▁two ▁t iers ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁Table ▁after ▁Pool ▁Play . ▁Teams ▁ 1 – 7 ▁were ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁Prem iers hip ▁and ▁teams ▁ 8 – 1 4 ▁to ▁the ▁Championship . ▁There ▁is ▁automatic ▁Prom otion / Re leg ation ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁t iers ▁and ▁also ▁" c ros so ver " ▁matches , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁full ▁Round ▁Robin ▁Match es ▁within ▁each ▁tier . ▁The ▁Heart land ▁Championship ▁is ▁also ▁split ▁into ▁two ▁t iers ▁after ▁pool ▁play ▁with ▁the ▁top ▁tier ▁playing ▁for ▁the ▁M ead s ▁Cup ▁and ▁bottom ▁tier ▁playing ▁for ▁the ▁L och ore ▁Cup . ▁Currently , ▁all ▁ 2 6 ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ' s ▁Provin cial ▁Un ions ▁particip ate ▁in ▁either ▁the ▁Mit re ▁ 1 0 ▁Cup ▁or ▁Heart land ▁Championship . ▁The ▁N PC ▁was ▁first ▁cont ested ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁and ▁although ▁the ▁basic ▁format ▁of ▁Division ▁One ▁was ▁much ▁the ▁same ▁from ▁then ▁until ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁re organisation , ▁there ▁were ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁changes ▁to ▁the ▁lower ▁divisions . ▁ ▁Initial ly , ▁Division ▁One ▁was ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁ 1 1 ▁teams , ▁ 7 ▁from ▁the ▁North ▁Island ▁and ▁ 4 ▁from ▁the ▁South . ▁The ▁remaining ▁un ions ▁cont ested ▁a ▁split ▁Division ▁Two , ▁with ▁teams ▁from ▁each ▁island ▁playing ▁amongst ▁themselves . ▁The ▁bottom ▁placed ▁Division ▁One ▁team ▁from ▁the ▁South ▁Island ▁played ▁the ▁winner ▁of