Recreation

Rugby League

League team

The All Blacks League team of 1911 which toured Australia [1911]

Rugby League has been played for more than 100 years in New Zealand, and as with many sports, the World Cup is a coveted trophy.

Competitions

In Christchurch there is a long tradition of rugby league at club level, as well as interprovincial competitions. The Canterbury Rugby League website has news, draws, ground locations and more information for those wanting to play the game locally.

In recent years it is the Australian NRL competiton, featuring the New Zealand Warriors, that has dominated the sport for fans. The team will play the Roosters in Christchurch on March 16 at AMI Stadium.

Find a club

If you are interested in learning to play rugby league in Christchurch, local clubs can be found on CINCH, our community information directory. Canterbury Rugby League can also help you out with more information.

History

Rugby League has a fascinating history in Aotearoa. John Coffey and Bernie Wood’s book 100 years: Māori Rugby League, 1908-2008 provides a comprehensive account of Maori league and is well worth a read.

Rugby League Football from Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand provides an interesting history and tells the tale of a touring team that left New Zealand before the game was played in this country.

A good selection of rugby league resources can also be found in our libraries.

2008 World Cup

The Kiwis, our national league team, are the current world champions after they won the 2008 World Cup, beating arch-rivals Australia 32-20. It is the first time since 1975 that any team other than Australia have won the competition. View the match statistics from the official website. New Zealand will hold the cup until 2013 when the next tournament takes place.

The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was contested by ten teams. Australia, England, France, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand were given automatic entry. The other five countries Fiji, Ireland, Samoa, Scotland and Tonga qualified. It was the 13th Rugby League World Cup.

The Rugby League World Cup was first contested in 1954, and has changed format several times over the years. More details are available on the Official Rugby League World Cup website.

Rugby League resources

Our online resources

Internet Gateway

Resources in our libraries