List of New Zealand rugby union teams

This is the list of the main first-class rugby union teams in New Zealand, including national teams, Super Rugby teams, National Provincial Championship teams, and Heartland Championship teams. The list does not include women's teams, local club or school teams, inactive teams, such as the North and South Island teams, or non-geographic representative teams, such as the New Zealand Universities, Marist, or Barbarians sides.

A map of NZRU provincial boundaries

National representative teams

Super Rugby teams

North Island unions

Team Formed Division Notes
Auckland 1883 National Provincial Championship
Bay of Plenty 1911 National Provincial Championship Split from South Auckland
Counties Manukau 1955 National Provincial Championship Formerly South Auckland 1926-1955
East Coast 1922 Heartland Championship
Hawke's Bay 1884 National Provincial Championship
Horowhenua-Kapiti 1893 Heartland Championship
King Country 1922 Heartland Championship Formerly part of South Auckland 1909-1921
Manawatu 1886 National Provincial Championship
North Harbour 1985 National Provincial Championship
Northland 1920 National Provincial Championship Formerly North Auckland 1920-1994
Poverty Bay 1890 Heartland Championship
Taranaki 1885 National Provincial Championship
Thames Valley 1921 Heartland Championship Formerly part of South Auckland 1909-1921
Waikato 1921 National Provincial Championship Formerly part of South Auckland 1909-1921
Wairarapa Bush 1971 Heartland Championship Merger with Wairarapa and Bush
Wanganui 1888 Heartland Championship
Wellington 1879 National Provincial Championship

South Island unions

Team Formed Division Notes
Buller 1894 Heartland Championship
Canterbury 1879 National Provincial Championship
Mid Canterbury 1904 Heartland Championship Formerly Asburton County 1927-1952
North Otago 1904 Heartland Championship
Otago 1881 National Provincial Championship
South Canterbury 1888 Heartland Championship
Southland 1887 National Provincial Championship
Tasman 2006 National Provincial Championship Merger of Marlborough and Nelson Bays
West Coast 1890 Heartland Championship

Defunct unions

Team Timeframe Changes
Bush 1890 - 1971 merged with Wairarapa in 1971
Central Vikings 1997-1998 short-term merger of Manawatu and Hawke's Bay
Golden Bay-Motueka 1920-1967 merged with Nelson in 1967
Manawhenua 1924-1933 short-term merger of Horowhenua and Manawatu
Marlborough 1888-2005
Nelson 1885-1967 merged with Golden Bay-Motueka in 1967
Nelson Bays 1968-2005 Merger of Golden Bay-Motueka and Nelson
South Auckland 1909-1921 Split from Auckland
South Auckland 1926-1955 Split from Auckland, later became Counties
Wairarapa 1886 - 1971 merged with Bush in 1971

See also

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