Farah Palmer Cup schedule released as part of a busy year in women’s rugby

New Zealand Rugby has today confirmed the draw for the Farah Palmer Cup season that kicks off in August, with twelve provincial teams set to compete for the Premiership and Championship titles.

The competition will kick off on 29 August, with the Manawatū Cyclones hosting Bay of Plenty Volcanix in the first double header of the season. Fans can enjoy even more high-quality rugby this year, with over half of the competition’s matches played alongside National Provincial Championship fixtures on shared matchdays.

Waikato Kaea Nepia during the Waikato v Canterbury Farah Palmer Cup Premiership match against Canterbury (Photo: Aaron Gillions, Action Press)

Carl Moon, Interim General Manager Community, says that having so many matches played as double headers alongside the NPC is a huge positive for the competition. “Double-headers lift the matchday environment, with fans having the opportunity to watch the best of women’s and men’s provincial rugby in one day.”

Week 2 of the competition will see the first defence of the JJ Stewart Trophy for the season when the Auckland Storm head south to face Waikato, in a repeat of last season’s Premiership semi-final. Waikato have been the holders of the trophy since 2024, after winning it off Counties Manukau.

Waikato Women are the current holders of the JJ Stewart Trophy (Photo: Mark Taylor, Action Press)

The Farah Palmer Cup continues to play a vital role in the development of women’s rugby in New Zealand, providing a high-performance domestic environment for players, coaches and match officials. The competition serves as a key pathway to higher honours, giving emerging talent the opportunity to test themselves alongside established players, while strengthening provincial programmes and supporting the growth in the breadth and depth of the women’s game nationwide.

“This competition is important to the ongoing growth of the women’s game in New Zealand. Many of today’s Black Ferns have competed in the Farah Palmer Cup, so this competition gives fans the chance to see the next generation of talent alongside experienced campaigners representing their provinces”, Moon says.

Otago's Olivia Fowler scores during the Spirit's win over the Northland Kauri in the Championship Final (Photo: Michael Thomas, Action Press)

The full Farah Palmer Cup draw, including match venues and kick-off times is available at:[link]. 

Details about where to watch matches will be available before the season commences.