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The ITM Cup is a New Zealand domestic rugby union opposition, getting place from late August via Oct (or the 1st 7 days of November). It was started in 2006 with fourteen groups, soon after the Countrywide Provincial Championship (NPC) was break up into two individual competitions. The other 12 unions from the NPC now compete in the beginner Heartland Championship. From its inception through the 2009 time, it was sponsored by Air New Zealand, the nationwide airline and flag carrier of New Zealand, and referred to as the Air New Zealand Cup. New Zealand also has 5 groups in Super Rugby, an elite opposition which also entails sides from Australia and South Africa.

In March 2010 it was declared that the Air New Zealand Cup would be renamed the ITM Cup with the addition of constructing provides cooperative ITM (Unbiased Timber Merchants) as the main sponsor. The alter came simply because Air New Zealand chose to concentrate their rugby sponsorship on the country's nationwide team, the All Blacks.

The 2006 reorganisation of New Zealand provincial rugby changed the NPC's former 3-division setup with two unique competitions. This differs from the original two-division set up used in the NPC from its creation in 1976 to 1984 in two key techniques. First, the two recent competitions are nationwide, while the original NPC Division Two was break up on a North Island/South Island foundation. Second, the NZRU ruled that there would to begin with be no marketing or relegation amongst the Air New Zealand Cup and Heartland Championship--a characteristic that had often been current in the former NPC. watch rugby online

Also, the amount of groups was decreased to 26, as the Marlborough and Nelson Bays unions merged to sort the new Tasman union.

The 2006 enlargement of the Tremendous 12 and Tri Nations Series experienced a significant effect on the Air New Zealand Cup. This enlargement produced the Tremendous fourteen, introducing two added fixtures to that competitors, and also extra two much more Tri-Nations matches for the All Blacks, at least in non-Planet Cup years. Because of these modifications, it was meant for gamers in the All Blacks choice pool to make only limited appearances in the Air New Zealand Cup.

The 2009 Air New Zealand Cup noticed a diverse structure than prior a long time, right after a tiny pre-season the Round-Robin ran for 13 weeks with each and every staff dealing with each other after. The top four teams advanced to the semi-finals and the winners from every semi competed for the title in the Grand Final.

To decide which 4 teams went through to the semi-finals the Rugby Union Reward Factors Method was utilized.

The Rugby Union Points Technique:

four details for a win 2 points for a draw one point for scoring 4 attempts 1 point for losing by seven factors or much less

So the most points a winning team can get is five and the most a dropping staff can receive is two factors. Semi-Finals are played in between four groups, the groups are seeded one to 4 and the two maximum seeded groups enjoy at home from the two least expensive seeded groups meaning 1 plays four and two plays 3. The maximum seed nevertheless remaining in the grand ultimate performed at home.