Farah Palmer Cup, presented by Bunnings Warehouse
In 2016, the Women’s Provincial Championship was renamed the Farah Palmer Cup in recognition of one of the most iconic figures in women’s rugby.
Dame Farah Palmer is a global women’s rugby icon, having played 35 Test matches for the Black Ferns and represented Otago, Waikato and Manawatū at provincial level. In 2014, Palmer was inducted to the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
The competition consists of two divisions with teams from provincial unions around the country:
- The Premiership is the top division with seven teams, with the winner being crowned the champion while the lowest ranked team is relegated to the Championship.
- The Championship is essentially a second division with six teams, where the winner of the competition is promoted into the Premiership for the next year.
Alongside the Farah Palmer Cup, teams also compete for the JJ Stewart Trophy, named after the former All Blacks coach and strong supporter of women’s rugby in New Zealand. This challenge trophy, much like the Ranfurly Shield, must be defended by the current trophy holders in each of their home matches during the regular season.
Find out more information about the Farah Palmer Cup, including draws and recent news.
