Draft:National Provincial Championship
History
[edit]Origins and foundation
[edit]The first form of competition came in 1904 with the introduction of the Ranfurly Shield as a challenge trophy. Each year, fixtures were arranged in Wellington during the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, where an elected representative from each provincial union would propose dates and opponents that ideally avoided conflicts with local club competitions. Across the country, neighbouring regions organised regular matches for challenge trophies.[1] One of the most prestigious competitions, the Hanan Shield, was established in 1946 by Timaru's former mayor, A.E.S. Hanan, and was contested by Mid Canterbury, South Canterbury, and North Otago. Another significant trophy, the Seddon Shield, was first challenged in 1906. Named after former New Zealand premier Richard Seddon, it featured representative teams from Buller, Nelson Bays, Marlborough, and the West Coast. In the North Island, starting in the King Country and moving north, eleven teams competed for the Coronation Shield.
Given the numerous competitions across New Zealand, there was a clear need for a national tournament. In 1972, Barry Smith proposed an inter-provincial competition to the Auckland Rugby Union. After gaining approval, the proposal was brought to the New Zealand Rugby Football Union's annual conference in early 1974. It included an overview of the scheme, addressing finance, travel, sponsorship opportunities, implications for club and sub-union competitions, traditional representative matches, international laws, and Sunday play. Following discussions in October 1975, modifications were made and ultimately accepted by all provinces. Radio New Zealand secured sponsorship rights worth NZD 100,000 and helped market the new competition, later joined by Lion Breweries, National Mutual, and Air New Zealand.
Teams were divided into two divisions based on their performance over the previous five years. The premier division included Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Counties, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, Marlborough, North Auckland, Otago, Southland, and Wellington, determined by a ranking system. 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 potential for promotion to the top division.
Teams
[edit]Current teams
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In 1879, the first provincial unions were established in Canterbury and Wellington to oversee rugby in their areas. Over the next decade, several other unions emerged. In 1892, the New Zealand Rugby Football Union was created to standardise the sport nationwide. Its founding members included Auckland, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, Marlborough, Nelson, South Canterbury, Taranaki, Wairarapa, Wanganui, and Wellington. Initially, the major South Island unions such as Canterbury, Otago, and Southland all opposed the NZRFU's central authority, but by 1895, all three had joined.[2]
In 1976, the inaugural National Provincial Championship featured twenty-six provincial unions from across the nation, split into two divisions. The first division included eleven teams, seven from the North Island and four from the South Island. Division Two was organised by island. Bay of Plenty emerged as the first champions of Division One, while Taranaki claimed the Division Two North title and South Canterbury took the Division Two South title. In 1985, the structure expanded to include nationwide Division Two and Division Three. Changes in 2006 further adapted to the professionalisation of rugby, eliminating promotion and relegation. The top fourteen teams competed in the newly established National Provincial Championship, while the remaining twelve amateur or semi-professional unions formed the Heartland Championship.[3]
Throughout the competition's history, several unions have been formed and renamed. To assemble a squad for the 2006 season, Tasman was created in December 2005, making it the newest provincial union in New Zealand through the merger of Nelson Bays and Marlborough Rugby Union.[4] North Harbour, established in 1985, is another of New Zealand's recent provincial rugby unions, having been promoted to the first division in 1987 after finishing first in the third division during its inaugural year.[5] The former competition also welcomed additional participants, such as the Central Vikings, while two other unions underwent name changes over the years. In 1994, the North Auckland Rugby Union, founded in 1920, was renamed Northland.[6] South Auckland Counties gained full union status in 1955, and the following year, it was shortened to Counties, before becoming Counties Manukau in 1996.[7]
Former teams
[edit]In May 1996, Hawke's Bay and Manawatu jointly announced their intention to form a Central rugby team, as both unions recognised they could not maintain a competitive first division team without significant funding. New Zealand Rugby approved the team to compete in the 1997 and 1998 seasons. However, since Hawke's Bay and Manawatu did not merge, they were ineligible for promotion to the first division, leading to the team's eventual dissolution shortly after.[8]
After the Tasman Rugby Union was established in December 2005, Nelson Bays and Marlborough ceased operations as Tasman took over the management and delivery of grassroots rugby at junior school and senior club levels for both regions.[9] Marlborough, founded in 1888, had a proud history, notably defending the Ranfurly Shield six times in 1973 and 1974. Nelson Bays was established in 1968, resulting from the merger of Nelson and Golden Bay-Motueka. Nelson was formed in 1885, becoming the sixth provincial union in New Zealand, while Golden Bay-Motueka was established in 1920.[4]
