The North vs South match , sometimes known as the Interisland match was a longstanding rugby union fixture in New Zealand between the North Island and South Island teams.
The first match was played on 30 June 1897 at Wellington's Athletic Park , and the match became an annual fixture from 1902. Matches ceased during World War I from 1915 to 1918, but during World War II only the 1940, 1941 and 1942 matches were cancelled, with competition resuming in 1943. The last annual match on regular basis was played in 1986.
In 2012, a one-off match at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium in 2012 to help fundraise for the financially troubled Otago Rugby Football Union , which was won by the South 32–24.
A second one-off match was initially scheduled to be held on 29 August 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, it was postponed to 5 September 2020.
Most early matches were played in one of the four main cities (Auckland and Wellington in the North Island, Christchurch and Dunedin in the South Island), but from 1970 onwards the fixture was rotated around a number of provincial centres.
Colours
In the very first match in 1897, the North Island wore yellow and black jerseys while the South Island team wore all black.
Since 1904 the North Island traditionally played in black jerseys and black shorts, while the South Island played in white jerseys with white shorts.
List of results
Overall
Details
Played
Won by North Island
Won by South Island
Drawn
North Island points
South Island points
In North Island
50
31
17
2
940
637
In South Island
31
19
11
1
517
358
Overall
81
50
28
3
1457
995
Year
Date
Venue
Winner
Score
1897
30 June
Wellington
North
16—3
1898-1901
Not played
1902
Wellington
South
20—14
1903
Auckland
South
12—5
1904
Dunedin
draw
3—3
1905
Wellington
North
26—0
1906
Wellington
North
9—5
1907
Christchurch
North
11—0
1908
Wellington
North
12—5
1909
Wellington
South
19—11
1910
Christchurch
South
14—10
1911
7 October
Wellington
North
19—9
1912
Napier
North
12—8
1913
Christchurch
South
25—0
1914
Wellington
South
8—0
1915-18
Not played
1919
Wellington
North
28—11
1920
Wellington
North
12—3
1921
Christchurch
North
28—13
1922
8 July
Auckland
South
9—8
1923
Wellington
draw
6—6
1924
Wellington
North
39—8
1925
Invercargill
North
16—5
1926
Wellington
North
41—9
1927
Wellington
South
31—30
1928
Christchurch
South
15—14
1929
Wellington
North
29—20
1930
Not played
1931
Wellington
draw
20—20
1932
Christchurch
North
28—10
1933
Wellington
North
27—18
1934
Dunedin
South
27—10
1935
Wellington
North
15—9
1936
Christchurch
North
17—6
1937
Wellington
South
30—21
1938
Wellington
South
31—23
1939
Wellington
South
25—19
1940-42
Not played
1943
Wellington
South
17—16
1944
Christchurch
North
28—3
1945
Auckland
South
31—19
1946
Wellington
North
8—3
1947
Invercargill
North
13—11
1948
Wellington
South
12—11
1949
Christchurch
North
23—3
1950
Auckland
North
10—8
1951
Wellington
North
14—12
1952
Dunedin
South
11—3
1953
Wellington
North
15—14
1954
Christchurch
North
13—9
1955
Wellington
North
15—9
1956
Wellington
South
13—11
1957
17 August
Auckland
North
19—3
1958
2 August
Dunedin
North
13—6
1959
Wellington
North
30—14
1960
Christchurch
South
26—11
1961
Wellington
North
25—3
1962
Christchurch
South
17—14
1963
Christchurch
South
14—13
1964
Auckland
North
12—9
1965
9 June
Wellington
North
25—14
1966
Hamilton
North
12—3
1967
Dunedin
North
17—6
1968
Christchurch
North
34—17
1969
Wellington
South
13—3
1970
12 September
Nelson
North
11—6
1971
New Plymouth
North
31—9
1972
15 July
Christchurch
North
19—8[ 1]
1973
Whangārei
North
27—14
1974
Auckland
North
22—0
1975
13 September
Christchurch
South
17—14
1976
11 September
Hamilton
South
20—16
1977
Dunedin
South
6—4
1978
New Plymouth
North
29—13
1979
11 August
Invercargill
North
9—3
1980
2 August
Palmerston North
North
13—9
1981
Dunedin
North
10—4
1982
10 July
Wanganui
South
22—12
1983
3 September
Blenheim
North
22—9
1984
Rotorua
North
39—3
1985
New Plymouth
North
29—12
1986
Oamaru
North
22-10
1987-94
Not played
1995
8 April
Dunedin
North
63-22
1996-2011
Not played
2012
10 June
Dunedin
South
32-24
2013-2019
Not played
2020
5 September
Wellington
South
38-35
Date
Winner
Venue
Result
Tries
Goals
Attendance
Reference
30 June 1897
North Island
Athletic Park , Wellington
16–3
North: W. Hardcastle , A. Humphries , W. Roberts South: P. Priest
North: A. Humphries (3)
N/A
[ 2]
13 September 1969
South Island
Athletic Park, Wellington
3–13
North: M. O'Callaghan South: I. Kirkpatrick , P. Gard
South: F. McCormick (3)
N/A
[ 3]
10 June 2012
South Island
Forsyth Barr Stadium , Dunedin
32–24
North: R. Robinson (2), S. Stowers South: K. Baker (2), T. Marshall , M. Todd , A. Whitelock
North: L. Munro (3), R. Robinson South: K. Baker (3)
7,427
[ 4]
5 September 2020
South Island
Sky Stadium , Wellington
38–35
North: R. Ioane (2), D. McKenzie , A. Smith , A. Dixon South: W. Jordan (2), N. Laulala , J. Barrett , T. Lomax
North: D. McKenzie (5) South: J. Barrett (6)
0
[ 5]
References
Lambert, M. and Palenski, R. 4th Air New Zealand Almanac , Moa Alamanac Press 1985. ISBN 0-908570-91-0
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