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 first season of club league in Auckland occurred. The first match was a practice game between Newton Rangers and Ponsonby United at Victoria Park which Ponsonby won 17 to 15. The first full club season was in 1910.

The Auckland Rugby League was once recognised by England's Northern Rugby Football Union as New Zealand's governing body for the game of rugby league.

In 2009, the ARL celebrated its centenary.

Club competitions

Auckland's premier competition is the Fox Memorial Shield. This has been contested since 1910.

Senior Competition

The Fox Memorial competition for 2022 has been shortened due to covid. It will be played over 13 weekends following a later start date (May 7). There will be 2 sections with 10 teams in each. The top 6 teams will progress to the Fox Premiership after 9 rounds and play an additional 4 matches before the playoffs. The 2 sections are as follows.

Junior clubs

Other clubs only run junior programmes. These include Kaipara Lancers, Rodney Rams, Pukekohe Pythons & Tuakau, Waiheke Rams and Waiuku.

Clubs

*Bay Roskill Vikings
*East Coast Bays Barracudas
*Ellerslie Eagles
* Glenfield Greyhounds
*Glenora Bears
*Hibiscus Coast Raiders
* Howick Hornets
* Kaipara
*Mangere East Hawks
*Manukau Magpies
*Manurewa Marlins
*Marist Saints
*Mount Albert Lions
*Mount Wellington Warriors
* New Lynn Stags
*Northcote Tigers
* Northshore/Navy
*Otahuhu Leopards
*Otara Scorpions
* Pakuranga Jaguars
*Papakura Sea Eagles
* Papatoetoe Panthers
*Point Chevalier Pirates
*Ponsonby Ponies
* Pukekohe Pythons
*Richmond Bulldogs
* Rodney Rams
*Te Atatu Roosters
*Tuakau
* Waiheke Rams
*Waitemata Seagulls
*Waiuku

Defunct or merged clubs

City Rovers and Newton Rangers merged in the early 1900s. City Newton later merged with Point Chevalier to become 'City-Pt Chevalier'. Later the two clubs separated, and then in 2004 City Newton folded, while Point Chevalier remained. Ponsonby United and Maritime merged to become Ponsonby-Maritime, they parted ways in 1983 and Ponsonby are still in existence. Navy merged with North Shore to become 'Navy/North Shore' however North Shore ceased to exist in 2009.

Other teams to cease as their own entities include
*Akarana
*Avondale
* Big Store (1918)
*Blockhouse Bay
* Coromandel Old Boys (1922-)
* Eden Ramblers (1911-13)
*Eden Roskill
*Glen Eden
*Glen Innes
*Grafton Athletic (1914-22)
*Green Lane
* Hobsonville Pirates (1912-14)
* Ihumatao (1922-)
*Kaipara
* Kingsland Rovers/Athletic
* Leys Institute (1924-)
* Mangere Rangers (1915-)
*Manukau-Greenlane (which was a merged side)
*Maritime Football Club (1918-30)
*Mt Roskill
*New Lynn (1924-)
*Pupuke (1917-)
*Panmure
* Parnell (1918-)
*R.V. (a company club of the Harvey & Sons Ltd business which later became a part of the Carter Holt Harvey company)
* Riverhead (1916-)
* Remuera United (1914-)
* Sunnyside (1914-)
*Takapuna (1921-)
* Manukau Cruising Club
* Telegraph Messanegers (1917-)
* United Suburbs (1924-)
*Thames Old Boys (1915-)
*University
* Victoria Cruising Club (1923-)
*Wesley
*Zora
*Western United
*Eastern United
*Southern Districts
*Northern Districts

Senior club trophies

The Fox Memorial is awarded to the grand final winner in the Premiership. In 2022 the 19 competing teams are split into 2 sections. After playing each other the top 6 in each section moved into the Fox Premiership play offs.

For a list of the major trophies awarded in Auckland club rugby league go to Auckland Club Rugby League Trophies (this includes player awards as well as team awards).