| Team | Colours | Moniker | Location | Venue | Established | Joined | Departed | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Vikings |  |
Vikings | Napier | McLean Park | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 2 |
| Marlborough |  |
Red Devils | Blenheim | Lansdowne Park | 1888 | 1976 | 2005 | 29 |
| Nelson Bays |  |
Griffins | Nelson | Trafalgar Park | 1968 | 1976 | 2005 | 29 |
Results
[edit]1976–1991
[edit]On 18 September 1976, the first Radio New Zealand National Championship was decided when Bay of Plenty defeated Hawke's Bay and Manawatu lost to Marlborough. Both Bay of Plenty and Manawatu entered those matches tied at the top of the table with fifteen points. Despite some unions having additional matches left, Bay of Plenty's victory brought their total to seventeen points, securing their position as champions.[10]
The winners of Division One would receive a trophy called the Rugby Cup. Bay of Plenty captain Tuck Waaka was the first to hold this trophy until it was replaced during the 2006 season. In 2016, it was reinstated to celebrate the competition's fortieth anniversary and was once again awarded to the winners.[11]
The 1991 season was the final one to feature a straight round-robin format with no finals. During this time, Otago went on an impressive run and ultimately defeated North Harbour at Carisbrook to win the competition. This victory marked the end of Auckland's four-year winning streak before the introduction of finals in the following season.[12]
| Edition | Season | Champions | Runners-up | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1976 | Bay of Plenty | Manawatu | Eric Anderson |
| 2 | 1977 | Canterbury | Counties | Tiny Hill |
| 3 | 1978 | Wellington | Counties | Ian Upston |
| 4 | 1979 | Counties | Auckland | Hiwi Tauroa |
| 5 | 1980 | Manawatu | Auckland | Graham Hamer |
| 6 | 1981 | Wellington | Manawatu | Ian Upston |
| 7 | 1982 | Auckland | Canterbury | John Hart |
| 8 | 1983 | Canterbury | Wellington | Alex Wyllie |
| 9 | 1984 | Auckland | Canterbury | John Hart |
| 10 | 1985 | Auckland | Canterbury | John Hart |
| 11 | 1986 | Wellington | Auckland | Earle Kirton |
| 12 | 1987 | Auckland | Wellington | Maurice Trapp |
| 13 | 1988 | Auckland | Wellington | Maurice Trapp |
| 14 | 1989 | Auckland | Canterbury | Maurice Trapp |
| 15 | 1990 | Auckland | Waikato | Maurice Trapp |
| 16 | 1991 | Otago | Auckland | Laurie Mains |
1992–2005
[edit]Finals were introduced for the first time during the 1992 season of the National Provincial Championship. Waikato emerged as the inaugural finals winners, marking their first victory in the competition since its inception in 1976. After finishing the qualifying round in fourth place, they decisively defeated top qualifier Auckland in the semifinal and then triumphed over defending champion Otago in front of 30,000 spectators at Rugby Park in Hamilton.[13]
The term golden era was referred to Auckland's remarkable success from 1982 to 1996, during which they won eleven out of fifteen National Provincial Championships. In addition to these titles, they enjoyed an impressive Ranfurly Shield reign that lasted nine years, with sixty-one successful defences, an achievement unmatched in the over 100-year history of the shield. This period of success set numerous Ranfurly Shield records that still stand today. Grant Fox holds the record for the most matches played (57) and the most points scored (932), while Terry Wright recorded the most tries (53). North Otago suffered the largest margin of defeat (139–5) in a game where John Kirwan scored a record eight tries.[14]
2006–present
[edit]After the 2003 Rugby World Cup, the New Zealand Rugby Union conducted a review of its competitions, leading to talks about a new format. It was ultimately decided that thirteen provincial unions, along with the newly established Tasman, would form part of the revamped premier division, which would be renamed the Air New Zealand Cup. The other unions would continue to operate within the Heartland Championship, eliminating the second and third divisions that had been introduced in 1985.[15]
Waikato secured its first title since 1992 by winning the inaugural Air New Zealand Cup. Under the guidance of coach Warren Gatland, they defeated Wellington in front of a capacity crowd of 25,000 at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.[16]
Since 2006, Canterbury has reached the finals of the National Provincial Championship twelve times, winning nine of those matches. This achievement cements their status as the most successful team in the competition during this era. From 2008 to 2013, they set a record by winning six consecutive titles, a feat that has not been matched since the introduction of finals in 1992.[17] During this period, only five other unions have found success, with Auckland, Taranaki, Tasman, and Waikato each winning twice, and Wellington securing the title once.[18]
Championships by union
[edit]Since the competition began in 1976, twenty-nine teams have participated. Auckland holds the record for the most successful union, with seventeen titles, while Canterbury has been the top team during the professional era, winning nine out of twelve finals. Eight other teams have claimed titles from both eras. Among the current competitors since the 2006 restructuring, only four sides, Hawke's Bay, North Harbour, Northland, and Southland have yet to win a championship.[18]
| Team | Won | First | Latest | Lost | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | 17 | 1982 | 2018 | 7 | 70.83 |
| Canterbury | 14 | 1977 | 2017 | 7 | 66.67 |
