The 1962 New Zealand rugby league season was the 55th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.

International competitions

New Zealand defeated Great Britain 2–0 in a Test series. New Zealand won the Test matches 19-0 and 27–8, both at Carlaw Park. New Zealand were captained by Mel Cooke and included Tony Smith, Brian Reidy,

Reese Griffiths Reese Kenneth Griffiths (25 December 1937 – 16 September 2016) was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand in the 1957 and 1960 World Cups. Playing career Griffiths played in the outside backs for Runanga in the We ...

, Graham Kennedy,

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 ...

Bill Snowden William Andrew Snowden (May 6, 1910 – February 2, 1959) was a NASCAR driver from St. Augustine, Florida, USA. He was one of the racers whose career was interrupted by World War II. He was nicknamed "Wild Bill" and the "Florida Hurricane". Sno ...

, Jim Bond,

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 ...

Maunga Emery Hone Komanga "Maunga" Emery (2 April 1933 – 1 September 2011) was a New Zealand rugby footballer who represented New Zealand in rugby league and the New Zealand Māori in rugby union. Rugby union career Emery represented between 1954 and ...

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 ...

, Sam Edwards,

Roger Bailey Charles Roger Bailey (born October 3, 1970) is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played for the Colorado Rockies from 1995 to 1997. A native of Chattahoochee, Florida, Bailey attended Chattahoochee High School, ...

Jack Fagan John Edward "Jack" Fagan (21 June 1933 – 30 November 2015) was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand. Playing career Fagan played for Ponsonby and represented Auckland. He was part of the Auckland side that defea ...

and Don Hammond. Great Britain defeated the Bay of Plenty 81-14 and Canterbury 26–5. Auckland defeated Great Britain 46–13 on 13 August at Carlaw Park. This was the first televised rugby league match in New Zealand as one hour of edited highlights were shown on AKTV2 that night, other regional channels showed the highlights the following week.Coffey, John. ''Canterbury XIII'', Christchurch, 1987. Auckland included; Gary Phillips, Brian Reidy,

, captain

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 ...

Doug Ellwood Doug Ellwood is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand in the 1968 World Cup. Playing career Ellwood originally played for Ellerslie. During the Auckland Rugby League's "district era" he represented Eastern ...

Rata Harrison Rata Wiremu Harrison (3 January 1935 – 30 April 2013) was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand. He was the brother of fellow New Zealand international Billy Harrison. Playing career Harrison played for Auckland.Coffey ...

John Lasher John Dufty Lasher (15 November 1932 – 17 June 2015) was a New Zealand rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand. Playing career Lasher played for Richmond and represented Auckland. In 1956 he was part of the New Zealand national rugb ...

Graham Mattson Graham Victor Mattson is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer, and coach who represented New Zealand and later coached Tonga. Playing career Mattson was a Point Chevalier Pirates player in the Auckland Rugby League competition and also ...

, Arthur Carson,

and

Bruce Castle Bruce Castle (formerly the Lordship House) is a Grade I listed 16th-century manor house in Lordship Lane, Tottenham, London. It is named after the House of Bruce who formerly owned the land on which it is built. Believed to stand on the site o ...

.Coffey, John and Bernie Wood ''Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909–2009'', 2009. . Mel Cooke won the New Zealand Rugby League's player of the year award.Sky Rugby League Annual '98 ''New Zealand Rugby League'', 1998 Ron McGregor was first elected to the New Zealand Rugby League's board, serving as the minor league's delegate.

National competitions

Northern Union Cup

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 ...

held the Northern Union Cup at the end of the season after they had defeated Canterbury 6–4 to win the trophy. Canterbury had been reduced to 12 men for the last 35 minutes of the match due to injury. Earlier in the season, Canterbury had defeated Auckland 16–13 on

Queen's Birthday The King's Official Birthday (alternatively the Queen's Official Birthday when the monarch is female) is the selected day in the United Kingdom and most Commonwealth realms on which the birthday of the monarch is officially celebrated in those ...

Monday to win the trophy. It was the first time Canterbury had defeated Auckland since 1925.1912 – 2009
''Significant Results in Canterbury Rugby League''

Inter-island competition

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 ...

defeated the

North Island The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...

10–0 at the Show Grounds. The South Island included John Hibbs, Jim Bond, George Menzies,

, Mita Mohi, Pat White and Mel Cooke.

Inter-district competition

Canterbury included Tony Smith, John Bray, George H Turner, Mita Mohi, captain Mel Cooke, Jim Bond, John Walshe, Allen Amer, Gary Blackler, Pat White and

Bob Irvine Robert (Bob) Samuel John Irvine is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand. Playing career Irvine played at halfback for Canterbury and the South Island.Coffey, John. ''Canterbury XIII'', Christchurch, 1987. He ...

. Auckland included Brian Reidy,

Reg Cooke Reg Cooke is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand in the 1960 World Cup. Playing career Cooke originally played in the Waikato Rugby League competition and represented Waikato. In 1960 he was selected for th ...

, Ken McCracken,

Brian Campbell Brian Wesley Campbell (born May 23, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for the Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the Stanl ...

, Eric Carson, Sam Edwards, Len Morgan,

and captain Don Hammond. The West Coast included George Menzies.

National Club competition

Eastern United (Auckland) won the Rothmans tournament, defeating Hornby (Canterbury) 25–2 in the final.

Club competitions

Auckland

Eastern United & Glenora shared 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, drawing 17-all in the final.Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1990 ''New Zealand Rugby League'', 1990. p. 72 Eastern United also won the Rukutai Shield and Roope Rooster while Glenora captured the Stormont Shield, defeating Eastern 13–10.

played for Eastern United.

Wellington

Miramar 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

Hornby won the Canterbury Rugby League's Massetti Cup. Mel Cooke was Hornby's captain-coach. George H Turner and Gary Blackler played for Papanui.

Other Competitions

was the captain-coach of Brunner in the West Coast Rugby League competition. Runanga defeated Hornby 18–16 to win the Thacker Shield.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1962 New Zealand Rugby League Season New Zealand rugby league seasons Season