Rugby union in New Zealand: Difference between revisions
S.ferguson (talk | contribs) |
tidy up plus sentence about Maori - virtual AB side these days |
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At present there are 138,000 registered players in New Zealand and 520 clubs. <ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.irb.com/en/Home/MemberUnionHomePage?UnionID=8&Tab=3 | title=IRB Country Statistics | accessdate=7 June | accessyear=2006}}</ref> |
At present there are 138,000 registered players in New Zealand and 520 clubs. <ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.irb.com/en/Home/MemberUnionHomePage?UnionID=8&Tab=3 | title=IRB Country Statistics | accessdate=7 June | accessyear=2006}}</ref> |
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The popularity of |
The popularity of rugby in New Zealand has allowed for a TV channel dedicated to rugby to be available on pay TV. |
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==National teams== |
==National teams== |
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===All Blacks=== |
===All Blacks=== |
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:''Main article: [[All Blacks]]'' |
:''Main article: [[All Blacks]]'' |
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The All Blacks are the most famous and successful team in the history of international rugby. As of May 2006, the All Blacks have a record of 296 wins, 17 draws and 91 losses out 404 matches played.<ref name=TestRecord>[http://www.rugbymuseum.co.nz/default.asp?level1=All_Black_Matches All Blacks Test Match Record since first test match] rugbymuseum.co.nz - accessed 11 May, 2006</ref> The first All Blacks Test match was played against [[Australia]] at [[Sydney Cricket Ground]] on [[15 August]], [[1903]]. New Zealand won 22 - 3, with ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]'' saying, 'The present New Zealand team have shown form so far in advance of every fifteen opposed to them that it seems almost impossible for Australia to put a side into the field with any hope of victory...'.<ref name=FirstTest>{{cite book |first=Ron | last=Palenski |year=2003 |title=Century in Black: 100 Years of All Black Test Rugby |publisher=Hodder Moa Beckett Publishers Limited |location=Auckland |id=ISBN 1-86958-937-8}}</ref> |
The All Blacks are the most famous and successful team in the history of international rugby. As of May 2006, the All Blacks have a record of 296 wins, 17 draws and 91 losses out of 404 matches played.<ref name=TestRecord>[http://www.rugbymuseum.co.nz/default.asp?level1=All_Black_Matches All Blacks Test Match Record since first test match] rugbymuseum.co.nz - accessed 11 May, 2006</ref> The first All Blacks Test match was played against [[Australia]] at [[Sydney Cricket Ground]] on [[15 August]], [[1903]]. New Zealand won 22 - 3, with ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]'' saying, 'The present New Zealand team have shown form so far in advance of every fifteen opposed to them that it seems almost impossible for Australia to put a side into the field with any hope of victory...'.<ref name=FirstTest>{{cite book |first=Ron | last=Palenski |year=2003 |title=Century in Black: 100 Years of All Black Test Rugby |publisher=Hodder Moa Beckett Publishers Limited |location=Auckland |id=ISBN 1-86958-937-8}}</ref> |
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To date, the major rugby playing nations of Scotland, Ireland and Argentina have yet to defeat the All Blacks in a test match.<ref name=TestRecord/> The All Blacks were winners of the inaugural [[Rugby World Cup]] in [[1987]] and were runners-up in [[1995]]. The All Blacks are the only team to have reached the semi-final stage at every world cup. |
To date, the major rugby playing nations of Scotland, Ireland and Argentina have yet to defeat the All Blacks in a test match.<ref name=TestRecord/> The All Blacks were winners of the inaugural [[Rugby World Cup]] in [[1987]] and were runners-up in [[1995]]. The All Blacks are the only team to have reached the semi-final stage at every world cup. |
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===New Zealand Māori=== |
===New Zealand Māori=== |
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The [[New Zealand Māori rugby union team|New Zealand Māori]] is a representitive side that traditionally play teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player must be at least 1/16th Māori descent. |
The [[New Zealand Māori rugby union team|New Zealand Māori]] is a representitive side that traditionally play teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player must be at least 1/16th Māori descent. |
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Due to the number of New Zealanders with some degree of Māori heritage, the New Zealand Māori team can be a virtual all-Black team with only descendents of recent immigrants not being eligible. |
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===Black Ferns=== |
===Black Ferns=== |
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===Club=== |
