COUNTRY HUB · 2026 & 2027
Rugby in New Zealand
Explore rugby in Aotearoa New Zealand: Super Rugby Pacific, the 14-union NPC, Heartland Championship, Farah Palmer Cup, Super Rugby Aupiki and national teams. Follow the different 2026 calendars and the confirmed Super Rugby changes for 2027.
Explore New Zealand competitions
These competition introductions link to official fixtures and rules. A dedicated RugbyOrbit match centre for New Zealand domestic competitions is still being prepared; no live scores are claimed.
Super Rugby Pacific
New Zealand’s Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders play in a cross-border league. 11 teams in 2026, 10 in 2027 after Moana Pasifika’s exit.
Hilux National Provincial Championship (NPC)
14 provincial unions; all 70 league results, four quarter-finals and scheduled 16–24 October championship play-offs.
Ranfurly Shield
Historic provincial challenge trophy defended through eligible matches, not a stand-alone round-robin league.
Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship
12 smaller provincial unions; Meads and Lochore Cup finals follow the season, scheduled for 17–18 October 2026.
Meads Cup
The Heartland Championship’s top four regular-season teams enter Meads Cup semifinals and final.
Lochore Cup
Heartland teams ranked fifth to eighth enter the separate Lochore Cup playoffs.
Farah Palmer Cup — Premiership
Women’s top provincial level: six teams in the reorganised 12-team Farah Palmer Cup for 2026.
Farah Palmer Cup — Championship
Second six-team women’s provincial pool, with no promotion or relegation for the 2026 season.
Super Rugby Aupiki
Four women’s teams — Blues, Chiefs Manawa, Hurricanes Poua and Matatū — played six rounds and a final in June–July 2026.
Trans-Tasman Women’s Champions Final
Separate August 2026 final between the Aupiki champions and Australia’s Super Rugby W champions.
Under 85kg National Club Cup
Weight-restricted knockout club competition with a record 52 entrants in 2026; final held on 6 September.
Super Rugby Next Gen
Development rugby competition for emerging players, distinct from senior Super Rugby Pacific and provincial NPC.
Provincial Club Rugby Competitions
Local club competitions administered by provincial unions; formats and fixtures vary by region.
All Blacks — international rugby
New Zealand men’s national team; test matches are separate from domestic NPC and Super Rugby standings.
Black Ferns — international rugby
New Zealand women’s national team, with international fixtures separate from Aupiki and the Farah Palmer Cup.
Five Super Rugby franchises
Five New Zealand-based men’s franchises remain in Super Rugby Pacific for 2027: Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders. Moana Pasifika played in the 11-team 2026 season but will not participate in 2027, when the tournament reduces to ten teams.
Blues
Auckland
Official franchise website ↗Chiefs
Hamilton / Waikato
Official franchise website ↗Hurricanes
Wellington
Official franchise website ↗Crusaders
Christchurch / Canterbury
Official franchise website ↗Highlanders
Dunedin / Otago
Official franchise website ↗How New Zealand rugby is structured
Super Rugby Pacific is the professional men’s trans-Tasman and Pacific club competition, separate from New Zealand’s domestic provincial tournaments. It had 11 teams in 2026; after NZ Rugby declined a proposed Moana Pasifika licence transfer, the 2027 competition was confirmed with ten teams. The 2027 regular season gives each side 16 matches over 17 weeks, with the top six entering the finals.
The Hilux National Provincial Championship (NPC) is contested by 14 provincial unions in 2026, its 50th anniversary season. The regular season ends in early October and the final is scheduled for 24–25 October. The Ranfurly Shield is a separate provincial challenge trophy, not an additional league division. Smaller provincial unions contest the 12-team Heartland Championship, where the top four play for the Meads Cup and the next four for the Lochore Cup.
Women’s competition is distinct: the Farah Palmer Cup was restructured into a six-team Premiership and six-team Championship for 2026, with no promotion or relegation that year. Super Rugby Aupiki features Blues, Chiefs Manawa, Hurricanes Poua and Matatū; the 2026 tournament ran over six June–July rounds, followed by its final and a Trans-Tasman Champions Final against Australia’s Super Rugby W winner.
Regional club rugby, school and age-group competitions form additional pathways, including the 2026 Under 85kg National Club Cup with 52 entries. The All Blacks and Black Ferns play separate international schedules. RugbyOrbit is an independent rugby union information site, not a rugby league results service.
Frequently asked questions
How many New Zealand teams play Super Rugby Pacific?
Five New Zealand franchises: Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders. The wider competition has ten teams in 2027, down from eleven in 2026.
What happened to Moana Pasifika?
Moana Pasifika took part in 2026, but NZ Rugby confirmed it would not participate in the 2027 competition after its licence-transfer process failed.
How is NPC different from the Heartland Championship?
NPC contains 14 provincial unions in 2026, while the Heartland Championship is a separate 12-union competition with Meads Cup and Lochore Cup playoffs.
How does the Farah Palmer Cup work in 2026?
Twelve women’s provincial teams split between six-team Premiership and Championship pools, with no promotion or relegation in the 2026 season.
Are New Zealand results live on RugbyOrbit yet?
No. These listings link to official New Zealand Rugby and Super Rugby sources until dedicated RugbyOrbit hubs are published.
Checked 12 October 2026 · 2026 competitions and confirmed 2027 format · RugbyOrbit