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Story: Rugby union

Rugby provinces

This tea towel shows the locations and team colours of the 27 rugby unions in New Zealand prior to 2006, when Nelson Bays and Marlborough combined to form the Tasman union.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

by Miranda Wells

Teatowel © The Derek Corporation The Derek Corporation

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How to cite this page

Ron Palenski, Rugby union – Club and provincial rugby, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/40012/rugby-provinces (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Ron Palenski, published 30 November 2012, updated 1 September 2016.