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

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Super Rugby teams

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North Island unions

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Team Formed Division Changes
  Auckland 1883 National Provincial Championship
  Bay of Plenty 1911 National Provincial Championship Split from South Auckland
  Bush 1890 - 1971 merged with Wairarapa in 1971
  Central Vikings 1997-1998 short-term merger of Manawatu and Hawke's Bay
  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
  Manawhenua 1924-1933 short-term merger of Horowhenua and Manawatu
  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
  South Auckland 1909-1921 Split from Auckland
  South Auckland 1926-1955 Split from Auckland, later became Counties
  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 1886 - 1971 merged with Bush in 1971
  Wairarapa Bush 1971 Heartland Championship Merger with Wairarapa and Bush
  Wanganui 1888 Heartland Championship
  Wellington 1879 National Provincial Championship

South Island unions

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Team Formed Division Changes
  Buller 1894 Heartland Championship
  Canterbury 1879 National Provincial Championship
  Mid Canterbury 1904 Heartland Championship Formerly Asburton County 1927-1952
  Golden Bay-Motueka 1920-1967 merged with Nelson in 1967
  Marlborough 1888-2005
  Nelson 1885-1967 merged with Golden Bay-Motueka in 1967
  Nelson Bays 1968-2005 Merger of Golden Bay-Motueka and Nelson
  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

See also

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