History New Zealand Rugby

1 history

1.1 formation , years
1.2 provincial rugby
1.3 blacks
1.4 professional era

history

the new zealand rugby union (nzru) formed in 1892 administer game of rugby union @ national level. @ time, national union known new zealand rugby football union or nzrfu. name officially shortened in 2006 removal of word football . brand name new zealand rugby adopted in 2013 everyday use because seen less stuffy , word union had negative connotations.

the first rugby match played in new zealand took place in nelson in may 1870, between nelson college , nelson football club. game spread , in september 1875 first interprovincial match took place in dunedin, between auckland clubs , dunedin clubs. in 1879, first provincial unions formed in canterbury , wellington.

formation , years

on saturday 16 april 1892, in meeting held in wellington, new zealand rugby union formed. inaugural members provincial unions of auckland, hawke s bay, manawatu, marlborough, nelson, south canterbury, taranaki, waiararapa, wanganui , wellington. @ time, 3 major south island provincial unions – canterbury, otago , southland – resisted central authority of nzru.

in 1893, nzru formally adopted black jersey national playing strip , selected first nzru-sanctioned national team, tour of australia. however, earlier new zealand team selected tour new south wales in 1884 recognised new zealand team , players recognised blacks.

by 1895, additions of bush, canterbury, horowhenua, otago, poverty bay, southland , west coast unions, nzru considered complete , united collection of new zealand rugby players. however, new zealand rugby map repeatedly redrawn in following decades.

at annual meeting in 1921, nzru elected first life member, george dixon, manager of 1905 “originals” blacks , nzru’s first chairman, appointed in 1904. in innovation, provincial delegates met prior annual meeting arrange representative fixtures season ahead, introducing new level of national coordination.

provincial rugby

in 1976, national provincial championship formed organise matches between provincial unions, had 2 divisions in first year of play format repeatedly reorganized throughout 30-year history, notably in 1992 bonus points system brought in determine top placed team. auckland have been successful team in npc s history 16 championships including last in 2005.

at conclusion of npc there 3 divisions , 27 unions under nzru s jurisdiction, replaced air new zealand cup , heartland championship in 2006 14 teams in top competition, including new tasman makos, formed amalgamation of marlborough , nelson bays rugby unions, , 12 teams in amateur heartland championship. after changes in sponsorship in 2010 , 2016, air new zealand cup first became itm cup , mitre 10 cup.

all blacks

the blacks new zealand’s number 1 national rugby side , have rated among best in world on 100 years. name , distinctive black playing strip have become known rugby , non-rugby fans worldwide.

the first new zealand team selected in 1884, tour new south wales. team played first match @ home, against wellington xv, before recording 8 wins in 8 matches in australia. otago prop james allan, played 8 matches 1884 team, has title of black no 1.

in 1893, first official nzru-sanctioned new zealand team selected, 11-match tour australia. team lost once, new south wales in sydney.

in 1894, official new zealand team hosted visiting opposition on home soil first time, in match against new south wales @ christchurch won 8–6 visitors, 2 years later, new zealand beat queensland @ wellington record first home win against visiting opposition.

new zealand’s 1905–06 tour united kingdom, france , north america might considered important in new zealand rugby history. team played 35 matches in total, losing once. in united kingdom especially, team’s largely confident, attractive , comfortable wins made strong statement quality of rugby in colonies , new zealand in particular. moreover, 1905–06 tour gave rise famous “all blacks” moniker, fame surrounding black-clad team spread. nowadays, team known “the originals” – first team demonstrate power , skill of new zealand rugby, first make rugby part of new zealand’s cultural identity, , first known blacks.

in 1924–25, blacks embarked on 32-match tour united kingdom, france , canada. going 1 better 1905–06 originals, team won 32 matches, including test wins on ireland, wales, england , france, , earned nickname “the invincibles”.

in 1956, blacks won test series against south africa first time. springboks blacks’ greatest traditional rivals , had delivered of blacks’ worst defeats.

in 1978, blacks achieved grand slam first time. southern hemisphere sides new zealand, grand slam includes victories on 4 home unions – england, ireland, scotland , wales – in course of single tour. team achieved second grand slam in 2005 , third in 2008

in 1987, blacks won inaugural rugby world cup against france, hosted new zealand , australia.

new zealand current holders of webb ellis trophy, having won both of 2 recent rugby world cup finals—first in 2011, after 8–7 victory on france in front of home crowd, , 34–17 victory on australia @ twickenham in 2015. latter win made blacks first side ever defend rugby world cup title.

professional era

in 1995, following rugby world cup tournament in south africa, international rugby turned professional irb’s repeal of amateurism regulations. first time, nzru negotiated , contracted new zealand rugby players.

the nzru joined national unions of australia , south africa form sanzar, sold television rights major southern hemisphere rugby competitions , helped build commercial foundation on professional rugby based. sanzar, renamed sanzaar 2016 entry of argentina full member of body, remains important rugby organisation , organises rugby championship (originally tri nations) , super rugby competition.