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Story: Rugby union

Auckland versus Waikato programme

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Auckland versus Waikato programme

From the formation of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union in 1892, New Zealand rugby was based around provincial teams, which drew on the club teams in their district. Provincial rivalries became intense and certain games were regular fixtures on the rugby calendar, such as the Queen’s Birthday game between Auckland and Waikato. This match took place at Rugby Park in Hamilton on Queen’s Birthday 1954.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: Eph-A-RUGBY-1954-01-front

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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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/ephemera/40011/auckland-versus-waikato-programme (accessed 4 June 2026).

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