Manawatu Rugby League was formed in 1957.Official site
/ref> They are currently part of the Mid-Central zone along with

Taranaki Rugby League Taranaki Rugby League is the local sporting body responsible for the administration of Rugby league in the Taranaki region of New Zealand. The TRL are represented by the Taranaki rugby league team. They are in the Mid-Central zone along with the ...

Kiwi Players

Only one player from Manawatu has ever made the

New Zealand national rugby league team The New Zealand national rugby league team ( Māori: Tīma rīki motu Aotearoa) has represented New Zealand in rugby league since 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of ...

. This was Kiwi number 456, Dick Uluave, who played two tests in 1979.

National Competitions

In 1997 Manawatu had a team in the

Lion Red Cup The Lion Red Cup was a New Zealand domestic rugby league competition that ran from 1994 to 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 a ...

. This team was known as the Manawatu Mustangs. Between 2002 and 2007 Manawatu Rugby League fielded a side in the national Bartercard Cup. This team was known as the

Central Falcons The Manawatu rugby league team are a rugby league team that represents the Manawatu Rugby League in New Zealand Rugby League competitions. They have the nickname the Mustangs and between 2002 and 2007 competed in the Bartercard Cup as the Centr ...

. However Manawatu was not invited to field a side in 2008's new

Bartercard Premiership The NZRL Bartercard Premiership was a six-team rugby league competition that ran in 2008 and 2009. It replaced the now-defunct Bartercard Cup competition as the highest level of rugby league in New Zealand. Matches have been broadcast on SKY Networ ...

Regional Competitions

Western Alliance

Western Alliance was created in 2003 when clubs from

Taranaki Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont. The main centre is the city of New Plymouth. The New Plymouth D ...

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...

and Manawatu competed in a 12-team regional competition. However, in 2004 all Wellington clubs pulled out to work on their own local competition. In 2007 Kia Ora Warriors ended Waitara's two-year reign as Western Alliance champion with a resolute, 29-20 win in the grand final. Teams that competed in the 2007 Western Alliance were: * Waitara Bears * Linton Cobras * Feilding Falcons * Coastal Cobras * Marist Dragons * Western Suburbs Tigers * Kia Ora Warriors * Hawera Hawks * Taitoko United * Castlecliff Seagulls

Premier Grade

* Castlecliff Seagulls * Kia Ora Warriors * Feilding Falcons * Taitoko United * Linton Cobras * Foxton Rebels

Cartown Cup

* Marton Bears * Waiouru Bobcats * Linton Cobras * Taitoko United * Wanganui Vikings 1 * Whiti Te Ra * Kia Ora Warriors * Foxton Rebels * Dannevirke Tigers * Wanganui Vikings 2

References

{{Rugby League in New Zealand Rugby league governing bodies in New Zealand Rugby league in Manawatū-Whanganui