Dave Rennie calls for the NPC to be maintained

All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has urged New Zealand Rugby to preserve the National Provincial Championship (NPC) as the organisation considers major changes to domestic competitions. Rennie described the competition as a vital part of the game's identity and history. "I'm a massive fan of NPC. It's tribal," Rennie said.

New Zealand Rugby is looking to reduce annual costs by $20 million and is weighing several proposals. These options include replacing the NPC, combining it with Super Rugby, or merging the five Super Rugby entities with their local provincial unions. Another proposal involves removing both Super Rugby and the NPC in favour of a new 8-10 team competition licensed to provincial unions.

The NPC has recently served as a platform for All Blacks players to return to international rugby, including Scott Barrett and Shannon Frizell. However, the competition faces challenges such as low attendance in larger centres and competition for television audiences. A New Zealand Rugby report noted that New Zealanders watched 28 million hours of NRL, compared to 14 million hours of NPC.

New Zealand Rugby aims to present a final proposal regarding domestic competitions to its board in December. The organisation has stated that the current financial model for the NPC is unsustainable.

Where reports differ

• One report states Rennie coached the Wallabies from 2019 to 2023, while another states he coached them between 2020 and 2022

Compiled from reports by RNZ, The Post, NZ Herald and Stuff.