The 1954 New Zealand rugby league season was the 47th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.

International competitions

New Zealand lost a Test series to Great Britain 1–2. New Zealand included;

Des White Desmond Henry White (born 1927) is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and 1950s. A record-breaking goal-kicking , he was named amongst the country's finest players of the 20th century. His total for ...

Cyril Eastlake Cyril Aston Eastlake (21 August 1930 – 30 September 2007) was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his nation in the sport. He captained New Zealand at the 1954 World Cup and also played at the 1960 World Cup. Early years Eastl ...

Ron McKay Ron McKay is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand national rugby league team, New Zealand in the 1954 Rugby League World Cup, 1954 World Cup. Playing career McKay played in the Taranaki Rugby League competition ...

Tommy Baxter Thomas Owen Baxter (c. 1930 – 26 May 2014) was a New Zealand former rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand in twenty nine tests between 1949 and 1956. In 2007 he was named in the New Zealand Rugby League's Team of the Century. Pl ...

, Jimmy Edwards, George Menzies, captain Jimmy Haig, Cliff Johnson, Roy Roff, Bill McLennan, John Bond,

Frank Mulcare Frank Mulcare is a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand national rugby league team, New Zealand. Playing career Born in Ngahere, Mulcare was a farmer. Mulcare played for the Ngahere club and represented the West Coast ru ...

Alister Atkinson Alister James Atkinson (1925-2002) was a New Zealand rugby union and professional rugby league footballer who played representative rugby league (RL) for New Zealand in the 1954 World Cup. His position of preference was at Loose forward. Play ...

Ron Ackland Ronald Charles Ackland (27 December 1934 − 25 October 2013) was a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and Coach (sport), coached in the 1960s and 1970s, who represented New Zealand nation ...

Vern Bakalich Vernon Andrew Neville Bakalich (8 July 1929 – 21 November 2015) was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand in the 1957 World Cup. Playing career Bakalich played for Richmond in the Auckland Rugby League competition and w ...

Bill Sorensen William Sorensen was a New Zealand rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand national rugby league team, New Zealand in the 1954 Rugby League World Cup, 1954, 1957 Rugby League World Cup, 1957 and 1960 Rugby League World Cup, 1960 World ...

Lory Blanchard David Lory Blanchard (4 September 1924 – 1 January 2013) was a New Zealand rugby union and professional rugby league football player who played representative rugby league (RL) for New Zealand in the 1954 World Cup and coached them at ...

Jock Butterfield John Rutherford "Jock" Butterfield (18 January 1932 – 14 February 2004) was a New Zealand rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He was named amongst the finest that New Zealand produced during the 20th century. A New Zeala ...

and Jim Austin.

Wingham Park Wingham Park is a rugby league stadium in Greymouth, New Zealand. The ground is owned by the West Coast Rugby League. History Wingham Park is the home of rugby league on the West Coast and hosts the West Coast Rugby League grand final each year. ...

hosted one of the matches, its only test to date. With a capacity of 4000 it became the smallest test venue in the world. Auckland defeated Great Britain 5–4 at Carlaw Park while Canterbury lost 60–14 to the Lions and the

South Island The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...

lost 11–32.Coffey, John. ''Canterbury XIII'', Christchurch, 1987. The Auckland match was a rough match which resulted in

Nat Silcock Nathan Silcock (first ¼ 1904 – fourth ¼ 1967) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England, Rugby League XIII and Lancashire, and at club ...

and Jack Wilkinson being sent off and a serious spleen injury to

from an illegal

Doug Greenall Douglas Greenall (7 June 1927 – 23 December 2007) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and coached in the 1960s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England, English Le ...

tackle. Auckland included

, Jim Austin,

, Jimmy Edwards,

Len Eriksen Len Eriksen is a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand in the 1954 World Cup. Playing career A Ponsonby player in the Auckland Rugby League competition. Eriksen was part of the Auckland side who defeated Great Britain 5-4 ...

Joe Ratima Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage * ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from 1966 to 1971 * ''Joe'', a 2002 Canadian animated ...

, Roy Roff, Cliff Johnson,

Doug Richards-Jolley Doug Richards-Jolley is a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand. Playing career Richards-Jolley played for the Ponsonby club in the Auckland Rugby League competition and represented Auckland. In 1951 he was selected to pl ...

, John Yates and

Ian Grey Ian Grey (5 May 1918 – 5 June 1996) was a New Zealand-born historian of Russian history. Biography He began his career as a lawyer, a member of the New South Wales Bar (law), Bar. In 1941 he joined the Royal Australian Navy, Australian navy a ...

. The

included Cliff Harris, Keith Roberts, Les McNicol, George Menzies, Jimmy Haig, Bill McLennan,

, John Bond,

and

. The Kiwis then competed in the first ever World Cup, losing matches to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, Great Britain and France. The Kiwis toured the United States on their way back from the World Cup. New Zealand were coached by Jim Amos and included Doug Anderson, Jimmy Edwards,

Neville Denton Neville Leon Denton (22 July 1934 – 27 March 2015) was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand in the 1954 and 1960 World Cup. Playing career Denton, an Auckland representative, played in 13 test matches for the New Z ...

, Jim Austin,

, captain

, George Menzies,

, John Bond, Cliff Johnson, Bill McLennan,

, George McDonald, John Yates, vice-captain

and

. After the World Cup New Zealand played a Test match against Australia at Hilton Park in Wigan, losing 18–5. They then played two exhibition matches against Australia on the way home, in Los Angeles and Long Beach, California.

National competitions

Northern Union Cup

Auckland again held the Northern Union Cup at the end of the season.

Inter-district competition

Auckland toured the South Island in June, defeating Canterbury 35-15 and the

West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to: Geography Australia * Western Australia *Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia * West Coast, Tasmania **West Coast Range, mountain range in the region Canada * Britis ...

30–14 at

. It was the first time Auckland had defeated the West Coast at home since before World War Two.Coffey, John and Bernie Wood ''Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909–2009'', 2009. . Auckland included Cliff Johnson,

, Jim Austin,

and

. Canterbury included

, Trevor Kilkelly,

, John Bond, Mel Cooke, Cyril Paskell and Joe Curtain. The West Coast included George Menzies.

Club competitions

Auckland

Ponsonby won the

Auckland Rugby League 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, including both club and school rugby league. It began in 1910 when the fi ...

's Fox Memorial Trophy.Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1990 ''New Zealand Rugby League'', 1990. p. 72 They also shared the Rukutai Shield with Mt Albert while North Shore won the Roope Rooster and Stormont Shield.

Wellington

Korodale won the

Wellington Rugby League Wellington Rugby League is the local sporting body responsible for the administration of Rugby league in the Greater Wellington region. It is responsible for the local competition of the same name, as well as its representative team, the Wellingto ...

's Appleton Shield.

Canterbury

Sydenham won the Canterbury Rugby League's Massetti Cup.

played for Sydenham.

Other Competitions

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1954 New Zealand Rugby League Season Rugby league season