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 North Harbour Rugby Union (NHRU), commonly known as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is the governing body of rugby union that encompasses a wide geographical area north of Auckland that includes North Shore City, Rodney District, the Hibiscus Coast and part of Waitakere City. There are 12 rugby clubs from Mahurangi RFC, based in Warkworth, Rodney District, in the north through to Massey the southernmost area of the union.
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.
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 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.
Ioakimo "Lucky" Mulipola is a Samoan rugby union player. He is a winger who plays his rugby in New Zealand. Mulipola made his provincial debut in 2003 for Nelson Bays, and his international debut for Samoa in 2009.
Ben John Franks is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player. He played as a prop. He is one of only 21 players who have won the Rugby World Cup on multiple occasions.
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).
The 2009 Air New Zealand Cup was the 33rd provincial rugby union competition, the fourth since the competition 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 2009 Air New Zealand Cup was a provincial rugby union competition in New Zealand, which was run as a round-robin tournament from 30 July to 25 October. There were 13 rounds where every team played each other once. The top four teams on the Air New Zealand Cup table advanced to the semi-finals, where they played for a chance in the Grand Final.
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.
Jason Emery is a New Zealand rugby union player who represents the Sunwolves in Super Rugby, as well as for Manawatu in the Mitre 10 Cup. He also plays for Rugby New York (Ironworkers) in Major League Rugby (MLR) in the United States. His position of choice is centre.
Shane Christie is a New Zealand rugby union player.
James Francis Rawiri Lowe is a rugby union player who plays as a wing or fullback for Leinster and the Ireland national team. Born in New Zealand, he qualified for Ireland through the three-year residency rule, making his international debut in 2020. He has also played for the Māori All Blacks.
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.
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 currently plays as a fullback, centre or first five-eighth for Tasman in the Bunnings NPC and the Crusaders in the Super Rugby competition.
Naulia Dawai is a Fijian rugby union player. He primarily plays as a flanker. Dawai currently plays for the Seattle Seawolves of Major League Rugby (MLR).
William Thomas Jordan is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays for the Tasman Mako in the Bunnings NPC and the Crusaders in Super Rugby. His position of choice is fullback. Jordan received the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year Award in 2021.