▁the ▁Southern ▁Division ▁Two ▁to ▁determine ▁whether ▁they ▁switched ▁divisions , ▁whilst ▁the ▁bottom ▁placed ▁Division ▁One ▁team ▁from ▁the ▁North ▁Island ▁was ▁automatically ▁re leg ated , ▁switching ▁places ▁with ▁the ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Division ▁Two . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁change ▁in ▁format . ▁There ▁was ▁no ▁automatic ▁re leg ation ▁for ▁any ▁team ▁from ▁Division ▁One . ▁Instead , ▁the ▁Division ▁Two ▁North ▁Island ▁and ▁South ▁Island ▁winning ▁teams ▁played ▁each ▁other ▁to ▁determine ▁who ▁played ▁in ▁a ▁promotion / re leg ation ▁match ▁against ▁the ▁bottom ▁team ▁in ▁Division ▁One . ▁ ▁This ▁format ▁continued ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁when ▁the ▁split ▁Division ▁Two ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁a ▁un ited ▁Division ▁Two ▁and ▁a ▁Division ▁Three . ▁The ▁top ▁and ▁bottom ▁placed ▁teams ▁in ▁each ▁division ▁were ▁automatically ▁promoted ▁and ▁re leg ated ▁each ▁year . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁three ▁teams ▁from ▁Division ▁One ▁were ▁re leg ated ▁so ▁there ▁were ▁ 9 ▁teams ▁in ▁each ▁division . ▁Also , ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁saw ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁semi - final s ▁and ▁a ▁final ▁to ▁determine ▁the ▁champion ▁in ▁each ▁division — pre viously , ▁a ▁league ▁system ▁had ▁been ▁used . ▁ ▁A uck land ▁were ▁the ▁most ▁successful ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁N PC ▁championship , ▁having ▁won ▁ 1 5 ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 0 ▁series . ▁ ▁The ▁only ▁change ▁before ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁was ▁in