Auckland Rugby League
Encyclopedia
The Auckland Rugby League (ARL) is the governing body for the sport
of rugby league
in the Auckland Region
of New Zealand
. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park
, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".
as New Zealand's governing body for the game of rugby league.
In 2009, the ARL celebrated its centenary.
Auckland's premier competition is the Fox Memorial Shield, competed for by Premier One teams. This has been contested since 1910. There are two other divisions below the Premier grade, namely the Sharman Cup which is fought for by Premier Two teams and the Phelan Shield, played for by Premier Three teams. The first part of the season consists of the Lion Red Fox Memorial Preliminary Series before sides are graded into the Fox Memorial and Sharman Cup. Grade three teams automatically enter the Phelan Shield. The winner of the round robin in the premier One division wins the Rukutai Shield. Other key trophies include the Roope Rooster which has been competed for since 1915, while a Champion of Champions was also awarded from 1925 until recent decades. Since 2006 the Roope Rooster has been contested as a Challenge trophy.
and Maritime merged to become Ponsonby-Maritime (now known simply as Ponsonby Ponies). Navy merged with North Shore to become 'Navy/North Shore'. Other teams to cease include Grafton, Devonport, Western United, Eastern United, Southern Districts and Northern Districts.
For a list of the major trophies awarded for in Auckland club Rugby League go to Auckland Club Rugby League Trophies (this includes player awards as well as team awards).
.
Auckland famously beat Australia, England and France in the space of 21 days in 1977. A feat which the Warriors commemorated by wearing replica strips in their Round 24 clash with the Manly Sea Eagles on the 26th of August, 2007. Happily, the Warriors won 36-14 in front of a packed Mount Smart Stadium.
Auckland also beat the touring Australian side in 1989 by 26 points to 24 at Carlaw Park.
Auckland represented New Zealand for most years in the Australian midweek competition (see Amco Cup
) in the 1970s and 1980s. Central Districts, Canterbury, Wellington, and South Island also fielded teams http://www2.hunterlink.net.au/~maajjs/aus/nsw/sum/nsw1981.htm.
Auckland representative sides traditionally wear a blue jersey with a white double 'V', in the same style of the New Zealand Kiwis jersey but with blue instead of black, this is still the jersey worn by the Auckland Vulcans
NSW Cup team (see below).
was started in 1994 Auckland was originally represented by four teams. The Auckland City Vulcans
, The Waitakere City Raiders
, The Counties Manukau Heroes and the North Harbour Sea Eagles
. In 1995 the Vulcans were replaced by the Auckland Warriors Colts. In 1996 Auckland City did not compete.
however in its final seasons before it ceased to run Auckland was represented by the Auckland Lions
, Waitakere Rangers
, Harbour League
, Counties Manukau Jetz and the Tamaki Titans.
when they were entered into the 1995 Winfield Cup, run by the Australian Rugby League
. The club is based at Ericsson Stadium
. By 1998 the club had yet to experience any success and so was sold to a consortium including the Tainui
tribe.
participate in the NSW Cup. In 2007 they were known as the Auckland Lions
.
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
of rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
in the Auckland Region
Auckland Region
The Auckland Region was one of the sixteen regions of New Zealand, named for the city of Auckland, the country's largest urban area. With one third of the nation's residents, it was by far the biggest population and economy of any region of New Zealand, but the second-smallest land area.On 1...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park
Carlaw Park
Carlaw Park was a multi-purpose stadium in Parnell, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand.-History:The stadium's grandstands and terraces were built in 1916, and it became the home of rugby league in Auckland from 1921...
, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".
History
The Auckland Rugby League was recognised by England's Northern Rugby Football UnionRugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
as New Zealand's governing body for the game of rugby league.
In 2009, the ARL celebrated its centenary.
Club competitions
For a full list of all past winners go to Auckland Club Rugby League Trophies.Auckland's premier competition is the Fox Memorial Shield, competed for by Premier One teams. This has been contested since 1910. There are two other divisions below the Premier grade, namely the Sharman Cup which is fought for by Premier Two teams and the Phelan Shield, played for by Premier Three teams. The first part of the season consists of the Lion Red Fox Memorial Preliminary Series before sides are graded into the Fox Memorial and Sharman Cup. Grade three teams automatically enter the Phelan Shield. The winner of the round robin in the premier One division wins the Rukutai Shield. Other key trophies include the Roope Rooster which has been competed for since 1915, while a Champion of Champions was also awarded from 1925 until recent decades. Since 2006 the Roope Rooster has been contested as a Challenge trophy.
Junior clubs
Other clubs only run junior programmes. These include the Rodney Rams, Pukekohe Pythons & Waiheke Rams.Defunct or merged clubs
City and Newton merged in the early 1900s. City Newton later merged with Pt Chevalier to become 'City-Pt Chevalier'. PonsonbyPonsonby, New Zealand
Ponsonby is an inner-city suburb of Auckland City located 2 km west of the Auckland CBD, in the North Island of New Zealand. The suburb is oriented along a ridge running north-south, which is followed by the main street of the suburb, Ponsonby Road....
and Maritime merged to become Ponsonby-Maritime (now known simply as Ponsonby Ponies). Navy merged with North Shore to become 'Navy/North Shore'. Other teams to cease include Grafton, Devonport, Western United, Eastern United, Southern Districts and Northern Districts.
Senior club trophies
The Fox Memorial is awarded to the grand final winner in Premier One. The Rukutai Shield is awarded to the team in first place at the end of the regular season in Premier One. The Roope Rooster was traditionally a pre-season knockout competition but changed format in 2006 (see below). The Stormont Shield is a champion of champions playoff between the Fox Memorial and Roope Rooster winners. The Kiwi Shield is awarded to the Premier One club with the most points scored from Premiers (x3) and Reserves (x1).For a list of the major trophies awarded for in Auckland club Rugby League go to Auckland Club Rugby League Trophies (this includes player awards as well as team awards).
Current champions
| Fox Memorial | Roope Rooster | Sharman Cup | Phelan Shield | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Otahuhu | Otahuhu | East Coast Bays | Pt Chev |
Roope Rooster
In 2006 the Roope Rooster was successfully defended eleven times by the Mt Albert LionsMt Albert Lions
The Mount Albert Lions are a rugby league club based in Mount Albert, New Zealand. The Lions home ground is at Fowlds Park. Their patron is the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark. In 2008 and 2009 the Lions won the Fox Memorial....
.
| Year | Holders |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Mt Albert (11) |
| 2007 | Te Atatu (3) (17 March - 9 June), Richmond (3) (9 June - 8 July), East Coast Bays (8 July - 2008) |
| 2008 | Northcote, Mt Albert |
| 2009 | Mt Albert, Northcote (? - 16 August), Otahuhu (16 August - present) |
Representative team
Auckland has played against several touring teams over the years though once the Auckland Warriors started playing in 1995 it diluted the standard of the side and they have not played against full international sides in recent years.Auckland famously beat Australia, England and France in the space of 21 days in 1977. A feat which the Warriors commemorated by wearing replica strips in their Round 24 clash with the Manly Sea Eagles on the 26th of August, 2007. Happily, the Warriors won 36-14 in front of a packed Mount Smart Stadium.
Auckland also beat the touring Australian side in 1989 by 26 points to 24 at Carlaw Park.
Auckland represented New Zealand for most years in the Australian midweek competition (see Amco Cup
Amco Cup
The Amco Cup was a mid-week rugby league competition held in Australia between 1974 and 1989. The format was usually a straight knock-out, but various group formats were used between 1979 and 1982...
) in the 1970s and 1980s. Central Districts, Canterbury, Wellington, and South Island also fielded teams http://www2.hunterlink.net.au/~maajjs/aus/nsw/sum/nsw1981.htm.
Auckland representative sides traditionally wear a blue jersey with a white double 'V', in the same style of the New Zealand Kiwis jersey but with blue instead of black, this is still the jersey worn by the Auckland Vulcans
Auckland Vulcans
The Auckland Vulcans are an Auckland based rugby league club that participates in the New South Wales Cup. They are administered by the Rugby League Development Foundation. The team is selected from the Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial Competition and also uses Warriors squad members not...
NSW Cup team (see below).
Lion Red Cup
When the Lion Red CupLion Red Cup
The Lion Red Cup was a New Zealand domestic rugby league competition that ran from 1994-1996 sponsored by brewers Lion Nathan. It was created due to the increase in public awareness of domestic rugby league due to the Auckland Warriors being accepted into the Winfield Cup. The competition was a...
was started in 1994 Auckland was originally represented by four teams. The Auckland City Vulcans
Auckland City Vulcans
For the current NSW Cup team see Auckland VulcansThe Auckland City Vulcans were a New Zealand rugby league club that represented Auckland City in the 1994 Lion Red Cup...
, The Waitakere City Raiders
Waitakere City Raiders
The Waitakere City Raiders were a New Zealand rugby league club that represented Waitakere City in the Lion Red Cup from 1994 to 1996.-Notable players:...
