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Blues (Super Rugby)
The Blues (; known as the Auckland Blues from 1996 to 1999) are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Auckland, who play in the Super Rugby competition. Like New Zealand's four other Super Rugby teams, the Blues were established by the NZRU in 1996. One of the most successful teams in Super Rugby history, the Blues won the competition in its first two seasons, 1996 and 1997, and again in 2003 and 2024. Additionally, the team were finalists in 1998 and 2022, and semi-finalists in 2007, 2011 and 2023. They won a Trans Tasman competition in 2021. History Formation, early years and immediate success (1996–97) Along with New Zealand's other Super Rugby sides, the Blues were established by the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) to take part in the newly formed Super 12 competition which, involved teams from South Africa and Australia in addition to New Zealand. Each of New Zealand's five sides represented a number of provincial unions, with the Blues representing the Au ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New Zealand Rugby Union
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) is the Sports governing body, governing body of rugby union in New Zealand. It was founded in 1892 as the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU), 12 years after the first provincial unions in New Zealand. In 1949 it became an affiliate to the International Rugby Football Board, now known as World Rugby, the governing body of rugby union for the world. It dropped the word "Football" from its name in 2006. The brand name ''New Zealand Rugby'' was adopted in 2013. Officially, it is an incorporated society with the name New Zealand Rugby Union Incorporated. The organisation's main objectives, as displayed in the NZR Constitution, are to promote and develop rugby throughout New Zealand; arrange and participate in matches and tours in New Zealand and overseas; represent New Zealand in World Rugby; form and manage New Zealand representative teams; and encourage participation in the sport. NZR Headquarters are located in Wellington, New Zealand, with an office ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sharks (Currie Cup)
The Sharks (), known as the Hollywoodbets Sharks for sponsorship reasons, are a South African rugby union team that participates in the annual Currie Cup tournament. The Sharks are the current representative team of the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union and they draw some of their players from the KwaZulu-Natal Province. For most of their history, the team was known simply as 'Natal', with a nickname of 'The Banana Boys' or in Afrikaans, until the mid-1990s when they were re-branded as the Sharks. The team is the fourth most successful provincial union in the Currie Cup, having won the competition nine times. Natal won its first Currie Cup in 1990, the same year the union celebrated its centenary. Since then the Sharks have won the Currie Cup in 1992, 1995, 1996, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2018 and most recently in 2024. KwaZulu-Natal Rugby are a minority owner of the Sharks franchise who compete in the United Rugby Championship. MVM Holdings are the majority owner of the Sharks franchise. Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bulls (rugby)
The Bulls (known for sponsorship reasons as the Vodacom Bulls) are a South African professional rugby union team based in Pretoria. They play their home matches at Loftus Versfeld. They compete in the United Rugby Championship, having competed in the Super Rugby competition until 2020. Prior to 1998, the Bulls competed in the then- Super 12 as Northern Transvaal, as in those years South Africa was represented in the competition by its top four Currie Cup sides from the previous season, instead of the modern Super Rugby teams. The side won the Super 14 in 2007, 2009 and 2010, placing them among the most successful teams in Super Rugby history with three titles. They were the most successful team of the Super 14 era (2006–10), winning three out of the five titles. They are the most successful South African team, and the only South African team to win a Super Rugby title. The Currie Cup team has been seen playing as the Bulls and not the Blue Bulls since the 2020-21 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Queensland Reds
The Queensland Reds is the rugby union team based in Brisbane for the Australian state of Queensland that competes in the Southern Hemisphere's Super Rugby competition. Prior to 1996, they were a representative team selected from the rugby union club competitions in Queensland. With the introduction of the professional Super Rugby#Super 12, Super 12 competition they moved to a model where players are contracted to the Reds through the Queensland Rugby Union rather than selected on the basis of club form. From 1996 Super 12 season, 1996 to 2005 Super 12 season, 2005 they were one of three Australian teams competing in the Super 12 competition, alongside the New South Wales Waratahs and the ACT Brumbies. Queensland finished as Minor premiership, minor premiers in 1996 and 1999. From 2006 Super 14 season, 2006 to 2010 Super 14 season, 2010, they competed in the expanded Super Rugby#Super 14, Super 14 competition as one of four Australian sides. Beginning in 2011 Super Rugby season, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Super 12
Super Rugby is a men's professional rugby union club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. It has previously included teams from Argentina, Japan, and South Africa. Super Rugby started as the Super 12 in the 1996 season with 12 teams from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, building on competitions dating back to the South Pacific Championship in 1986. The Super 12 was established by SANZAR after the sport became professional in 1995. After the COVID-19 pandemic forced the competition to split into three, the reformed competition in 2021 only included teams from Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific islands. The name was changed to Super 14 with the addition of two teams for the 2006 season, and with expansion to 15 teams for the 2011 season, the competition was rebranded as Super Rugby (with no number). In 2016 two new teams, the Jaguares from Argentina and Sunwolves from Japan, joined the competition, playing in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pukekohe