===Club=== |
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In each of the NPC regions are local inter-club competitions. |
In each of the NPC regions are local inter-club competitions. The club level is often followed by the local media and has local support. Clubs often rely on the Pub Charity in order to survive. In total, there are 520 clubs that are affilated to the NZRFU. |
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==International Competitions== |
==International Competitions== |
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===Rugby World Cup=== |
===Rugby World Cup=== |
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The [[Rugby World Cup]] is considered ultimate rugby competition. The New Zealand All Blacks won the first world cup in 1987, beating France in the final. Since then the All Blacks have been favourites on several occasions, but have not won the competition again, losing most recently to |
The [[Rugby World Cup]] is considered ultimate rugby competition. The New Zealand All Blacks won the first world cup in 1987, beating France in the final. Since then the All Blacks have been favourites on several occasions, but have not won the competition again, losing most recently to Australia in the semi-final. Intense lobbying by the NZRFU and the [[New Zealand Government]] helped New Zealand secure hosting rights to the [[2011 Rugby World Cup]] |
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===Tri Nations=== |
===Tri Nations=== |
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The Tri-Nations is an annual |
The Tri-Nations is an annual competition involving New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. Previously this involved each country playing one home and one away game against both other countries. From 2006 the competion has been expanded with each nation playing both the other nations three times. |
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===Bledisloe Cup=== |
===Bledisloe Cup=== |
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===Churchill Cup=== |
===Churchill Cup=== |
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{{main|Churchill Cup}} |
{{main|Churchill Cup}} |
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A tourament originally intended to help build depth in |
A tourament originally intended to help build depth in rugby in Canada and the USA, and an oppertunity to develop new players for the England national team. The New Zealand Māori participate in this tournament. |
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==Notes== |
==Notes== |
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Revision as of 09:04, 8 June 2006
 | This is the current rugby union collaboration of the month. Please help improve it to good article standard. |
Rugby union is the unofficial national sport of New Zealand. Rugby, as it is generally referred to by New Zealanders, is an integral part of New Zealand culture. The national team, the All Blacks, are currently the top ranked international team in the world.[1]
History
Rugby union was first introduced to New Zealand in 1870 by Charles John Monro, son of the then-speaker David Monro. He encountered the game while studying at Christ's College Finchley, in East Finchley, London, England, and on his return introduced the game to Nelson College, who played the first rugby union match against Nelson football club on 14 May.[2]
A visit to Wellington by Munro later that same year resulted in an organised match between Nelson and Wellington. By the following year, the game had been formalised in Wellington, and subsequently rugby was taken up in Wanganui and Auckland in 1873 and Hamilton in 1874. It is thought that by the mid-1870s, the game had been taken up by the majority of the colony; it was this same year that the first representitive team was formed, being a cumulative Auckland team which toured the South.
The latter stages of the decade saw the emergence of a more formal structure, with Unions being formed in both Canterbury and Wellington during 1879. In 1882, the first international rugby side toured New Zealand, a New South Wales side that visited both islands during the latter part of the year. Two years later, a New Zealand team visited New South Wales, wearing blue jerseys with a golden fern. The team won all their games. In 1888, the first ever British Isles rugby tour took place, visiting New Zealand and Australia. The visitors won all their New Zealand games except for one, losing to Auckland. During 1888-89, the New Zealand Native team became the first colony to visit Britain.
In 1892 the New Zealand Rugby Football Union was established, to act as the national governing body of the sport. Following the establishment of a national governing body, the first NZRFU national sanctioned tour was undertaken in 1893, when a ten game tour of Australia was played.
Present
At present there are 138,000 registered players in New Zealand and 520 clubs. [3]
The popularity of rugby in New Zealand has allowed for a TV channel dedicated to rugby to be available on pay TV.
