North vs South rugby union match

The North vs South match, sometimes known as the Interisland match, was a longstanding rugby union fixture in New Zealand between the North Island and South Island teams.

The first match was played on 30 June 1897 at Wellington's Athletic Park, and the match became an annual fixture from 1902. Matches ceased during World War I from 1915 to 1918, but during World War II only the 1940, 1941 and 1942 matches were cancelled, with competition resuming in 1943. The last annual match on a regular basis was played in 1986.

A one-off match was played at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium in 2012 to help fundraise for the financially troubled Otago Rugby Football Union, which was won by the South 32–24.

A second one-off match was initially scheduled to be held on 29 August 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, it was postponed to 5 September 2020.

Most early matches were played in one of the four main cities (Auckland and Wellington in the North Island, Christchurch and Dunedin in the South Island), but from 1970 onwards the fixture was rotated around a number of provincial centres.

Colours In the very first match in 1897, the North Island wore yellow and black jerseys, while the South Island team wore all black.

Since 1904 the North Island traditionally played in black jerseys and black shorts, while the South Island played in white jerseys with white shorts.

List of results

YearDateVenueWinnerScore1897June 26WellingtonNorth16—31898-1901 Not played 1902September 13 WellingtonSouth20—141903 August 26AucklandSouth12—51904 September 24DunedinDraw3—31905 June 3WellingtonNorth26—01906 August 26WellingtonNorth9—51907June 3 ChristchurchNorth11—01908 June 24 WellingtonNorth12—51909August 25 WellingtonSouth19—111910 September 24ChristchurchSouth14—101911October 7WellingtonNorth19—91912July 13 NapierNorth12—81913July 26 ChristchurchSouth25—01914June 20 WellingtonSouth8—01915-18Not played 1919September 20 WellingtonNorth28—111920June 26 WellingtonNorth12—31921July 2 Christchurch North28—131922July 1AucklandSouth 9—81923August 4 Wellington Draw 6—61924May 31 WellingtonNorth 39—81925July 25 Invercargill North 16—51926 June 12Wellington North 41—91927October 1 Wellington South 31—301928August 18 Christchurch South 15—141929 September 27Wellington North 29—201930Not played 1931August 15 WellingtonDraw 20—201932June 4 Christchurch North 28—101933September 29 Wellington North 27—181934September 29 DunedinSouth 27—101935 September 28WellingtonNorth 15—91936 August 15ChristchurchNorth 17—61937 July 10WellingtonSouth 30—211938 June 11WellingtonSouth 23-31939September 23Wellington South 25—191940-42Not played 1943 August 14WellingtonSouth 17—161944 September 16Christchurch North 28—31945 August 25Auckland South 31—191946 August 17Wellington North 8—31947 October 4Invercargill North 13—111948 October 2Wellington South 12—111949 October 1Christchurch North 23—31950 September 23Auckland North 10—81951 May 26Wellington North 14—121952 July 12Dunedin South 11—31953 September 12Wellington North 15—141954 June 19Christchurch North 13—91955 July 23Wellington North 15—91956May 26 Wellington South 13—111957August 17AucklandNorth19—31958August 2DunedinNorth13—61959 June 13Wellington North 30—141960 September 3Christchurch South 26—111961 June 24Wellington North 25—31962 July 28Christchurch South 17—141963 August 10Christchurch South 14—131964 July 4Auckland North 12—91965June 9WellingtonNorth25—141966May 28Hamilton North 12—31967August 5Dunedin North 17—61968 August 31Christchurch North 34—171969September 13 Wellington South 13—31970September 12NelsonNorth11—61971 September 11 New Plymouth North 31—91972July 15Christchurch North19—81973June 16 Whangārei North 27—141974September 14 Auckland North 22—01975September 13 Christchurch South 17—141976September 11HamiltonSouth20—161977September 10 Dunedin South 6—41978 September 23 New Plymouth North 29—131979August 11InvercargillNorth9—31980August 2Palmerston NorthNorth13—91981July 18 Dunedin North 10—41982July 10WanganuiSouth22—121983September 3BlenheimNorth22—91984May 26Rotorua North 39—31985 May 11New Plymouth North 29—121986June 18 OamaruNorth 22-101987-94Not played 1995April 8DunedinNorth 63-221996-2011Not played 2012June 10DunedinSouth32-242013-2019Not played 2020September 5WellingtonSouth38-352021 onwardsNot played

Sources: (1897-1934): The Rugby Almanac of New Zealand 1935 Edited by: Arthur Carman, Read Masters & Arthur Swan. Published by: Wright and Carman Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand (1935) Lambert, M. and Palenski, R. 4th Air New Zealand Almanac, Moa Alamanac Press 1985.

DateWinnerVenueResultTriesGoalsAttendanceReference 30 June 1897 North Island Athletic Park, Wellington 16–3 North: W. Hardcastle, A. Humphries, W. RobertsSouth: P. Priest North: A. Humphries (3) N/A 13 September 1969 South Island Athletic Park, Wellington 3–13 North: M. O'CallaghanSouth: I. Kirkpatrick, P. Gard South: F. McCormick (3) N/A 10 June 2012 South Island Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin 32–24 North: R. Robinson (2), S. StowersSouth: K. Baker (2), T. Marshall, M. Todd, A. Whitelock North: L. Munro (3), R. RobinsonSouth: K. Baker (3) 7,427 5 September 2020 South Island Sky Stadium, Wellington 38–35 North: R. Ioane (2), D. McKenzie, A. Smith, A. DixonSouth: W. Jordan (2), N. Laulala, J. Barrett, T. Lomax North: D. McKenzie (5)South: J. Barrett (6) 0

Summary of results

Details Played Won by North Island Won by South Island Drawn North Island points South Island points In the North Island 50 31 17 2 940 637 In the South Island 31 19 11 1 517 358 Overall 81 50 28 3 1457 995

Notes