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The National Provincial Championship (NPC) is an annual round-robin rugby union competition in men's domestic New Zealand rugby. First played in 1976, 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 Bunnings, its naming rights sponsor. A concurrent women's tournament is also held, the Farah Palmer Cup.
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 has 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.
The Tasman Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere, a bay at the north end of the South Island in New Zealand. Headquartered in Nelson, TRU is New Zealand's newest provincial union, founded in 2006 with the amalgamation of the existing Marlborough and Nelson Bays sub unions.
The Otago Rugby Football Union is the official governing body of rugby union for the Otago region of New Zealand. The union is based in the city of Dunedin, and its home ground is Forsyth Barr Stadium. The top representative team competes in the ITM Cup, New Zealand's top provincial competition. The union was to have been liquidated in March 2012. However a deal involving the Dunedin City Council allowed it to keep operating. Otago have won the Ranfurly Shield on seven occasions. They were the National provincial championship winners in 1991 and 1998. They have a proud record playing international teams, having defeated South Africa and the British and Irish Lions.
The Taranaki Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in Taranaki, New Zealand and was established in 1889. Taranaki is a region of New Zealand that covers areas in the districts of New Plymouth, Stratford and South Taranaki. Taranaki Rugby's two most senior representative teams are the men's NPC side, Taranaki Bulls, and the women's Farah Palmer Cup side, Taranaki Whio. The union is affiliated with the Chiefs Super Rugby franchise. Their playing colours are amber and black and they play their home games at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth.
Kurt Baker is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a fullback or wing for Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby (MLR).
Jayden Hayward is a New Zealand-born rugby union player who played for the Italy national rugby union team and for Benetton Rugby. He can play as a fly-half, centre or fullback.
James Ryan Marshall is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He played in the First five-eighth, Fullback and occasionally Second five-eighth positions for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby and Tasman in the Bunnings NPC. He also captained the Taranaki Bulls in the ITM Cup. He is the older brother of Crusader Tom Marshall. He announced his retirement on his What a Lad Podcast in January 2021 due to an ongoing injury to his hip. He is currently the assistant coach for the Crusaders.
Jarrad Hoeata is a professional rugby union player who plays for New Zealand side Taranaki. He made his debut for the All Blacks during the 2011 Tri Nations tournament.
Michael Bent is a New Zealand born rugby union player who can play as a tight or loosehead prop. He played for Leinster in the Pro14 and represented Ireland at international level.
Beauden John Barrett is a New Zealand professional rugby union player who plays as a fly half for Japan Rugby League One club Toyota Verblitz and for the New Zealand national team.
Benjamin Camden John Funnell is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a hooker for Canterbury in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship competition and the Western Force in Super Rugby. He previously played for the Crusaders.
Sa Jordan Taufua is a professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Top 14 club Lyon. Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level for which he qualifies on ancestry grounds.
Samuel Murray John Prattley is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a prop for Auckland in the ITM Cup.
Alexander Nigel Ainley is a former New Zealand rugby union player who played as a lock for Tasman in the Bunnings NPC and the Highlanders in Super Rugby. He now works as a builder in the city of Nelson, New Zealand. And has appeared in a Scott Brown Carpentry video.
Tevita ‘Tex’ Cavubati is a Fijian Rugby Union player who currently plays as a lock for Blackheath F.C. in National League 1 and for Fiji.
Mitchell John Scott is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a wing for Otago in the New Zealand NPC competition.
David Kaetau Havili is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a centre for Tasman in the Bunnings NPC, the Crusaders in Super Rugby and the New Zealand national team the All Blacks.
Mitchell Brown is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a lock or loose forward for Taranaki in New Zealand's domestic Mitre 10 Cup and the Chiefs in the international Super Rugby competition.
Toa Halafihi is a New Zealand-born Italian professional rugby union player who primarily plays number eight for Benetton of the United Rugby Championship. He has also represented Italy at international level, having made his test debut against France during the 2022 Six Nations Championship. Halafihi has previously played for clubs such as Poverty Bay, Taranaki, Hurricanes, and Lyon in the past.
References
- ↑ "A Smoothie Operator: Hoeata's Journey Back From Concussion". 20 February 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
- ↑ "Taranaki's Hoeata Plays His Own Game" . Retrieved 20 February 2015.
- ↑ "Riki Hoeata Tasman Player Profile". Archived from the original on 26 December 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ↑ "New cap 'adds balance' to Tasman Makos". 13 July 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ↑ "Testing times looming". 15 August 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ↑ "Dramatic Victory For Taranaki In NPC Final". 25 October 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