National teams
All Blacks
- Main article: All Blacks
The All Blacks are the most famous and successful team in the history of international rugby. As of May 2006, the All Blacks have a record of 296 wins, 17 draws and 91 losses out of 404 matches played.[4] The first All Blacks Test match was played against Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground on 15 August, 1903. New Zealand won 22 - 3, with The Sydney Morning Herald saying, 'The present New Zealand team have shown form so far in advance of every fifteen opposed to them that it seems almost impossible for Australia to put a side into the field with any hope of victory...'.[5]
To date, the major rugby playing nations of Scotland, Ireland and Argentina have yet to defeat the All Blacks in a test match.[4] The All Blacks were winners of the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 and were runners-up in 1995. The All Blacks are the only team to have reached the semi-final stage at every world cup.
Junior All Blacks
The Junior All Blacks are not an age grade side, but are the second national team behind the All Blacks. They compete in the IRB Pacific 5 Nations competition alongside Fiji, Japan, Samoa and Tonga.
New Zealand Māori
The New Zealand Māori is a representitive side that traditionally play teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player must be at least 1/16th Māori descent.
Due to the number of New Zealanders with some degree of Māori heritage, the New Zealand Māori team can be a virtual all-Black team with only descendents of recent immigrants not being eligible.
Black Ferns
The Black Ferns are the the top national womens team in New Zealand. They are the current Women's Rugby World Cup champions, being back-to-back winners after they won the 1998 tournament and then again in 2002 in Barcelona.
Domestic Competitions
Super 14
The Super 14 is an international provincial competition featuring teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. The competition, governed by SANZAR, was formed in 1996 as Super 12 after the game turned professional. The current format is five teams from both New Zealand and South Africa and four teams from Australia. Each team plays each other team once in a round robin format followed by a knockout finals series featuring the top four finishers.
New Zealand is represented by the following franchises: Crusaders, Blues, Hurricanes, Chiefs and Highlanders. New Zealand teams have dominated the Super 12/14 winning all but two of the ten titles decided to date. The Crusaders are the most successful franchise having won 6 titles in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2006. The Blues are the only other New Zealand team to have captured the title, having won in 1996, 1997 and 2003. The ACT Brumbies, from Australia, are the only team from outside New Zealand to have won a title, which were won in 2001 and 2004.
NPC
The National Provincial Championship (NPC) is the premier domestic competition in New Zealand rugby. The competition, started in 1976, is organised over two divisions with 26 teams competing.[6]
Ranfurly Shield
The Ranfurly Shield, also known as the Log of Wood, has been competed for on a challenge basis by provincial teams since 1904. The holding union must defend the Shield in challenge matches, and if a challenger defeats them, they become the new holder of the Shield. The Shield was first presented by the Governor of New Zealand, the Earl of Ranfurly.
Club
In each of the NPC regions are local inter-club competitions. The club level is often followed by the local media and has local support. Clubs often rely on the Pub Charity in order to survive. In total, there are 520 clubs that are affilated to the NZRFU.
International Competitions
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is considered ultimate rugby competition. The New Zealand All Blacks won the first world cup in 1987, beating France in the final. Since then the All Blacks have been favourites on several occasions, but have not won the competition again, losing most recently to Australia in the semi-final. Intense lobbying by the NZRFU and the New Zealand Government helped New Zealand secure hosting rights to the 2011 Rugby World Cup
Tri Nations
The Tri-Nations is an annual competition involving New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. Previously this involved each country playing one home and one away game against both other countries. From 2006 the competion has been expanded with each nation playing both the other nations three times.
Bledisloe Cup
A cup which reflects the rivalry between Australia and New Zealand and has been contested since 1932.
Pacific Five Nations
A competion which started in 2006 involving the Junior All Blacks, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, and Tonga.
Churchill Cup
A tourament originally intended to help build depth in rugby in Canada and the USA, and an oppertunity to develop new players for the England national team. The New Zealand Māori participate in this tournament.
Notes
- ^ "Official IRB World Rankings". 22 May, 2006. Retrieved 24 May.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^
"New Zealand Rugby". Retrieved 6 June.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "IRB Country Statistics". Retrieved 7 June.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b All Blacks Test Match Record since first test match rugbymuseum.co.nz - accessed 11 May, 2006
- ^ Palenski, Ron (2003). Century in Black: 100 Years of All Black Test Rugby. Auckland: Hodder Moa Beckett Publishers Limited. ISBN 1-86958-937-8.
- ^ NPC makeover - everyone's a winner New Zealand Herald, 3 June, 2005 - accessed 11 May, 2006