Rugby union in New Zealand editions (2000–2005), and again in 2007, 2008, and 2010–2014. New Zealand hosts one leg, the New Zealand International Sevens, at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. Rugby union in New Zealand Rugby union is the unofficial national sport of New Zealand. The national team, the All Blacks, ranks as the top international team in the world. The sport has been known in New Zealand from 1870. The top domestic competitions are the semi-professional ITM Cup and amateur Heartland Championship, and above them Super Rugby, in which New Zealand has five franchises. The country co-hosted and won the first ever Rugby World Cup
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium on the circuit schedule, and was held in late March/early April. After the 2014–15 series, Japan was removed from the schedule in favor of a return to former series host Singapore. Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium It will be demolished. The space will be used for a parking lot for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Meiji Jingu Stadium will be demolished and the space used to build a replacement rugby ground. The stadium currently can accommodate 27,188 spectators, but only part of the stands are covered. A large electronic scoreboard was added to the grounds as a step toward modernization before the fifth