NZRU reinstate women’s NPC

The New Zealand Rugby Union has reinstated the women's NPC having axed the competition last year due to a cut in budget.

The decision to cancel last year's competition was met with significant criticism as the decision robbed the world's leading players of any meaningful top level competition, with New Zealand playing few tests between World Cups.

New Zealand went into the last year's World Cup with no major test build-up and no game in 11 months as well as no NPC competition. Despite the poor build-up the Black Ferns swept to a third consecutive title though many senior players warned that to not reinstate the country's leading competition would signifcantly hamper the progression of top talent.

This years competition kicks off at the end of July.

NZRU General Manager Provincial Union and Community Rugby Brent Anderson said the six-team competition will take on a round robin format over five weeks with the Final to be played as a curtain raiser to the ITM Cup Premiership Final on Saturday 3 September.

Without semifinals, the top two teams at the end of round robin play will meet in the Final.

Anderson said the NZRU had been working to have the womens competition re-instated after a difficult period of budget cuts in 2010.

There is work currently underway on a strategy for womens rugby that will provide focus and direction for the womens game including a focus on sevens with its recent inclusion in 2016 Olympics.

While the competition format returns to the traditional regional teams of Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Manawatu, Hawkes Bay and Otago we will be encouraging Provincial Unions to stand teams in the 2012 competition.

The Black Ferns have proven that this country has some very talented women rugby players and the re-introduction of this competition will be a chance for those top level players from around the country to get out and compete against the best, he said.

Meanwhile, the competition will also provide an opportunity for top womens referees gain valuable experience at the national level. Waikatos Lee Jeffrey, Otagos Brigitte Tyler and Canterburys Nicky Inwood and Chelsea Gurr will be appointed to many of the matches. Inwood was one of the top referees at last years IRB Womens Rugby World Cup in England.

SKY Television will broadcast the Womens NPC Final live on SKY.