968 | Nelson | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
North Harbour | North Harbour Rugby Union | 1985 | Auckland | 1985 | 2005 | 21 | |
Northland | Northland Rugby Union | 1920 | Whangārei | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
North Otago | North Otago Rugby Football Union | 1927 | Oamaru | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Otago | Otago Rugby Football Union | 1881 | Dunedin | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Poverty Bay | Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union | 1890 | Gisborne | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
South Canterbury | South Canterbury Rugby Football Union | 1888 | Timaru | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Southland | Rugby Southland | 1887 | Invercargill | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Taranaki | Taranaki Rugby Football Union | 1885 | New Plymouth | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Thames Valley | Thames Valley Rugby Union | 1922 | Paeroa | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Waikato | Waikato Rugby Union | 1921 | Hamilton | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Wairarapa Bush | Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union | 1971 | Masterton | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Wellington | Wellington Rugby Football Union | 1879 | Wellington | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
West Coast | West Coast Rugby Union | 1890 | Greymouth | 1976 | 2005 | 29 | |
Whanganui | Whanganui Rugby Football Union | 1888 | Whanganui | 1976 | 2005 | 29 |
In the sortable table below, teams are ordered first by number of appearances, then by number of wins, and finally by season of first appearance.
Team | Total | First | Latest | Won | Lost | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Auckland | 15 | 1982 | 2005 | 15 | 0 | 100.00 |
Wellington | 7 | 1978 | 2003 | 4 | 3 | 57.14 |
Otago | 7 | 1991 | 2005 | 2 | 5 | 28.57 |
Canterbury | 6 | 1977 | 2004 | 5 | 1 | 83.33 |
Counties Manukau | 3 | 1979 | 1997 | 1 | 2 | 33.33 |
Waikato | 3 | 1992 | 2002 | 1 | 2 | 33.33 |
Bay of Plenty | 1 | 1976 | 1976 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
Manawatu | 1 | 1980 | 1980 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
North Harbour | 1 | 1994 | 1994 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
The 2002 season saw the introduction of the Meads Cup and Lochore Cup, which were contested by unions from the second and third divisions respectively. North Otago and Hawke's Bay were the first honourable winners. New Zealand Rugby made the decision to incorporate the trophies in the new Heartland Championship tournament when the National Provincial Championship was discontinued in 2005. [6] The silverware commemorate the names of Sir Brian Lochore and Colin Meads, two legendary international rugby players from New Zealand. [7]
Season | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Position | Team | Player | Position | Team | Player | Position | Team | |
1994 | Waisake Sotutu | Wing | Auckland | Simon Culhane | First five-eighth | Southland | John Smitheram | Number 8 | Mid Canterbury |
1995 | Olo Brown | Prop | Auckland | Bull Allen | Prop | Taranaki | Gavin McLiver | Number 8 | Thames Valley |
1996 | Justin Marshall | Half-back | Canterbury | Norm Hewitt | Hooker | Southland | Rob Penney | Number 8 | Marlborough |
1997 | Todd Blackadder | Flanker | Canterbury | Justin Collins | Flanker | Northland | Chris Finch | First five-eighth | North Otago |
1998 | Tony Brown | First five-eighth | Otago | Jarrod Cunningham | Fullback | Central Vikings | Greg Moriarty | Hooker | Mid Canterbury |
1999 | Filo Tiatia | Number 8 | Wellington | Warren Johnston | First five-eighth | Nelson Bays | Victor Taingahue | Half-back | East Coast |
2000 | Andrew Slater | Lock | Taranaki | Cory Holdaway | Flanker | Nelson Bays | Mano Flutey | First five-eighth | East Coast |
2001 | Richie McCaw | Flanker | Canterbury | Reece Robinson | Lock | Hawke's Bay | Hotili 'Asi | Prop | North Otago |
2002 | Keith Lowen | Centre | Waikato | Sitiveni Sivivatu | Wing | Counties Manukau | Simon Porter | First five-eighth | North Otago |
2003 | Iliesa Tanivula | Wing | Auckland | Davis Norman | Centre | Hawke's Bay | Jonathan Walker | Number 8 | Whanganui |
2004 | Richie McCaw | Flanker | Canterbury | Mark Bright | Flanker | Nelson Bays | Craig Tansley | Flanker | Horowhenua Kapiti |
2005 | Chris Smylie | Half-back | Otago | Clint Newland | Prop | Hawke's Bay | Simanu Simanu | Centre | Wairarapa Bush |
The National Provincial Championship, often simply called the NPC, is an annual round-robin rugby union competition in men's domestic New Zealand rugby. First played during the 2006 season, it is the second highest level of competition in New Zealand alongside the Ranfurly Shield. It is organised by New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and since 2021, it has been known as the Bunnings NPC after its headline sponsor. A concurrent women's tournament is also held, the Farah Palmer Cup.
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Shield is based on a challenge system. The holding union must defend the shield in challenge matches, which are usually played at the shield holder's home venue, and if the challenger is successful in their challenge they will become the new holder of the Shield. There is a tradition for the first challenges of a new rugby season to be played against smaller associations from the Heartland Championship.
The Canterbury Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in a portion of the Canterbury region of New Zealand. Its colours are red and black in a hooped design. The CRFU govern the running of the Canterbury representative team which have won New Zealand's first-tier domestic competition National Provincial Championship 14 times including a "six-peat" from 2008 to 2013 – with five in the National Provincial Championship, two in the Air New Zealand Cup, five in the ITM Cup and one in the Mitre 10 Cup. Their most recent victory was the 2017 Mitre 10 Cup. Canterbury also acts as a primary feeder to the Crusaders, who play in the Super Rugby competition.