| Wellington | 5 | 1978 | 2022 | 12 | 29.41 |
| Waikato | 3 | 1992 | 2021 | 5 | 37.50 |
| Otago | 2 | 1991 | 1998 | 5 | 28.57 |
| Taranaki | 2 | 2014 | 2023 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Tasman | 2 | 2019 | 2020 | 4 | 33.33 |
| Bay of Plenty | 1 | 1976 | 1976 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Counties Manukau | 1 | 1979 | 1979 | 4 | 20.00 |
| Manawatu | 1 | 1980 | 1980 | 2 | 33.33 |
Honours
[edit]Duane Monkley Medal
[edit]Since the 1994 season, a player of the year award has been established in the competition. Auckland winger Waisake Sotutu was the first to receive this honour in Division One.[19] Until 2005, there was one winner from each of Divisions One, Two, and Three. However, starting in the 2006 season, the format changed to recognise a single player, with Richard Kahui being the first to win under this new system.[20] In 2017, the Duane Monkley Medal was introduced, named after Waikato rugby representative Duane Monkley, who played 135 matches for the province from 1987 to 1996. The winner is determined through a season-long points system, where match officials award three points, two points, and one point to the top three performers of each game. Previously, the provincial player of the year was chosen at the end of the season by a judging panel.[21]
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Updated: 22 October 2024[22]
Interprovincial
[edit]Numerous interprovincial trophies are contested among New Zealand teams during the National Provincial Championship. One of the oldest is the Donald Stuart Memorial Shield, contested between Southland and Otago. The inaugural match took place in Dunedin on 13 August 1887, where Otago secured a convincing 6–0 victory with three tries and a dropped goal.[23] Many rivalries have developed since the formation of these teams, notably the competition between Auckland and North Harbour for the Brian Purdy Battle of the Bridge Memorial Trophy. Purdy was associated with North Harbour until his passing in 2002, and a trophy was established in his honor later that year. The two unions first faced each other in 1986, when North Harbour, then in the second division, challenged Auckland for the Ranfurly Shield and lost 18–6.[24]
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Updated: 22 October 2024[25]
References
[edit]- ^ Garland, Steve. Fields of Glory: 21 NPC Years, 1976-1996. HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand. pp. 2–3. ISBN 9781869502331. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Manatū Taonga (25 August 2015). "Regional rugby map". NZ History. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Manatū Taonga (3 September 2024). "1976 - key events". NZ History. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ a b Manatū Taonga (31 August 2022). "Tasman rugby". NZ History. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Manatū Taonga (26 August 2015). "North Harbour rugby". NZ History. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Manatū Taonga (13 January 2022). "Northland rugby". NZ History. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Manatū Taonga (30 August 2021). "Counties Manukau rugby". NZ History. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Shaun Eade (9 February 2018). "Twenty years on from the Central Vikings experiment". Stuff. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "Marlborough and Nelson set to join forces". New Zealand Herald. 24 March 2005. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "September 18 - 1976 First National Championship decided". New Zealand Rugby Museum. 20 October 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ "New Zealand Rugby give nod to the past with restored trophy". New Zealand Herald. 9 August 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ Steve Hepburn (31 August 2016). "Season to be marked". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ Jesse Wood (2 April 2024). "1992 rewind, Waikato Rugby's maiden NPC title". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ Kris Shannon (25 January 2015). "Auckland's golden eras of sporting achievement". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ Chris Barclay (20 July 2006). "Will revamped NPC really fly with fans?". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ Chris Barclay (21 October 2006). "Waikato wins Air New Zealand Cup". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ "Six of the best for Canterbury". New Zealand Herald. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ a b Ron Palenski (1 September 2016). "National Provincial Competition winners, 1976–2014". Te Ara. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ Winston Aldworth (26 June 2024). "Hoskins Sotutu follows in father's footsteps with All Blacks selection snub". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Richie McCaw heads for third major rugby award". New Zealand Herald. 4 December 2006. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Ian Anderson (16 August 2017). "National provincial rugby's best men's player to get Duane Monkley Medal". Stuff. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Kerry Geertson (22 October 2024). "Premier Division Player of the Year" (PDF). NZ Rugby History. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Logan Savory (20 August 2022). "Historic New Zealand provincial rugby rivalry fuelled by 'chip on shoulder'". Stuff. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ Wynne Gray (30 August 2002). "History once more plays its part in Battle of Bridge". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Fixtures and Results". Provincial Rugby. 22 October 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024.