The National Bank Cup, originally known as the Coca-Cola Cup, was the top level national New Zealand netball league between 1998 and 2007. The league was organised by Netball New Zealand. Between 1998 and 2001, it was sponsored by Coca-Cola. In 2002, the National Bank of New Zealand took over as the main sponsor. Otago Rebels were the inaugural premiers. However, Southern Sting, were subsequently the competition's most successful team. Sting played in all ten grand finals and won seven of the ten titles played for. Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic were the second most successful team, winning two premierships. Ahead of the 2008 season, the National Bank Cup league effectively merged with Australia's Commonwealth Bank Trophy to form the ANZ Championship.
Teams The ten founding members of the Coca-Cola Cup league were Auckland Diamonds, Bay of Plenty Magic, Capital Shakers, Canterbury Flames, Counties Manukau Cometz, Northern Force, Otago Rebels, Southern Sting, Waikato Wildcats and Western Flyers. After the inaugural 1997 season, Waikato Wildcats and Bay of Plenty Magic merged to form Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic. The league originally featured three teams from the Auckland Region – Auckland Diamonds, Counties Manukau Cometz and Northern Force. However, in 2003, Cometz were dropped from the league.
In 2008, when the National Bank Cup league was replaced by the ANZ Championship, Magic and Flames became founders of the new league. Flames were rebranded as Canterbury Tactix. The remaining six National Bank Cup teams were merged into three new teams. Southern Sting and Otago Rebels joined forces to become Southern Steel, Capital Shakers and Western Flyers merged as Central Pulse, while Auckland Diamonds and Northern Force became Northern Mystics. Magic are the only team from the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup era to have retained their original name.
2007 Team City/Suburb Region Home VenueAuckland DiamondsWaitakere CityAuckland RegionTrusts StadiumCapital ShakersWellingtonWellington RegionTSB Bank ArenaCanterbury FlamesChristchurchCanterbury/TasmanWestpac CentreNorthern ForceNorth ShoreAuckland RegionNorth Shore Events CentreOtago RebelsDunedinOtagoEdgar CentreSouthern StingInvercargillSouthlandStadium SouthlandWaikato Bay of Plenty MagicHamiltonWaikato/Bay of PlentyMystery Creek Events CentreWestern Flyers Hawke's Bay/Taranaki/Manawatū-Whanganui
Earlier teams Team City/Suburb Region Debut season Final seasonBay of Plenty MagicHamiltonBay of Plenty19981998 Counties Manukau CometzPapatoetoeCounties Manukau/Thames Valley19982003Waikato Wildcats Waikato19981998
Format Teams played a single round of matches, playing every other team once. The top four teams then qualified for the semi-finals.
History Inaugural champions With a team coached by Georgie Salter and featuring Belinda Blair, Belinda Colling, Victoria Edward, Adine Harper, Lesley Nicol, Anna Rowberry and Jo Steed, Otago Rebels finished the inaugural 1998 Coca-Cola Cup season as champions. In the grand-final they defeated Southern Sting 57–50.
Southern Sting Southern Sting were subsequently the league's most successful team. Between 1998 and 2007, Sting played in all ten grand finals and won seven of the ten titles played for. Between 1999 and 2004, Sting won six successive titles. The team was coached by Robyn Broughton and featured, among others, Donna Loffhagen, Bernice Mene, Belinda Colling, Tania Dalton, Lesley Nicol and Adine Harper. One reason behind Sting's success was that they were pioneers in women's professional sports. Bernice Mene was one of the first professional netball players in New Zealand. With Sting paying their players, they successfully recruited the best players from throughout New Zealand.
Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic The only team to challenge Southern Sting's monopoly was Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic. In 2005 and 2006, with a team coached by Noeline Taurua and featuring Amigene Metcalfe, Irene van Dyk, Casey Williams, Laura Langman and Joline Henry, Magic won two successive National Bank Cup titles. On both occasions they defeated Sting in the grand final.
Grand finals Coca-Cola Cup Season Winners Score Runners up Venue1998Otago Rebels57–50Southern StingEdgar Centre1999Southern Sting63–54Otago RebelsEdgar Centre2000Southern Sting43–40Canterbury FlamesStadium Southland2001Southern Sting47–44Canterbury FlamesStadium Southland
National Bank Cup Season Winners Score Runners up Venue2002Southern Sting54–48Canterbury FlamesStadium Southland2003Southern Sting51–49Northern ForceStadium Southland2004Southern Sting63–55Canterbury FlamesStadium Southland2005Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic65–39Southern StingStadium Southland2006Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic67–43Southern StingMystery Creek Events Centre2007Southern Sting50–49Northern ForceNorth Shore Events Centre
Minor premierships Season Winners 1998Otago Rebels 1999Otago Rebels 2000Southern Sting 2001Canterbury Flames ? 2002Southern Sting 2003Southern Sting 2004Southern Sting 2005 ? 2006Southern Sting 2007Southern Sting
Main sponsors Sponsors Seasons Coca-Cola1998–2001National Bank of New Zealand2002–2007
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