National Zonal Competition
Current season or competition:: 2016 New Zealand rugby league season
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| Sport | Rugby league |
|---|---|
| Inaugural season | 2010 |
| Replaced by | Bartercard Premiership |
| Number of teams | 4 |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Holders | Akarana Falcons (2016) |
| Most titles | Akarana Falcons (5 titles) |
| Website | |
The National Competition (previously called the National Zonal Competition) is the top level rugby league competition run by the New Zealand Rugby League. In 2010 the competition replaced the Bartercard Premiership following a Sparc funded review and restructure of the New Zealand Rugby League. Since 2016 the competition has consisted of a four team National Championship and a four team National Premiership with a promotion and relegation between the two divisions.
Senior teams compete for the Albert Baskerville Trophy which is named after Albert Baskerville, the organiser of the 1907-1908 All Golds tour. Under-17s compete for the Mark Graham Cup which named after Mark Graham, the New Zealand Rugby League player of the century. Under-15s compete for the Nathan Cayless Cup which is named after Nathan Cayless, the only captain to win the World Cup for New Zealand.
The competition was reformatted for the 2016 season, with Akarana, Counties Manukau, Canterbury and Wellington competing in a National Championship. The Upper Central and Mid-Central zones reverted to district teams with these teams, alongside Northland and the South Island districts, competing in four regional championships. The four regional winners then compete in a National Premiership competition, which will play a promotion-relegation match against the last placed National Championship side.
Waikato defeated Wellington in the promotion/relegation match, and will replace them in the 2017 championship.
*In 2014 Counties Manukau were disqualified from the final for fielding an ineligible player.
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