This year, at least half a dozen competitions from around the country have been forced to contract as the 2026 season ramps up. From the West Coast of the South Island to the East Coast of the North, the challenge of fielding a competitive premier team has proven too tough for many clubs that were competing just 12 months ago. <\/p>\n
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) is aware of the challenges to premier rugby competitions. <\/p>\n
\u201cOver the past decade, there has been a shift in how players want to participate with the demand for offerings that provide a better range of experiences and reduced time commitments,\u201d NZR head of participation Mike Hester says. <\/p>\n
\u201cPremier rugby demands a time and physical commitment, and many players are balancing work, study and family responsibilities that make it harder to compete at this level. Other factors include the current cost of living challenges and migration are also contributing to this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hawke’s Bay’s premier rugby competition features 8 teams in its first phase, down two teams from last season. Photo \/ Emma Rodger<\/p>\n
Hester is right, the reasons behind the shrinking premier divisions are varied \u2013 and largely blameless. Clubs in both the North and South Islands have been devastated by a change in agricultural ambitions. As some farms have transitioned from sheep and beef to forestry, their workforce has changed dramatically too. Shepherds and farm workers who had been the backbone of the local rugby team have moved on and left gaps too big for their clubs to fill. Others have seen farm employment shrink \u2013 and their squads reflect that. <\/p>\n
That\u2019s how fragile some clubs are. The price of diesel could be similarly destructive for competitions that require significant travel. How big an impact that has will depend on how long prices remain high. <\/p>\n
Other clubs might have the numbers \u2013 but not the will. They have players who are still of premier grade ability but no longer prepared to dedicate the time and effort that is required, electing instead to play lower grade rugby where the commitment is less demanding.<\/p>\n
Lower grade rugby is proving more appealing for players unable or unwilling to commit to premier teams. Photo \/ Supplied.<\/p>\n
In decline <\/p>\n
Buller has lost one team from its premier ranks this season. That one team represents a third of their premier teams from last year. Now they have two teams that compete in a combined competition with West Coast. In 2014, they had five teams and their own competition. <\/p>\n
West Coast has also lost a team from last season. They\u2019ve gone from six teams to five and the combined competition with Buller (Jubilee Trophy) includes just 7 teams in total.<\/p>\n
Over the Southern Alps, it\u2019s the same story for Ellesmere (Selwyn District) and North Canterbury, sub-unions of Canterbury. Each has lost one premier grade side from their local competitions as well as the combined competition that they play in alongside Mid Canterbury.<\/p>\n
Dan Carter in the team huddle at half time during a Luisetti Seeds Combined Country Division One club rugby game between Southbridge (Ellesmere) and Glenmark (North Canterbury) in 2014. Photo \/ Photosport<\/p>\n
Ellesmere now has six teams, North Canterbury seven and Mid Canterbury four. The 17-team country-combined competition makes use of their geographical advantage. <\/p>\n
But it was a 22-team competition in 2018 and Ellesmere had 10 teams. <\/p>\n