Rugby union has been played in New Zealand since 1870 and is the most popular sport in the country as well as being its national sport.
The Waikato Rugby Union (WRU) is the official governing body of rugby union in the Waikato area in the North Island of New Zealand. Headquartered in Hamilton, WRU was founded in 1921.
The North Otago Rugby Football Union (NORFU) is a New Zealand rugby union province based in Oamaru and compete in the Heartland Championship. They are one of the strongest teams in The Heartland Championship, winning the Meads Cup section of the competition in its second year, 2007 as well as 2010. Their home ground is Whitestone Contracting Stadium, formerly Centennial Park.
The Heartland Championship competition, known for sponsorship reasons as the Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship, is a domestic rugby union competition in New Zealand. It was founded in 2006 as one of two successor competitions to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship (NPC). The country's 27 provincial teams were split into two separate competitions. Thirteen of the original teams, plus one merged side created from two other teams, entered the new top-level professional competition, the Air New Zealand Cup. The remaining 12 sides entered the new Heartland Championship, whose teams contest two distinct trophies, both named after famous New Zealand players:
The Hanan Shield is one of the most prestigious trophies in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1946 after being presented by the Mayor of Timaru, A. E. S. Hanan. The Hanan Shield is based on a challenge system played between North Otago, South Canterbury and Mid Canterbury. The holding union must defend the shield in challenge matches, and if a challenger defeats them, they become the new holder of the shield. A rules change at the end of the 2011 season meant that the shield is contested in all meetings between the holders and one of the other two teams.
The West Coast Rugby Football Union, formed in 1890, is the official governing body for rugby union in the Westland County, Hokitika Borough and Greymouth Borough districts, located in the West Coast provincial region of New Zealand, and is affiliated to the New Zealand Rugby Football Union. The West Coast RFU provincial representative team, a founding member of the National Provincial Championship, is based in Greymouth. It plays home matches at John Sturgeon Park.
The Horowhenua-Kapiti Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in the Horowhenua and Kāpiti Coast districts in the Manawatū-Whanganui and Wellington regions. The union was established in 1893 as the Horowhenua Rugby Football Union and was changed to its current name of Horowhenua-Kapiti in 1997, in order to reflect the full extent of the union's districts.
The South Canterbury Rugby Football Union (SCRFU) is a rugby province based in the central South Island city of Timaru, New Zealand. The South Canterbury team play at Fraser Park located in Timaru.
The Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union (MCRFU) is a rugby province in the South Island of New Zealand.
The Buller Rugby Union (BRU) is a rugby union province based in the town of Westport, New Zealand. The Buller provincial boundary also includes other notable towns such as Reefton, Karamea, Granity, Charleston, Punakaiki and Murchison.
The Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union within the Gisborne district, in the area surrounding Poverty Bay on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The men's representative team play from Rugby Park, Gisborne, and currently compete in the Heartland Championship.
The 2009 Air New Zealand Cup was the 33rd provincial rugby union competition, the fourth since the competition's reconstruction in 2006, involving the top 14 provincial unions in New Zealand. It ran for 15 weeks from 30 July to 7 November. It was also the last edition of the provincial competition to use the Air New Zealand Cup name, as the competition's sponsorship contract with Air New Zealand ended after that season. The 2010 competition will be held under a new name, the ITM Cup.
The 2016 Heartland Championship, known as the 2016 Mitre 10 Heartland Championship for sponsorship reasons, was the eleventh edition of the Heartland Championship, a rugby union competition involving the twelve amateur rugby unions in New Zealand. The tournament included a round-robin stage in which the twelve teams played eight games each and then the top four advanced to the Meads Cup semifinals, while fifth to eighth advanced to the Lochore Cup semifinals. In both of these knockout stages the top seeds played at home against the lowest seeds, the second highest seeds played at home against the third highest seeds and the final had the higher seed play at home against the lower seed.
The 2017 Mitre 10 Cup season was the twelfth season of New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition since it turned professional in 2006. The regular season began on August 17, when North Harbour hosted Otago. It involved the top fourteen rugby unions of New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, the competition was known as the Mitre 10 Cup and it was the second season under the lead sponsor. The winner of the Championship, Wellington was promoted to the Premiership, while the seventh-placed Premiership team, Waikato was relegated to the Championship.
The 2020 Mitre 10 Cup season was the 15th season of New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition since it turned professional in 2006. The regular season began on September 11, when North Harbour hosted Canterbury. It involved the top fourteen rugby unions of New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, the competition was known as the Mitre 10 Cup and it was the fifth season under the lead sponsor. The winner of the Championship, Hawke's Bay was promoted to the Premiership, the seventh placed Premiership team, North Harbour was relegated to the Championship.
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is perhaps the most prestigious trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies. The holding union defends the Shield in challenge matches - which are their home games - and if a challenger defeats them, they become the new holder of the Shield.
The 2021 Bunnings NPC season was the 16th season of New Zealand's provincial rugby union competition since it turned professional in 2006. The regular season began on August 6, when Manawatu hosted Counties Manukau. It involved the top 14 rugby unions in New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, the competition was known as the Bunnings NPC and it was the first season under the lead sponsor and to carry the NPC moniker since 2005. The winner of the Championship, Taranaki wasn't promoted to the Premiership due to a format restructure earlier in the season. Despite finishing seventh in the Premiership, Auckland was not relegated to the Championship, having only played two matches due to a resurgence of COVID-19 in the Auckland Region.