NZR is committed to ensuring rugby is free of all forms of corruption and ensuring the game remains an honest test of skill and ability.
NZR's Anti-Corruption and Betting Regulations are aligned with the World Rugby's Regulation 6 and feature a set of measures and sanctions to apply across the Game at International level and Contracted Player level. All persons involved in the Game at those levels are required to comply with the World Rugby and NZR regulations. In the case of New Zealand, NZR regulations also apply at Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship, Farah Palmer Cup and National Sevens Tournament level in relation to those players betting on their own competitions.
Prohibited forms of betting
The simple message is that everyone involved in professional, semi-professional or any Rugby where players are paid, including team-mates and opposition, coaches and management (termed 'Connected Persons') are prohibited from betting on all forms of rugby anywhere in the world.
At Bunnings Warehouse Heartland Championship, Farah Palmer Cup and National Sevens Tournament level, betting is permitted on all rugby except these three competitions.
Other Offences
Connected Persons must not:
What is considered a breach of anti-corruption regulations?
There are two categories of Anti-Corruption Breach:
(a) Prohibited Betting Breach; and
(b) Anti-Corruption Breach.
A Connected Person is considered to have committed a Prohibited Betting Breach if he/she engages in and/or attempts to engage in any of the conduct set out in Regulation 1.3.1 (Prohibited Betting); and he/she does not simultaneously commit an Anti-Corruption Breach.
A Connected Person is considered to have committed an Anti-Corruption Breach if he/she engages in and/or Attempts to engage in any of the conduct set out in Regulations 1.3.2 (Corruption Related to Match/spot Fixing), 1.3.3 (Misuse of Inside Information), 1.3.4 (General corruption offences), or in more serious breaches of 1.3.5(f) (failure to report) Provisions
Who is covered by the regulations?
New Zealand Rugby's regulations cover basically everyone involved in rugby in any way at the international, professional, semi-professional and any other levels of the game where players are paid.
For New Zealand, these rules cover everyone connected with the game - including all international players, all professional players and all other contracted players, also including the Heartland Championship, Farah Palmer Cup and National Sevens Tournaments. It also applies to agents, match officials, disciplinary personnel, coaches, analysts, health professionals, selectors, personnel, team officials, and owners, directors and personnel of Unions, clubs, rugby bodies and associations, involved in professional or semi-professional rugby.
Find out more about the anti-corruption regulations.
For more information on the international regulations, including education, sample scenarios, case studies and what it means for you, visit Keep Rugby Onside, World Rugby's integrity website: http://integrity.worldrugby.org/
In partnership with Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ) we support our players to perform without the use of performance enhancing drugs and methods, and report any suspicious activity.
The Prohibited List is published by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) every year, showing all substances and methods which are prohibited or banned in sport. A substance or method may be included on the list if it meets any two of the following criteria:
As well as supporting the work of the New Zealand Sports Anti-Doping agency and its international partners, New Zealand Rugby supports Keep Rugby Clean, an international initiative aimed at keeping rugby free of drugs and doping.
View the List of Anti-Doping decisions
Many medications contain substances which are prohibited in sport. Any athlete who is sick or injured needs to carefully consider the medications they take to ensure they avoid prohibited substances.To check whether a medication is permitted in sport, please visit the Medication page on the DFSNZ website.
Athletes who need to take a medication which is prohibited in sport may need to apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) before taking the medication in question.
There are many dietary or sports supplements on the market that claim to improve performance, recovery, weight loss or muscle development. Some of these supplements can contain substances which are prohibited in sport and may not accurately label ingredients. Athletes should carefully assess their need for supplements and carefully research the supplements they choose to take.
NZR is involved in the development and distribution of rugby-related rules and regulations.
NZR supports the ‘food first’ message that Players should consume a varied, nutrient rich and complete diet, based largely around whole natural foods replete in carbohydrate, protein, quality fats and micronutrients. NZR recognises that in addition to a complete diet the use of Supplements will occur and that it is important that such use is in accordance with best practice to minimise the risk of adverse consequences. Adverse consequences include risks to the health or performance of the Player, and risks that an Anti-Doping Rule Violation may occur.
Find advice on mitigating supplement risks using DFSNZ's Supplement Decision-Making Guide.
Both NZR and New Zealand professional rugby players consider that use of illicit (illegal / recreational) drugs by persons involved in professional rugby is contrary to the best interests of the sport in New Zealand, and those persons themselves. As well as being illegal, use of illicit drugs, either casually or habitually can have significant health risks.