Cross-over NZ derbies confirmed
Cross-over matches between premiership and championship teams in the 2014 season of the NPC have been confirmed.
Next year’s competition retains the nine-week round robin, with semifinals and finals making up the 11-week competition. The rounds also include some midweek fixtures to be played on Wednesdays.
Provincial Union representatives met recently to make their picks for opposition in cross-over matches between premiership and championship teams.
The selections will see the following fixtures played during the season, however, when they will be played will not be confirmed until the draw is released in February 2014.
The NPC kicks off on Thursday, August 14 next year.
Confirmed cross-over matches for 2014 NPC
1) The automatic cross-over matches already determined by the 2013 finishing order (host province listed first) are:
North Harbour v Canterbury
Northland v Wellington
Manawatu v Auckland
Southland v Counties Manukau
Otago v Waikato
Hawke’s Bay v Taranaki
Bay of Plenty v Tasman
The three other cross-over games (per team) have been picked by the provinces as follows:
2) First round of picks: Championship teams picked a premiership team, in reverse seeding order (eg, 14th to eighth), for a home championship match:
North Harbour v Waikato
Northland v Taranaki
Manawatu v Counties Manukau
Southland v Tasman
Otago v Canterbury
Hawke's Bay v Wellington
Bay of Plenty v Auckland
3) Second round of picks: Premiership teams picked a championship team, in seeding order (eg first to seventh), for a home premiership match:
Canterbury v Southland
Wellington v North Harbour
Auckland v Northland
Counties Manukau v Otago
Waikato v Manawatu
Taranaki v Bay of Plenty
Tasman v Hawke's Bay
4) Final round of picks: Championship teams picked a premiership team, in seeding order (eg. eighth to 14th), for an away championship match (note the second team hosts the match):
Waikato v Bay of Plenty
Counties Manukau v Hawke's Bay
Tasman v Otago
Taranaki v Southland
Wellington v Manawatu
Canterbury v Northland
Auckland v North Harbour
