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New Zealand Rugby
Counties Manukau crowned champions
| New Zealand Rugby Media Release 2 October 2016 |
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| AllBlacks.com | Farah Palmer Cup | Community Rugby | Facebook | |||||
| Counties Manukau crowned champions Historic win caps off perfect Farah Palmer Cup season |
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| Counties Manukau captain Arihiana Marino celebrates their silverware as they are crowned 2016 Farah Palmer Cup champions. PHOTO - Getty Images ____________________________________________ |
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| Counties Manukau have made women’s provincial rugby history, winning their first ever national title and the Farah Palmer Cup, and ending a great era of dominance by Auckland. Having guaranteed themselves a home Final, Counties Manukau beat Auckland 41-22 in today’s Farah Palmer Cup Final at ECOLight Stadium Pukekohe. Counties Manukau have been the team to beat all competition, having completed the perfect season with nine wins from nine games. Read more about the Final action in our online match report. Their elevation to national champions ends a remarkable era for Auckland who have been NPC champions every year since 1999 except in 2006 (won by Wellington). New Zealand Rugby General Manager Neil Sorensen congratulated Counties Manukau on their historic win. “I am so excited for both teams who were today’s Final. For Auckland – they have worked hard every year to retain their right to contest the Final. But I am just delighted that Counties Manukau will take home the silverware, and claim the first Farah Palmer Cup title and their first national championship. “I also want to acknowledge all nine provinces that competed this year. Every year this competition grows and matures, and the players rightly deserve to be recognised for their skill, commitment, and passion for women’s rugby. “I know that these teams have provided Black Ferns selectors with a few headaches as they narrow their selections for the Black Ferns 2016 squad for their domestic Test season and end of year tour to the UK,” he said. Former Black Ferns captain and competition namesake Dr Farah Palmer was on hand in Auckland to present the Cup – which now bears her name – to Counties Manukau skipper Arihiana Marino. “It is so exciting to see so many women playing their hearts out in this competition which is where my own love for rugby began. Congratulations to both teams in today’s Final – but a special congratulations to Counties Manukau on being crowned 2016 champions,” Palmer said. |
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COMPETITION INFORMATION
The Women’s Provincial Championship will consist of a Round
Robin with all teams playing in a single pool, followed by a Final.
The two Provincial Unions with the highest number of competition
points at the completion of the Round Robin will proceed to the
Final, and be ranked as follows:
• The Provincial Union with the highest number of competition
points at the completion of the Round Robin will have a finals
ranking of 1.
• The Provincial Union with the next-highest number of
competition points at the completion of the Round Robin will
be ranked 2.
Based on the Finals Rankings the Final will be played as follows:
1 plays 2.
The winning finalist will be awarded the Women’s Provincial
Championship trophy.
In the event that two or more Provincial Unions are tied with the
same number of competition points, the finishing positions of
the Provincial Unions will be determined in accordance with the
following criteria, which will be applied in the order in which they
appear below until a result as to the positions of the relevant
Provincial Unions is determined:
Where any two Provincial Unions are tied:
• The winner of any Round Robin match played between the
two Provincial Unions in that year shall have the higher
position;
• The Provincial Union which has the higher points difference in
the Round Robin will have the higher position.
Where three or more Provincial Unions are tied:
• The tied Provincial Union with the most competition points in
that year against the other tied Provincial Unions shall have
the higher position;
• If three or more Provincial Unions have an equal number
of competition points against the other tied Provincial
Unions, the tied Provincial Union which has the higher points
difference in the Round Robin will have the higher position.
If a tie cannot be broken by the criteria above:
• The Provincial Union that scored the most tries in the Round
Robin shall have the higher position;
• The Provincial Union that scored the most points in the Round
Robin shall have the higher position
• The toss of a coin will be used.