New Zealand Rugby to consolidate Super Rugby and NPC from 2028

New Zealand rugby has moved to streamline its professional pathways and operations by consolidating the NPC and Super Rugby from 2028.

The changes come as the union looks to cut spending by five per cent, and are expected to come with the added benefit of simplifying the pathways system and freeing up resources to better promote the NPC and focus on the community game.

With a more direct spine from community level to the professional game, NZR expects the changes to improve community rugby, high performance and financial outcomes. The changes also include stronger player protections for talent coming through the regional unions, helping keep them in local pathways.

The plan confirms the two competitions and each of their 19 teams’ futures in New Zealand after a period of uncertainty stemming from the revelation of NZR’s financial woes. The governing body faces a “structural deficit” of approximately $20 million NZD per year.

Super Rugby will become more independent when the changes take effect, but NZR will work closely with Rugby Australia and the competition’s stakeholders to transform it with what NZR describes as “more ambition and bold thinking.”

NZR CEO Steve Lancaster said: “New Zealanders should be proud of what sets us apart as a rugby nation, being the layers in our game from club and school to the NPC, Super Rugby and the All Blacks.

“We are making changes to our game from a position of strength, and we have two men’s competitions that support the All Blacks to win, excite fans and players and, with these changes, can be financially successful.

“Together with our stakeholders, we’re now focused on improving the way Super Rugby Pacific engages fans, continuing to strengthen the NPC and ensuring talented players can develop in a clear, aligned pathway.

“We’re aligned with Rugby Australia and the Super Rugby clubs that we need people who wake up every day focused on engaging fans, growing revenue and working with broadcasters and the media.

“We’re open to working on things like player movement, a competition-wide salary cap and centralising commercial assets across the key markets.

“Those are conversations we will now have with Rugby Australia, the Rugby Players Association and the Super Rugby clubs. We know it’s a great product on the field and it now needs to generate the level of attendance and revenue that it warrants.”

Lancaster’s comments signal an open-minded approach from NZR to growing Super Rugby as a competition, though it remains to be seen how aligned their Australian counterparts and other stakeholders are.

NZR High Performance Director Don Tricker endorsed the changes for how they can benefit the All Blacks.

“One of the most important factors in developing players the All Blacks want to select is having competitions that excite players and energise our fans,” he said.

“For 30 years, Super Rugby has proven to be a great competition that meets a key high performance principle, which is to ensure that our best players are playing with and against each other more often. The NPC is equally as critical to ensuring that our pipeline of talented players maintains its depth through 14 teams.”

NZR Chief Rugby Officer Mike Collins said the union will be better placed to invest time in the NPC once it is free from some Super Rugby operational duties. Once it completes a review of community rugby delivery, NZR hopes to be better placed to act on its findings.

“The NPC is absolutely the jewel in New Zealand rugby’s pathway and provides opportunities for players wherever they are in the country. It keeps our playing base wide and is critical to player, coach and referee development,” Collins said.

“While these changes will reduce duplication and cost, more importantly they simplify rugby operations and player pathways in our major cities and ensure we are operating as one team from community rugby through to the All Blacks.

“We want the community and professional game working as one, with a single, clear pathway for talented school leavers into professional and international rugby.”