New Zealand Rugby's national competitions are for provincial representative teams, not one national club ladder. The NPC, Heartland Championship and Farah Palmer Cup are separate competitions, and 26 provincial unions run local club rugby.
Permanent leagues, seasonal phases and parallel competitions stay separate so a cup or playoff is not mistaken for a league tier.
The NPC is a 14-union representative competition. Heartland is a separate 12-union competition, and neither is a list of clubs or a club promotion ladder.
NPC
The completed 2025 season used one 10-match regular table followed by an eight-team knockout. The 2026 Hilux sponsor name does not make it a new competition.
Heartland Championship
Heartland is a separate provincial competition. No promotion or relegation with the NPC is shown here.
The Farah Palmer Cup is a separate women's provincial representative competition. Its season format is not a route from clubs into the NPC.
Representative identity
Provincial women's sides, men's provincial sides and local clubs are different kinds of team.
Scores and tables
This site does not carry NPC tables, fixtures or results. Use New Zealand Rugby's official NPC fixtures and results page.
New Zealand Rugby's senior men's provincial representative competition. This site explains the completed 2025 season. Its 14 union sides are not clubs and the table is not copied here.
Operated by New Zealand Rugby
Competition
New Zealand's 2025 NPC featured 14 provincial unions, a ten-match regular season and top-eight playoffs. Canterbury beat Otago 36-28 in the final.
Operated by New Zealand Rugby · Checked 12 Aug 2026
NPC entrants are provincial representative sides, not clubs. Local clubs and their teams belong to the 26 provincial unions and are not listed on this page.
Read the official sources for the competition structure, club lists and other information on this page.
New Zealand Rugby members
Provincial union contacts
New Zealand Rugby competition regulations
NPC overview
Heartland Championship 2026 draw
2025 NPC draw
NPC fixtures and results
2025 NPC championship review
New Zealand Rugby 2025 annual report
New Zealand Rugby public website
New Zealand Rugby's national competitions are for provincial representative teams, not one national club ladder. The NPC, Heartland Championship and Farah Palmer Cup are separate competitions, and 26 provincial unions run local club rugby.
Permanent leagues, seasonal phases and parallel competitions stay separate so a cup or playoff is not mistaken for a league tier.
The NPC is a 14-union representative competition. Heartland is a separate 12-union competition, and neither is a list of clubs or a club promotion ladder.
NPC
The completed 2025 season used one 10-match regular table followed by an eight-team knockout. The 2026 Hilux sponsor name does not make it a new competition.
Heartland Championship
Heartland is a separate provincial competition. No promotion or relegation with the NPC is shown here.
The Farah Palmer Cup is a separate women's provincial representative competition. Its season format is not a route from clubs into the NPC.
Representative identity
Provincial women's sides, men's provincial sides and local clubs are different kinds of team.
Scores and tables
This site does not carry NPC tables, fixtures or results. Use New Zealand Rugby's official NPC fixtures and results page.
New Zealand Rugby's senior men's provincial representative competition. This site explains the completed 2025 season. Its 14 union sides are not clubs and the table is not copied here.
Operated by New Zealand Rugby
Competition
New Zealand's 2025 NPC featured 14 provincial unions, a ten-match regular season and top-eight playoffs. Canterbury beat Otago 36-28 in the final.
Operated by New Zealand Rugby · Checked 12 Aug 2026
NPC entrants are provincial representative sides, not clubs. Local clubs and their teams belong to the 26 provincial unions and are not listed on this page.
Read the official sources for the competition structure, club lists and other information on this page.
New Zealand Rugby members
Provincial union contacts
New Zealand Rugby competition regulations
NPC overview
Heartland Championship 2026 draw
2025 NPC draw
NPC fixtures and results
2025 NPC championship review
New Zealand Rugby 2025 annual report
New Zealand Rugby public website
