Bunnings NPC Info and FAQs
Become a true Bunnings NPC and National Provincial Championship expert with our info and FAQs. Whether you want to learn more about the tournament’s most successful teams or understand the sponsorship and format changes, we’ve filled this page with answers to your Bunnings NPC FAQs.
Our rugby gurus have listened to our global rugby community, taking note of your questions and compiling all of the answers you care about. We’ve gone back through the history books to bring you nuggets of wisdom, right from the very first tournament up to the formation of the Bunnings NPC.
Do you want to know which 14 teams play in the tournament? Which clubs have accrued the most National Provincial Championship victories? Or which team won the first ever Bunnings NPC? Forget searching the web, just browse below to discover information and facts about this New Zealand rugby competition.
When did the National Provincial Championship become the Bunnings NPC? 
The National Provincial Championship became the Bunnings NPC in 2022. This is because Bunnings Warehouse replaced Mitre 10 as the tournament’s headline sponsor. As such, the name changed from the Mitre 10 Cup to the Bunnings NPC.
When was the first edition of the National Provincial Championship?
The first edition of the National Provincial Championship was held in 1976. The inaugural tournament was won by Bay of Plenty after they beat Manawatu in the final. Additionally, this competition has been known as the Air New Zealand Cup (2006-09), the ITM Cup (2010-15), the Mitre 10 Cup (2016-21) and the Bunnings NPC (2021-present).
Which teams play in the Bunnings NPC?
There are 14 teams from New Zealand that play in the Bunnings NPC: Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Counties Manukau, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu, North Harbour, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato and Wellington.
Which team has won the most Bunnings NPC titles?
Auckland has won the most Bunnings NPC titles. Since 1982, the team has been crowned as the tournament’s overall champions on 17 occasions.
What’s the format of the Bunnings NPC?
The format of Bunnings NPC changed in 2022. Instead of being split into two divisions – the Premiership and Championship – the 14 teams are seeded and structured into two conferences: the ‘Odds Conference’ and the ‘Evens Conference’. Each team plays 10 games during the round-robin format and successful teams progress to the knockout stages.
What is the Ranfurly Shield?
The Ranfurly Shield is a trophy awarded in New Zealand’s domestic rugby union tournaments. Donated by the Earl of Ranfurly and known as the Log o’ Wood, the Ranfurly Shield was first contested in 1904. The winning team must defend the Shield by accepting at least seven challenges for the following season.
What is the Duane Monkley Medal?
The Duane Monkley Medal is New Zealand’s most prestigious player of the year award. The Medal was introduced in 2017 and the recipient is decided via a season-long points system – officials award points to the top three players after each match. The player with the most points at the end of the season wins the Duane Monkley Medal.