NZR to restructure Super Rugby and NPC from 2028

New Zealand Rugby set out on Thursday how its professional game will be organised.

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) confirmed on Thursday that it will keep its two men’s competitions, Super Rugby Pacific and the NPC, but will restructure how they are run from 2028. According to RugbyPass, the union is looking to cut spending by five per cent as it faces a structural deficit of around NZ$20 million a year.

One operation per major city

Professional rugby in New Zealand currently rests on 19 environments: five Super Rugby clubs and 14 provincial unions playing in the NPC. In the five major cities that host a Super Rugby club, the club and provincial union operations will be consolidated. The nine other provincial unions will have stronger relationships with their Super Rugby clubs, backed by tighter pathway protections to keep young players in their home regions. The NPC keeps its 14 teams. The NZR board still has to make a final decision.

A more independent Super Rugby

Super Rugby will become more independent from the union. Chief executive Steve Lancaster said NZR was open to discussing a competition-wide salary cap, player movement and the centralisation of commercial assets with Rugby Australia, the players’ association and the clubs. According to Planet Rugby, one of three options considered was to replace Super Rugby with an eight-to-ten-team national competition. It was not taken up.