Pukekohe is a town in the Auckland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. The town is located at the southern edge of the Auckland Region, between the southern shore of the Manukau Harbour and the mouth of the Waikato River. The hills of Pukekohe and nearby Bombay Hills form the natural southern limit of the Auckland region. Pukekohe is located within the political boundaries of the Auckland Council, following the abolition of the Franklin District Council on 1 November 2010. With a population of Pukekohe is the List of New Zealand urban areas by population, 24th largest urban area in New Zealand, and the third largest in the Auckland Region behind Auckland itself and Hibiscus Coast. Geology Pukekohe and the surrounding areas are a section of the South Auckland volcanic field, which erupted between 550,000 and 1,600,000 years ago. History Māori history Tāmaki Māori peoples settled the wider area in the 13th or 14th centuries. The traditional Māori language, Māori ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Growers Stadium
Navigation Homes Stadium is a stadium in Pukekohe, New Zealand. Its usual tenants are the Counties Manukau Rugby Union, whose first-class team compete in the National Provincial Championship. In July 2009, Counties Manukau announced that Bayer Bayer AG (English: , commonly pronounced ; ) is a German multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company and is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies and biomedical companies in the world. Headquartered in Leverkusen, Bayer' ... New Zealand Ltd would be their main sponsor, and that Growers Stadium would be known as Bayer Growers Stadium for sponsorship reasons. Later the main sponsor of the team and stadium became ECOlight, an energy efficient lighting company based in New Zealand, and the stadium became known as ECOlight Stadium. In 2018, the stadium sponsor changed to Navigation Homes, and the stadium was renamed Navigation Homes Stadium. References Rugby union stadiums in New Zealand Sports venues in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Northland Rugby Union
The Northland Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in Northland Region, Northland, New Zealand; Northland is a Regions of New Zealand, region of New Zealand that covers areas in the districts of Far North District, Far North, Kaipara District, Kaipara, and Whangarei District, Whangārei. Established in 1920, they represent the Bunnings NPC side, Northland Taniwha, and Farah Palmer Cup side, Northland Kauri. It is also affiliated with the Blues (Super Rugby), Blues Super Rugby franchise. Their home playing colours are sky blue and they play their home games at Okara Park, Semenoff Stadium in Morningside, Whangārei, Morningside. Affiliated clubs There are currently 39 registered clubs incorporated and secondary schools affiliated with the Northland Rugby Union, most of which have teams at both senior and junior levels. *Awanui Rugby Football Club *Dargaville High School *Eastern United Rugby & Sports Club *Hora Hora RFC, The Hora Hora Rugby Union Football Club *K ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
King Country Rugby Football Union
The King Country Rugby Football Union is a constituent union in the New Zealand Rugby Union. It is located in the central North Island of New Zealand in an area known as the King Country. It was formed in 1922 when the South Auckland Rugby Union was split into three (the other two Unions formed were Waikato and Thames Valley). History The original King Country Rugby Union was formed in 1905 by the Manunui, Matapuna, Oio and Kakahi rugby clubs. In 1907, the newly formed Taumarunui rugby club replaced Oio. The current King Country Rugby Football Union was formed in 1922, by the amalgamation of the first King Country Rugby Union (which was renamed as the Taumarunui Sub-union in 1922) along with the Ruapehu Sub-union in Ohakune (founded 1908), Maniapoto Sub-union in Te Kūiti (1907) and Ōhura Sub-union (1920). These were joined by Ōtorohanga Sub-union in 1927, Kawhia in 1926 (founded 1920) and Kaitieke in 1933 with the Taupō Sub-union transferring from the Hawkes Bay Rugby ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bay Of Plenty Rugby Union
The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union (''also referred to as "Bay of Plenty" or "BOPRU"'') is the governing body for rugby union in a portion of the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand. Its colours are dark blue and yellow in a hooped design. The BOPRU govern the running of the Bay of Plenty representative team which have won New Zealand's first-tier domestic competition National Provincial Championship ('' Air New Zealand Cup'' and ''ITM Cup'') once. Their most recent victory was the 1976 competition, they were the first side to win the competition. Bay of Plenty also acts as a primary feeder to the Chiefs, who play in the Super Rugby competition. The union also administers all club rugby within the region, including the Bayfair Baywide competition and other senior club rugby. As well, the union is responsible for school rugby. History Bay of Plenty played a prominent role in the early history of rugby in New Zealand. The 1888–89 New Zealand Natives (the first New Zealand repre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Waikato Rugby Union
The Waikato Rugby Union (WRU) is the official governing body of rugby union in the Waikato area in the North Island of New Zealand. Headquartered in Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton, WRU was founded in 1921. Its senior representative team, nicknamed the ''Mooloos'', competes in the Mitre 10 Cup (formerly known as the ITM Cup and Air New Zealand Cup), and won the 2006 Air New Zealand Cup, inaugural Air New Zealand Cup in 2006. The squad plays its home fixtures at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton. The union's colours are red, yellow and black. History Waikato Rugby Union was founded in 1921. The inaugural representative match played ended in a 15-all draw against Taranaki Rugby Union, Taranaki. Waikato had its first win by their third fixture when they defeated Manawatu Rugby Union, Manawatu 6–0. The first home match was played against New South Wales Waratahs, New South Wales from Australia at the Claudelands Showground, losing 11 to 28. In 1925 the Rugby Park was opened, and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
