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The ITM Cup is a New Zealand domestic rugby union opposition, getting place from late August through October (or the first week of November). It was founded in 2006 with fourteen groups, after the National Provincial Championship (NPC) was split into two individual competitions. The other 12 unions from the NPC now contend in the amateur Heartland Championship. From its inception by means of the 2009 time, it was sponsored by Air New Zealand, the countrywide airline and flag provider of New Zealand, and known as the Air New Zealand Cup. New Zealand also has five teams in Tremendous Rugby, an elite competitiveness which also involves sides from Australia and South Africa.

In March 2010 it was introduced that the Air New Zealand Cup would be renamed the ITM Cup with the addition of building materials cooperative ITM (Impartial Timber Retailers) as the key sponsor. The alter came simply because Air New Zealand chose to concentrate their rugby sponsorship on the country's countrywide crew, the All Blacks.

The 2006 reorganisation of New Zealand provincial rugby changed the NPC's former 3-division setup with two distinctive competitions. This differs from the authentic two-division set up employed in the NPC from its creation in 1976 to 1984 in two key ways. First, the two existing competitions are nationwide, whilst the original NPC Division Two was split on a North Island/South Island basis. Next, the NZRU dominated that there would originally be no advertising or relegation amongst the Air New Zealand Cup and Heartland Championship--a attribute that experienced usually been present in the former NPC. rugby live stream

Also, the variety of teams was lowered to 26, as the Marlborough and Nelson Bays unions merged to sort the new Tasman union.

The 2006 expansion of the Super twelve and Tri Nations Collection had a main effect on the Air New Zealand Cup. This enlargement developed the Super 14, incorporating two extra fixtures to that competitors, and also additional two much more Tri-Nations matches for the All Blacks, at least in non-World Cup several years. Due to the fact of these changes, it was meant for players in the All Blacks choice pool to make only constrained appearances in the Air New Zealand Cup.

The 2009 Air New Zealand Cup observed a distinct composition than preceding years, following a tiny pre-period the Round-Robin ran for 13 weeks with each group facing each other as soon as. The best four groups superior to the semi-finals and the winners from each semi competed for the title in the Grand Final.

To make a decision which 4 groups went via to the semi-finals the Rugby Union Reward Factors Technique was utilised.

The Rugby Union Factors Technique:

4 factors for a acquire two points for a attract 1 position for scoring 4 tries one position for losing by seven details or less

So the most factors a successful crew can obtain is five and the most a getting rid of group can get is two points. Semi-Finals are played amongst four teams, the teams are seeded 1 to four and the two greatest seeded teams enjoy at residence towards the two lowest seeded groups indicating one plays four and 2 plays three. The optimum seed nevertheless remaining in the grand ultimate played at house.