National Competition

National Competition
Current season or competition: 2016 New Zealand rugby league season
Sport	Rugby league football
Inaugural season	2010
Replaced by	Bartercard Premiership
Number of teams	8
Country	New Zealand
Holders	Counties Manukau Stingrays (2015)
Most titles	Akarana Falcons (4 titles)
Website

The National Competition (previously called the National Zonal Competition) is the top level rugby league competition run by the New Zealand Rugby League. In 2010 the competition replaced the Bartercard Premiership following a Sparc funded review and restructure of the New Zealand Rugby League. Since 2016 the competition has consisted of a four team National Championship and a four team National Premiership with a promotion and relegation between the two divisions.

Trophies and awards

Senior teams compete for the Albert Baskerville Trophy which is named after Albert Baskerville, the organiser of the 1907-1908 All Golds tour. Under-17s compete for the Mark Graham Cup which named after Mark Graham, the New Zealand Rugby League player of the century. Under-15s compete for the Nathan Cayless Cup which is named after Nathan Cayless, the only captain to win the World Cup for New Zealand.

Restructure

The competition was reformatted for the 2016 season, with Akarana, Counties Manukau, Canterbury and Wellington competing in a National Championship. The Upper Central and Mid-Central zones reverted to district teams with these teams, alongside Northland and the South Island districts, competing in four regional championships. The four regional winners then compete in a National Premiership competition, which will play a promotion-relegation match against the last placed National Championship side.

Championship teams

Team	Current Coach	Home Grounds
Akarana Falcons	Steve Buckingham	Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
Canterbury Bulls South Island Scorpions	Andrew Auimatagi	Denton Park, Christchurch Trafalgar Park, Nelson Wingham Park, Greymouth
Counties Manukau Stingrays	Peter Caccioppoli	Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
Wellington Orcas	Mike Kuiti	Porirua Stadium, Porirua

Season winners

Year	Albert Baskerville Trophy	Score		Runner up	Minor Premiers	Wooden Spoon	National Premiership winner	Mark Graham Cup	Nathan Cayless Cup
2010	Auckland	14	6	Counties Manukau	Auckland	Northern Swords	N/A	Counties Manukau	Counties Manukau
2011	Auckland Pride	44	34	South Island	Auckland Pride	Northern Swords		Auckland Pride	Auckland Pride
2012	Akarana Falcons	38	20	Counties Manukau	Counties Manukau	Northern Swords		Akarana Falcons	Counties Manukau
2013	Akarana Falcons	22	12	Counties Manukau	Counties Manukau	Central Vipers		Counties Manukau	Akarana Falcons
2014	Canterbury Bulls	40	8	Waicoa Bay Stallions	Counties Manukau*	Northern Swords		Akarana Falcons	Akarana Falcons
2015	Counties Manukau	41	10	Canterbury Bulls	Counties Manukau	Northern Swords		Akarana Falcons	Akarana Falcons
2016

*In 2014 Counties Manukau were disqualified from the final for fielding an ineligible player.