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.
National representative teams New Zealand All Blacks XV New Zealand Maori All Blacks Sevens New Zealand U-20 The Heartland XV New Zealand Schools New Zealand U85kg
Super Rugby teams
Crusaders Highlanders
North Island unions Team Formed Division Notes Auckland 1883 National Provincial Championship Bay of Plenty 1911 National Provincial Championship Split from South Auckland 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 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 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 Bush 1971 Heartland Championship Merger with Wairarapa and Bush Wanganui 1888 Heartland Championship Wellington 1879 National Provincial Championship
South Island unions Team Formed Division Notes Buller 1894 Heartland Championship Canterbury 1879 National Provincial Championship Mid Canterbury 1904 Heartland Championship Formerly Asburton County 1927-1952 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
Defunct unions
Team Timeframe Changes Bush 1890 - 1971 merged with Wairarapa in 1971 Central Vikings 1997-1998short-term merger of Manawatu and Hawke's Bay Golden Bay-Motueka 1920-1967 merged with Nelson in 1967 Manawhenua 1924-1933 short-term merger of Horowhenua and Manawatu Marlborough 1888-2005 Nelson 1885-1967 merged with Golden Bay-Motueka in 1967 Nelson Bays 1968-2005 Merger of Golden Bay-Motueka and Nelson South Auckland 1909-1921 Split from Auckland South Auckland 1926-1955 Split from Auckland, later became Counties Wairarapa 1886 - 1971 merged with Bush in 1971 See also List of defunct New Zealand rugby union teams
External links Heartland Rugby website