Taranaki Rugby League is the local sporting body responsible for the administration of Rugby league in the Taranaki region 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...

. The TRL are represented by the Taranaki rugby league team

Taranaki rugby league team

The Taranaki rugby league team are New Zealand rugby league team that represents the Taranaki Rugby League. They have been nicknamed the Rockets, Sharks and Wildcats.-1908:...

. They are in the Mid-Central zone along with the Manawatu Rugby League

Manawatu Rugby League

Manawatu Rugby League was formed in 1957. They are currently part of the Mid-Central zone along with Taranaki Rugby League.-Kiwi Players:Only one player from Manawatu has ever made the New Zealand Kiwis. This was Kiwi number 456, Dick Uluave, who played two tests in 1979.-National Competitions:In...

.

Regional Senior Competition

Five Taranaki senior clubs compete in the Western Alliance, alongside five clubs from the Manawatu-Wanganui

Manawatu-Wanganui

Manawatu-Wanganui is a region in the lower half of the North Island of New Zealand, around the cities of Palmerston North and Whanganui. It is administered by the Horizons Regional Council.-Administration:...

 region.
Taranaki clubs in the Western Alliance include:

• Coastal Cobras
• Bell Block Marist
• Hawera Hawks
• Waitara Bears
• Western Suburbs

History

The Taranaki Rugby League was founded with the help of Adam Lile

Adam Lile

Adam "Addie" Lile was a New Zealand rugby footballer who was part of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain.-Early years:...

, one of the members of the 1907-1908 "All Golds" tour.

In 2008 the Taranaki Rugby League named its Team of the Century: Dave Watson

Dave Watson (rugby league)

David Thomas Watson is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country in the 1980s and 1990s.-Playing career:...

; Babe Hooker

Gordon Hooker

Gordon Hooker was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country in 1909.-Playing career:Hooker represented Taranaki in 1908 and was selected to tour Australia for New Zealand in 1909, where he played in two Test matches.-References:...

; Ron McKay

Ron McKay

Ron McKay is a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country in the 1954 World Cup.-Playing career:McKay played in the Taranaki Rugby League competition and represented Taranaki...

; Willie Talau

Willie Talau

Viliamu Talau is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays for English club Salford City Reds of Super League...

; Ernest Buckland; Tony Kemp

Tony Kemp

Tony Kemp is a former New Zealand rugby league test representative and former coach of the New Zealand Warriors. He currently is a commentator for Māori Televisions coverage of the Auckland Rugby League competition and also serves on the NZRL Board.-Early years:Kemp was born in Whangarei but...

; Issac Luke

Issac Luke

Issac Luke is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer for the South Sydney Rabbitohs of the National Rugby League. His position of choice is either hooker or in the halves. His first-grade debut was for the South Sydney Rabbitohs against the Melbourne Storm at Olympic Park in round 12...

; Bruce Gall; Howie Tamati

Howie Tamati

Howard Kevin Tamati, MBE, is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer and coach who played for his country. He is the cousin of fellow international Kevin Tamati.-Playing career:Tamati played for Wigan between 1983 and 1984...

; Wille Southorn; Graeme West

Graeme West

Graeme Leonard West is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer and coach. Standing at six-foot, five inches, he played in the forwards, captaining English club Wigan...

; Adam Lile

Adam Lile

Adam "Addie" Lile was a New Zealand rugby footballer who was part of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain.-Early years:...

; Barry Harvey

Barry Harvey

Barry Kenneth Harvey is a New Zealand former rugby league player who represented his country in three Test matches, including matches that counted towards the 1988 World Cup.-Playing career:...

. Bench: Jack McLeod; Fred White; Lance Moir; Jim Parker; Charles Hunt

Cliff Hunt

Charles Clifford Hunt was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country.-Playing career:Hunt played for Taranaki and in 1935 was selected to represent New Zealand against Australia. He played in the second and third Test matches in the series, scoring two tries.In 2008 he was named...

.

Referee of the century: Graham Church. Coach of the century: Alan Marshall. Player of the century: Wille Southorn.

Lion Red Cup

Between 1994 and 1996, the Taranaki region was represented by the Taranaki Rockets in the Lion Red Cup

Lion 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...

 competition. The Rockets were notable for having Willie Talau

Willie Talau

Viliamu Talau is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays for English club Salford City Reds of Super League...

 on their roster, who now competes in the European Super League

Super League

Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...

 with St. Helens.

Season	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Position	Finals
1994	22	10	1	11	481	536
21	Sixth	N/A
1995	22	2	1	19	339	770
5	Eleventh	N/A
1996	22	11	0	11	516	438	33	22	Seventh	N/A

Bartercard Cup

Taranaki was represented in the Bartercard Cup

Bartercard 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...

 competition for two years by the Taranaki Wildcats. They finished in last place both seasons, before folding at the completion of the 2003 season.

Season	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Position (Teams)	Finals
2002	16	2	2	12	334	636
6	Wooden Spoon (Twelve)	N/A
2003	16	1	0	15	262	932
2	Wooden Spoon (Twelve)	N/A

National Provincial Competition

Taranaki Rugby League were awarded a place in the new six-team National Provincial Competition which began in 2008. In the first season the team finished in sixth place.

Season	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Position	Finals
2008	5	0	0	5	96	262
0	Sixth	N/A
2009	5	1	0	4	86	212	-126	2	Fifth	N/A