▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁when ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁teams ▁in ▁each ▁division ▁was ▁changed ▁to ▁ 1 0 ▁in ▁Division ▁One , ▁ 9 ▁in ▁Division ▁Two , ▁and ▁ 8 ▁in ▁Division ▁Three . ▁Having ▁an ▁even ▁number ▁of ▁teams ▁in ▁Division ▁One ▁removed ▁the ▁necessity ▁for ▁by es . ▁Starting ▁that ▁year , ▁automatic ▁promotion / re leg ation ▁between ▁the ▁top ▁two ▁divisions ▁was ▁ended . ▁In ▁its ▁place , ▁the ▁winner ▁of ▁Division ▁Two ▁played ▁a ▁promotion - re leg ation ▁match ▁against ▁the ▁bottom ▁club ▁in ▁Division ▁One ▁to ▁determine ▁whether ▁the ▁clubs ▁would ▁switch ▁places . ▁Through ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁this ▁match ▁was ▁hosted ▁by ▁the ▁bottom ▁team ▁in ▁Division ▁One , ▁but ▁the ▁site ▁was ▁changed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁to ▁the ▁home ▁field ▁of ▁the ▁Division ▁Two ▁champion . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁the ▁original ▁founded ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Rugby ▁Football ▁Union ▁organ ised ▁a ▁new ▁provincial ▁competition , ▁un ifying ▁the ▁various ▁football ▁un ions ▁across ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁This ▁was ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁demand ▁after ▁admin ister ed ▁inter pro vin cial ▁matches ▁were ▁only ▁arranged ▁and ▁scheduled ▁for ▁in ▁an ▁independent ▁manner ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁The ▁National ▁Provin cial ▁Championship ▁was ▁established ▁with ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁tournament ▁k icked ▁off ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁The ▁football ▁un ions ▁were ▁divided ▁into ▁two ▁divisions , ▁a ▁Division ▁One ▁and ▁a ▁Division ▁Two