Air New Zealand Cup, NPC, call it what you will, but the new look, no relegation, no promotion NPC is here.  Named most cunningly too.  When Air New Zealand pull their sponsorship, the competition will then be known as 'cup'.  What the hell was wrong the the Air New Zealand NPC?
 
Anywho, the Premier Division (no longer the first division, the first division is now what the second division was, clear as mud, good, carry on), is now split into two pools, and then the pool participants split into a top six and bottom eight, and then there are quarter finals and semi finals.  If you have a degree in numerology, here is the full explanation on how the new comp' works.
 
The NPC in it's various forms has been knocking around since 1976, 31 years.  The inaugural NPC was won by Bay of Plenty.  Along the way, Manawatu has also picked up a trophy, and Counties too, a fry cry from their results over the last few years, struggling away in the second division, which is now the first division, but both those teams are now in the premier division...  The first winner in the years of finals and semi finals was Waikato, waaaay back in 1992 - their first and only NPC championship.  Check out
 
Check out the results from the first 30 years of battle, and check out the past champions, and here is a bit on the history of the NPC.