, The Counties Manukau Heroes and the North Harbour Sea Eagles
North Harbour Sea Eagles
The North Harbour Sea Eagles were a New Zealand rugby league club that represented North Harbour in the Lion Red Cup from 1994 to 1996. For the first two seasons they were coached by Graeme Norton....
. In 1995 the Vulcans were replaced by the Auckland Warriors Colts. In 1996 Auckland City did not compete.
- North Harbour won the competition in 1994 & 1995.
- Counties-Manukau won the competition in 1996 and was runner up in 1994.
- Auckland was runner up in 1995 & Waitakere was runner up in 1996.
Bartercard Cup
Previously Auckland has had a large representation in the Bartercard CupBartercard Cup
The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...
however in its final seasons before it ceased to run Auckland was represented by the Auckland Lions
Auckland Lions
The Auckland Lions were a rugby league club that had teams in both the New Zealand Bartercard Cup and the NSWRL Premier League. They were mostly based around the Mt Albert Lions Rugby League club...
, Waitakere Rangers
Waitakere Rangers
The Waitakere Rangers were a franchise in the now defunct Bartercard Cup rugby league competition in New Zealand. They represented five clubs based in Waitakere City including the Glenora Bears who previously represented the City in the Bartercard Cup. The other four clubs were the Waitemata...
, Harbour League
Harbour League
Harbour League were a franchise in the now defunct Bartercard Cup rugby league competition in New Zealand. They represented Aucklands North Shore City...
, Counties Manukau Jetz and the Tamaki Titans.
- The Mt Albert LionsMt Albert LionsThe Mount Albert Lions are a rugby league club based in Mount Albert, New Zealand. The Lions home ground is at Fowlds Park. Their patron is the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark. In 2008 and 2009 the Lions won the Fox Memorial....
won the competition in 2002, 2004 & 2005. - The Hibiscus Coast RaidersHibiscus Coast RaidersThe Hibiscus Coast Raiders are a rugby league club based on the Hibiscus Coast, New Zealand. They compete in Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition and between 2000 and 2005 were also involved in the Bartercard Cup competition.-History:...
won the competition in 2001. - The Auckland LionsAuckland LionsThe Auckland Lions were a rugby league club that had teams in both the New Zealand Bartercard Cup and the NSWRL Premier League. They were mostly based around the Mt Albert Lions Rugby League club...
won the competition in 2006 & 2007.
Bartercard Premiership
With the folding of the Bartercard Cup, Auckland was awarded a place in the new six-team Bartercard Premiership, beginning in 2008.The Auckland Warriors
Auckland Rugby League originally owned the Auckland WarriorsNew Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
when they were entered into the 1995 Winfield Cup, run by the Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
. The club is based at Ericsson Stadium
Mt Smart Stadium
Mt Smart Stadium, formerly Ericsson Stadium, is a stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the home ground of National Rugby League team, the New Zealand Warriors...
. By 1998 the club had yet to experience any success and so was sold to a consortium including the Tainui
Tainui
Tainui is a tribal waka confederation of New Zealand Māori iwi. The Tainui confederation comprises four principal related Māori iwi of the central North Island of New Zealand: Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa and Waikato...
tribe.
The Auckland Vulcans
Run by the Rugby League Development Foundation, the Auckland VulcansAuckland Vulcans
The Auckland Vulcans are an Auckland based rugby league club that participates in the New South Wales Cup. They are administered by the Rugby League Development Foundation. The team is selected from the Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial Competition and also uses Warriors squad members not...
participate in the NSW Cup. In 2007 they were known as the Auckland Lions
Auckland Lions
The Auckland Lions were a rugby league club that had teams in both the New Zealand Bartercard Cup and the NSWRL Premier League. They were mostly based around the Mt Albert Lions Rugby League club...
.
See also
- Rugby League in New ZealandRugby league in New ZealandRugby league in New Zealand dates back to the very beginning of the sport in England. It is today a popular team sport played in New Zealand with participation and interest considered to be concentrated in the Auckland region. There are around 22,000 registered rugby league players in New...
- Bartercard CupBartercard CupThe Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...
- New Zealand Rugby LeagueNew Zealand Rugby LeagueThe New Zealand Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. The NZRL was founded on the 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year....
- National Rugby LeagueNational Rugby LeagueThe National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
- New Zealand WarriorsNew Zealand WarriorsThe New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
- New Zealand Rugby LeagueNew Zealand Rugby LeagueThe New Zealand Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. The NZRL was founded on the 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year....