Rugby union in New Zealand

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Rugby union in New Zealand
New Zealand playing England.
Country	New Zealand
Governing body	NZR
National team(s)	New Zealand
Nickname(s)	All Blacks
First played	1870, Nelson
Registered players	146,893 (total)[1] 28,648 (adults)
Clubs	~500[2]
Club competitions
Super Rugby National Provincial Championship Heartland Championship Ranfurly Shield Hanan Shield
International competitions
Rugby World Cup Women's Rugby World Cup World Rugby Nations Championship The Rugby Championship Mid-year rugby union internationals Autumn rugby union internationals Rugby World Cup Sevens Sevens World Series World Rugby Women's Sevens Series
Audience records
Single match	109,874 Australia v New Zealand, (Telstra Stadium) 2000 Tri Nations Series, 15 July 2000

Rugby union has been played in New Zealand since 1870 and is the most popular sport in the country as well as being its national sport.^[3] In a 2023 survey, 75% of respondents said they followed the sport.^[4]

The men's national team, the All Blacks, is currently ranked No. 3 in the world.^[5] The country co-hosted and won the first ever Rugby World Cup in 1987, and hosted and won the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The men have won three World Cups (1987, 2011, 2015), the second most of any country after South Africa.

New Zealand are the current World Champions for Women's rugby union and were rugby sevens finalists for men and women.

The top domestic club competitions are the professional National Provincial Championship and amateur Heartland Championship, and above them the transnational Super Rugby, in which New Zealand has 5 out of 11 franchises.