Farah Palmer Cup

Key Information

Dating back to 1999 when it began as the Women's Provincial Championship, the Farah Palmer Cup is a domestic women's rugby union competition in New Zealand, renamed in 2016 to honour former Black Ferns captain Professor Dame Farah Palmer. 

 

Professor Dame Farah Palmer is a global women’s rugby icon, having played 35 Test matches for the Black Ferns and representing Otago, Waikato and Manawatū at a provincial level. She is a former Black Ferns captain and three-time Rugby World Cup champion. In 2014, she was inducted to the World Rugby Hall of Fame. 

 

She said it was a huge privilege to have the women’s provincial championship named after her: “It’s very humbling to have the competition named in my honour. I had to have a real think about accepting it because rugby is a team sport and there are lots of women and men who have gone before me that really helped women’s rugby develop. But then I thought it is a great honour and I am happy to be acknowledged this way.”

 

Competition structure

The Farah Palmer Cup is contested across two divisions, a Premiership Division and a Championship division made up of 6 teams. A round robin tournament across each division with opponents playing those in their respective division. Following the Round Robin stage, the top four teams compete for the Premiership title (Semi Finals and Final) and Championship Title (Semi Finals and Final). A total of 42 matches played over 9 week. At the end of the 2026 season, promotion and relegation will see teams move between divisions depending on results.

 

Premiership: 

Auckland Storm, Bay of Plenty Volcanix, Canterbury Women, Counties Manukau Heat, Manawatū Cyclones, Waikato Women.

Premiership Cup 

 

Championship:

Hawke's Bay Tui, North Harbour Hibiscus, Northland Kauri, Otago Spirit, Tasman Women, Wellington Pride.