THE FARAH PALMER CUP
In May 2016 New Zealand Rugby (NZR) announced, with the support of competition sponsor Mitre 10, that the Farah Palmer Cup was to commence from 6 August 2016.
The renamed competition represents an exciting time for rugby and is an acknowledgement of the contribution made by former Black Ferns captain, and three-time World Champion, Dr Farah Palmer.
THE FIAO’O FAAMAUSILI MEDAL
In 2017, along with the Duane Monkley Medal for the Mitre 10 Cup competition, the Fiao’o Faamausili Medal was introduced to be awarded to the Farah Palmer Cup Player of the Year. The awards are determined under a new points system, with the winners revealed at the ASB Rugby Awards each year. Last year’s inaugural winner of the Fiao’o Faamausili Medal was Hazel Tubic (Counties Manukau).
Faamausili captained the Black Ferns to their fifth Women’s Rugby World Cup title in 2017, and became the first Black Fern to reach 50 Test caps. On her return, she became the second player to bring up 100 provincial matches in the Farah Palmer Cup later that year.
Medal Design Elements: The pounamu is a rugby ball, with two people in the act of hongi; the spirit of coming together as one. The mountain represents our country with the design inside referencing heart, protection, growth and positivity. The three koru shapes at the bottom represent past, present and future players. The poutama, represents striving to be better physically, mentally and spiritually with a step design. The face in the centre is the warriors spirit for both male and female; strength of spirit and belief.
COMING UP THIS WEEK
Week One action in the Farah Palmer Cup 2018 – Preview Week 1 :
HEAD TO HEAD STATS for WEEK ONE
| AUCKLAND STORM v MANAWATU CYCLONES Saturday 1 September, 11.30am at Bell Park, Auckland |
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Played: 10, 2006-2017 | Bay of Plenty wins: 0 | Auckland wins: 7 Last match: Manawatu 15 Auckland 15 in Palmerston North 7.10.2017 (FPC) Last Auckland win: Auckland 30 Manawatu 25 in Auckland 13.08.2016 (FPC) Last Manawatu win: None Biggest Auckland score: 70 in Palmerston North 30.07.2011 (WNPC) Biggest Manawatu score: 25 in Auckland 13.80.2016 (FPC), match lost Biggest differential: Auckland by 59 (70-11) in Palmerston North 30.07.2011 (WNPC) |
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| BAY OF PLENTY VOLCANIX v CANTERBURY Saturday 1 September, 11.35am at Tauranga Domain, Tauranga |
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Played: 4, 2001-2016 | Bay of Plenty wins: 0 | Canterbury wins: 4 Last match: Canterbury 31 Bay of Plenty 0 in Christchurch 13.08.2016 (FPC) Last Bay of Plenty win: None Biggest Bay of Plenty score: 13 in Christchurch 15.09.2001 (WNPC) Biggest Canterbury score: 56 in Christchurch 30.08.2014 (WNPC) Biggest differential: Canterbury by 56 (56-0) in Christchurch 30.08.2014 (WNPC) |
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| OTAGO SPIRIT v NORTH HARBOUR HIBISCUS Saturday 1 September, 12pm at University Oval, Dunedin |
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Played: 3, 2016-17 | Otago 2 wins | North Harbour 1 Last match: Otago 39 North Harbour 12 in Dunedin 21.10.2017 (FPC CF) Last North Harbour win: North Harbour 39 Otago 7 in Dunedin 17.09.2016 (FPC) Highest score Otago: 39 in Dunedin 21.10.2017 (FPC CF) Highest score North Harbour: 39 in Dunedin 17.09.2016 (FPC) Biggest differential: North Harbour by 32 (39-7) in Dunedin 17.9.2016 (FPC) |
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| HAWKE’S BAY TUI’S v WELLINGTON PRIDE Saturday 1 September, 1pm at Tremain Field, Napier |
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Played: 12, 1999-2017 | Hawke’s Bay wins: 1 | Wellington wins: 11 Last match: Wellington 42 Hawke’s Bay 10 in Porirua 2.09.2017 (FPC) Last Hawke’s Bay win: Hawke’s Bay 23 Wellington 16 in Napier 12.08.2006 (WNPC) Biggest Hawke’s Bay score: 23 in Napier 12.08.2006 (WNPC) Biggest Wellington score: 55 in 1999 (WNPC) Biggest differential: Wellington by 55 (55-0) in 1999 (WNPC) |
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| WAIKATO v COUNTIES MANUKAU HEAT Saturday 1 September, 2.30pm at Ashburton Showground, Ashburton |
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Played: 7, 1999-2017 | Waikato wins: 4 | Counties Manukau wins: 3 Last match: Counties Manukau 48 Waikato 0 in Papakura 7.09.2017 (FPC) Last Waikato win: Waikato 29 Counties Manukau 10 in Hamilton 18.10.2014 (WNPC) Biggest Waikato score: 37 in 1999 (WNPC) Biggest Counties Manukau score: 48 in Papakura 7.09.2017 (FPC) Biggest differential: Counties Manukau by 48 (48-0) in Papakura 7.09.2017 (FPC) |
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| TASMAN MAKO v TARANAKI WHIO Saturday 1 September, 2.35pm at Sports Park, Motueka |
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No previous matches |
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COMPETITION INFORMATION
The Farah Palmer Cup continues to grow from year to year and 2018 sees the inclusion of Taranaki, boosting the competition to 12 teams.
Due to this continued growth, the Farah Palmer Cup Competition format is determined by NZR each year following consultation with Provincial Unions and subject to team numbers on an annual basis.
This enables the competition format to develop as the game develops and allows for more flexibility to respond to the needs of the players and the participating teams.
FARAH PALMER CUP 2018 COMPETITION FORMAT
• 6 week round robin + 1 week semifinals + 1 week final = 8 week competition
• Teams have been ranked based on the results at the completion of the 2017 Farah Palmer Cup.
• Teams ranked 1 to 6 play in the Premiership, teams ranked 7 to 12 play in the Championship.
Teams accumulate competition points as follows:
• 4 points for a win;
• 2 points for a draw;
• 1 point for losing a match by seven or fewer points;
• 1 point for scoring four or more tries in a match.
ROUND ROBIN
• Each team plays the remaining 5 teams within their division over 5 weeks (No BYE)
• 1 crossover game (spread across varying weeks)
• 3 home, 3 away
• Crossover games
• One crossover game per team played within the round robin
• Crossover games are allocated at the beginning of the season, based on rankings.
Rank 1 v rank 7, rank 2 v rank 8 and so on…
COMPETITION INFORMATION
SEMIFINAL/ FINAL ROUNDS
Premiership
• The four teams with the highest number of points upon completion of the round robin, will proceed to the Premiership Semifinals, 1v4, 2v3.
• Teams ranked 5 and 6 at the conclusion of round robin will play on the semifinals weekend for final ranking
• The Host Unions of the Semifinals are the top two ranked teams.
• The Semifinalist winners will play in the Farah Palmer Cup Premiership Final.
CHAMPIONSHIP
• The four teams with the highest number of points upon completion of the round robin, will proceed to the Championship Semifinals, 1v4, 2v3.
• The Host Unions of the Semifinals are the top two ranked teams.
• The Semifinalist winners will play in the Farah Palmer Cup Championship Final.
• Winner of Championship final will be promoted for the following season and be presented with a new trophy
The Final will be played at either:
• The venue of a Mitre 10 Cup fixture as the curtain raiser;
• The venue of the highest ranked Semifinalist as a standalone fixture
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