New Zealand Rugby Union
The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) is the sports association responsible for rugby union in New Zealand . It was founded in 1892 and has been a member of the International Rugby Board since 1949 .
National teams
The NZRU is responsible for several national teams:
Men
- All Blacks - New Zealand's men's national team
- New Zealand Sevens - the national team in rugby seven
- New Zealand Māori - the national Māori team , members of this team must be at least 1/16 of Māori descent (one great-great-grandparent)
- Junior All Blacks - despite their name, not a junior team, but rather the B national team
- U-19 and U21: junior national teams, commonly referred to as "baby blacks"
- Heartland XV: Consists of players from the Heartland Championship amateur league only
- NZ Schools: Student Development Team
Women
- Black Ferns - New Zealand's national women's team
Others
- Wheel Blacks - the national team in wheelchair rugby
Provincial Associations
The NZRU consists of 17 provincial associations from the North Island and 9 from the South Island, which provide teams in the national championships ITM Cup (formerly Air New Zealand Cup ) and Heartland Championship .
North island
- Auckland Rugby Football Union
- Bay of Plenty Rugby Union
- Counties of Manukau Rugby Union
- East Coast Rugby Football Union
- Hawke's Bay Rugby Union
- Horowhenua-Kapiti Rugby Football Union
- King Country Rugby Football Union
- Manawatu Rugby Union
- North Harbor Rugby Union
- Northland Rugby Football Union
- Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union
- Taranaki Rugby Football Union
- Thames Valley Rugby Football Union
- Waikato Rugby Union
- Wairarapa Bush Rugby Football Union
- Wanganui Rugby Football Union
- Wellington Rugby Football Union
South island
- Buller Rugby Football Union
- Canterbury Rugby Football Union
- Mid Canterbury Rugby Football Union
- North Otago Rugby Football Union
- Otago Rugby Football Union
- South Canterbury Rugby Football Union
- Southland rugby
- Tasman Rugby Union
- West Coast Rugby Football Union