Region
The team represents the provincial unions of Bay of Plenty, Counties Manukau, King Country, Thames Valley and Waikato. Originally the Chiefs also represented North Harbour and Northland, because when the Super 12 was created in 1995, a large contingent of New Zealand players came from Auckland, North Harbour and Counties Manukau.
Had the Auckland Blues been allowed to represent Auckland, North Harbour, Counties Manukau and Northland, they would have in effect been able to play a team of All Blacks in all but name. In an effort by the NZRU to make things more fair, the Chiefs were given North Harbour and Northland, while the Blues were given Counties Manukau and Thames Valley. By 1999, clear regional All Blacks dominance no longer existed, so the Chiefs arranged a swap with the Blues. North Harbour and Northland were "returned" to the Blues in exchange for Counties Manukau and Thames Valley.
Read more about this topic: Chiefs (rugby Union)
Famous quotes containing the word region:
“the Mind of Man—
My haunt, and the main region of my song.”
—William Wordsworth (1770–1850)
“I was with Hercules and Cadmus once,
When in a wood of Crete they bayed the bear
With hounds of Sparta: never did I hear
Such gallant chiding; for besides the groves,
The skies, the fountains, every region near
Seemed all one mutual cry. I never heard
So musical a discord, such sweet thunder.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“He was a superior man. He did not value his bodily life in comparison with ideal things. He did not recognize unjust human laws, but resisted them as he was bid. For once we are lifted out of the trivialness and dust of politics into the region of truth and manhood.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)