Past decade winners:

Roope Rooster

The Roope Rooster is currently held by the Point Chevalier Pirates who went through the 2022 season undefeated in all home challenges.

National competitions

Lion Red Cup

When the Lion Red Cup was started in 1994 Auckland was originally represented by four teams. The Auckland City Vulcans, The Waitakere City Raiders, The Counties Manukau Heroes and the North Harbour Sea Eagles. In 1995 the Vulcans were replaced by the Auckland Warriors Colts. In 1996 Auckland City did not compete.
* North Harbour won the competition in 1994 & 1995.
* Counties-Manukau won the competition in 1996 and was runner up in 1994.
* Auckland was runner up in 1995 & Waitakere was runner up in 1996.

Bartercard Cup/Premiership

Previously Auckland had a large representation in the Bartercard Cup, in its final seasons before it ceased to run Auckland was represented by the Auckland Lions, Waitakere Rangers, Harbour League, Counties Manukau Jetz and the Tamaki Titans.
* The Mt Albert Lions won in 2002, 2004 & 2005.
* The Hibiscus Coast Raiders won in 2001.
* The Auckland Lions won in 2006 & 2007.

With the folding of the Bartercard Cup, Auckland rugby league team was awarded a place in the new six-team Bartercard Premiership, beginning in 2008. In 2009 the competition was mirrored by Under 18 and Under 16 grade competitions. The competition was replaced by the seven-team National Zonal Competition in 2010. Effectively Auckland club rugby league reverted to its regular form, with the zonal competition representing regional representative teams as in the past.

Representative team

Auckland has played against several touring teams over the years though once the Auckland Warriors started playing in 1995 it diluted the standard of the side and they have not played against full international sides in recent years.

Auckland famously beat Australia, England and France in the space of 21 days in 1977. A feat which the New Zealand Warriors commemorated by wearing replica strips in their Round 24 clash with the Manly Sea Eagles on 26 August 2007, when the Warriors won 36–14 in front of a packed Mount Smart Stadium.

Auckland also beat the touring Australian side in 1989 by 26 points to 24 at Carlaw Park.

Auckland represented New Zealand for most years in the Australian midweek competition (see Amco Cup) in the 1970s and 1980s. Central Districts, Canterbury, Wellington, and South Island also fielded team

Auckland representative sides traditionally wear a blue jersey with a white double 'V', in the same style of the New Zealand national rugby league team jersey but with blue instead of black, this is still the jersey worn by the Auckland Vulcans NSW Cup team (see below).

Auckland Warriors

Auckland Rugby League originally owned the Auckland Warriors (now known as New Zealand Warriors) when they were entered into the 1995 Winfield Cup, run by the Australian Rugby League. The club is based at Ericsson Stadium. By 1998 the club had yet to experience any success and so was sold to a consortium including the Tainui tribe.

Players Of Note

* Manu Vatuvei - NZ Warriors
*Jason Taumalolo - North Queensland Cowboys
* Shaun Johnson - NZ Warriors
*Tuimoala Lolohea - NZ Warriors
*Ruben Wiki - Canberra Raiders
*Sam Kasiano - Canterbury Bulldogs
* Sosaia Feki - Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
*Thomas Leuluai - NZ Warriors
* Ben Henry - NZ Warriors
* Ben Te'o - South Sydney Rabbitohs
*Steve Matai- Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
*Raymond Faitala-Mariner - Canterbury Bulldogs
* Sonny Bill Williams - Sydney Roosters
* Bunty Afoa - New Zealand Warriors
*Isaac Liu - Gold Coast Titans
*Kieran Foran - Manly Sea Eagles
* Erin Clark - Gold coast Titans
*Sio Siua Taukeiaho - Sydney Roosters
*Jesse Bromwich - Melbourne Storm
*Kenny Bromwich - Melbourne Storm

See also

*Rugby league in New Zealand
* List of NRL club owners

References

External links

Official site

{{Sport in Auckland

Rugby league in Auckland
Rugby league governing bodies in New Zealand