NPC from the beginning

Provincial rugby organised in a competition in New Zealand is relatively young and finals date back only to 1992 - not that anybody will be less enthusiasm as they head for Westpac Stadium in Wellington this Saturday when Wellington play Canterbury in the third final of the Air New Zealand Cup.

Wellington have lost more finals than anybody else. They have played in six finals and lost five. Their record is nothing like Auckland's - played nine, won nine. Surprisingly Canterbury's record is also nothing like Auckland's - played four, won three. The Crusaders have won more Super 12 finals than Canterbury have won NPC finals!

The National Provincial Championship in New Zealand started quietly in 1976. It was divided into three divisions - a first division and second division (north) and a second division (south).  The teams were into divisions on the basis of their performances during the Seventies. The first division had eleven teams. This division of teams persisted till 1984 with promotion and relegation in operation.

From 1985 to 1991 there were three division - first, second and third - run on a league system. Since 1992 there have again been divisions leading to a final in each division. That is the case in 2008 again.

Waikato won the first final when they thumped Otago 40-5.

A league is fine and deserves its own reward but there is something special about a final, and there is just one a year for each NPC division. But how enthusiastic New Zealanders are bout the Finals is not clear. Last year there were just 20 000 at the AMI Stadium in Christchurch for the Final. This year the semifinal in Christchurch when Canterbury beat Wellington there were 7 000 spectators and when Auckland played Waikato at Eden Park 10 200.

Winners of the NPC

Division 1

1976: Bay of Plenty
1977: Canterbury
1978: Wellington
1979: Counties
1980: Manawatu
1981: Wellington
1982: Auckland
1983: Canterbury
1984: Auckland
1985: Auckland
1986: Wellington
1987: Auckland
1988: Auckland
1989: Auckland
1990: Auckland
1991: Otago

Finals

1992: Waikato beat Otago, 40-5
1993: Auckland beat Otago 27-18
1994: Auckland beat North Harbour 22-16
1995: Auckland beat Otago 23-19
1996: Auckland beat Counties Manukau 46-15
1997: Canterbury beat Counties Manukau 44-13
1998: Otago beat Waikato 49-20
1999: Auckland beat Wellington 24-18
2000: Wellington beat Canterbury 34-29
2001: Canterbury beat Otago 30-19
2002: Auckland beat Waikato 40-28
2003: Auckland beat Wellington 41-29
2004: Canterbury beat Wellington, 40-27
2005: Auckland beat Otago 39-11

Air New Zealand Cup

2006: Waikato beat Wellington, 37-31
2007: Auckland beat Wellington 23-14
2008: Canterbury beat Wellington 7-6
2009: Canterbury beat Wellington 28-20

ITM Cup Final

2010: Canterbury vs Waikato

NPC Winners

The NPC has been up for grabs 33 times. A summary of winners would look like this:

16 Auckland
6 Canterbury
4 Wellington
2 Otago, Waikato
1 Bay of Plenty, Counties, Manawatu

Final Winners

There have been 18 finals. A summary of the winners would look like this:

9 Auckland
5 Canterbury
2 Waikato
1 Wellington, Otago

The number of appearances in finals would look like this:

9 Auckland
8 Wellington
6 Otago, Canterbury
4 Waikato
2 Counties
1 North Harbour