The National Rugby Championship is Australia’s top-tier domestic rugby competition, featuring eight teams.
The Western Force are the current NRC champions, having defeated Canberra 41-3 in the final. Unfortunately, the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NRC, which was unveiled in March, 2014, sets out to be Australian rugby’s version of compeitions like South Africa’s Currie Cup and New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship.
The competition is played over seven rounds, which each team playing each other once. The top four sides qualify for a single-elimination finals bracket consisting of two semi-finals and, ultimately, the final.
NRC teams are allocated Wallabies players who, should they not be selected, are eligible to suit up during the season.
Eastern Conference |
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---|---|---|
Team | Licencees/Associated clubs | Titles |
Brisbane City | QRU, Reds | 2014, 2015 |
Canberra Vikings | ACT/SNSW RU, Brumbies, Tuggeranong Vikings | – |
Fijian Drua | Fiji Rugby Union | 2018 |
Melbourne Rising | VRU, Rebels | – |
NSW Country | NSW Country RU, Waratahs | – |
Queensland Country | QRU, Reds | 2017 |
Sydney | NSWRU, Waratahs | – |
Western Force | RugbyWA | 2016, 2019 |
A full list of NRC squads can be seen here.