Rugby League Cup

The Rugby League Cup is a New Zealand rugby league trophy that is contested between districts on a challenge basis. The trophy used to be known as the Northern Union Challenge Cup.

It is the oldest rugby league competition in New Zealand.{{cite journal |last1=Coffey |first1=John |title=Rugby league overview |journal=Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand | url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/rugby-league/page-1 |date=5 September 2013 |page=1}}

History

File:StateLibQld 1 135571 New Zealand Rugby League Team, 1913.jpg

New Zealand rugby league was born with events such as the All Golds tour of England,{{cite journal |last1=Coffey |first1=John |title=Origins of rugby league |journal=Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand | url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/rugby-league/page-2 |date=5 September 2013 |page=2}} and matches in Wellington and Auckland in 1908.{{cite journal |last1=Coffey |first1=John |title=Arrival in New Zealand |journal=Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand | url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/rugby-league/page-3 |date=5 September 2013 |page=3}} John Coffey writes in Te Ara, "The Auckland Rugby League was formed in July 1909, and North Shore played City as the forerunner to an inter-club competition that started in 1910. By this time, league was also being played in Taranaki, Rotorua, Hawke’s Bay, Nelson, Marlborough and Southland."

The Cup was made in Bradford and donated to Auckland for inter-provincial competition by the touring 1910 Great Britain Lions.Coffey, John and Bernie Wood Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909-2009, 2009. {{ISBN|978-1-86969-366-4}}, p.39.

The Cup was first contested in 1911, when Auckland successfully defended it four times.[http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/sport/news/rugby-league-bay-crowned-cup-kings/3748803/ Bay crowned cup kings] Hawke's Bay Today, 17 September 2007 The Cup was held by Auckland until 1922.{{cite journal |last1=Coffey |first1=John |title=Domestic competition: Rugby League Cup |journal=Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand | url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/rugby-league/page-5 |date=5 September 2013 |page=5}}

Auckland are the current holders of the Cup after they defeated Canterbury in a one-off match on 4 June 2012.{{update inline|date=November 2020}} This was marked as a "centennial" match.{{cite web |title=Collection of rugby league programmes. 1950s, 1970, 2012 |url=https://natlib.govt.nz/records/38426073?search%5Bi%5D%5Bplace_authority_id%5D=-328352&search%5Bpath%5D=items |website=National Library of New Zealand}}

Past winners

=Year by year=

style="margin:1em auto;"
valign="top" \| {\| class="wikitable" !Year!!Champions
1910	rowspan=11\| Auckland{{cite news \| title =Representative Match/Auckland V Hawke's Bay \| page =9 \| work=The New Zealand Herald\| volume=LVI\| issue=17235 \| date = 11 August 1911 \| url =https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19190811.2.111.1 \| access-date = 18 August 2019}}
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921	*Auckland
1922	*South Auckland
1923	*South Auckland
1924	*South Auckland
1925	*South Auckland Auckland
1926	*Auckland
1927	*Auckland South Auckland
1928	*South Auckland Auckland (June)
1929	*Auckland
1930	*South Auckland
1931	*North Auckland
1932	*South Auckland
1933	*West Coast
1934	West Coast Canterbury (18 AugustCoffey, John. Canterbury XIII*, Christchurch, 1987.)
1935	*Canterbury
1936	*Canterbury West Coast
1937	rowspan=2\| West Coast
1938

class="wikitable" !Year!!Champions
align=center \|colspan=2\|World War II
1946	*West Coast
1947	*West Coast Wellington[http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=1-4979-0-0-0&sID=155965 History Of Wellington Rugby League Association] Wellington Rugby League
1948	*Wellington
1949	*Wellington
1950	*Auckland
1951	*Auckland
1952	*Auckland Wellington Auckland
1953	rowspan=2\| Auckland
1954
1955	*Auckland West Coast Auckland
1956	rowspan=4\| Auckland
1957
1958
1959
1960	Auckland[http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/rugby-league-football/1 Rugby League Football] An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand*, edited by A. H. McLintock. 1966 West Coast Auckland
1961	*Auckland
1962	*Auckland Canterbury West Coast
1963	*West Coast Canterbury
1964	*Canterbury Auckland
1965	rowspan=2\| Auckland
1966
1967	*Auckland
1968	*Auckland West Coast Canterbury
1969	Renamed Rugby League Cup. Canterbury West Coast
1970	*West Coast Canterbury

class="wikitable" !Year!!Champions
1971	*Canterbury Wellington West Coast
1972	*West Coast
1973	*West Coast
1974	*West Coast Canterbury
1975	*Canterbury Taranaki Waikato
1976	*Waikato
1977	*Taranaki
1978	*Taranaki
1979	*Taranaki
1980	*Wellington Canterbury
1981	*Canterbury
1982	*Canterbury Wellington
1983	rowspan=2\| Wellington
1984
1985	*Wellington Taranaki Canterbury{{cite web \|title=FLASHBACK FRIDAY: CANTERBURY WINS 1985 RUGBY LEAGUE CUP (August 30, 2019) \|url=https://canterburyrugbyleague.co.nz/2019/08/flashback-friday-canterbury-wins-1985-rugby-league-cup/ \|website=Canterbury Rugby League – Home to the Canterbury Bulls}}
1986	*Canterbury Auckland
1987	rowspan=3\| Auckland
1988
1989
1990	Auckland Canterbury (29 AprilLion Red Rugby League Annual 1990 New Zealand Rugby League*, 1990.) Wellington
1991	*Wellington Auckland Canterbury
1992	Canterbury Wellington (17 MayLion Red Rugby League Annual 1992 New Zealand Rugby League*, 1992. p.130) Canterbury

class="wikitable" !Year!!Champions
1993	*CanterburyLion Red Rugby League Annual 1993, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1993. p.137
1994	*Canterbury
1995	*Canterbury Auckland
1996	*Auckland
1997	Auckland Canterbury (June) Waikato (12 OctoberCoffey, John and Bernie Wood Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909-2009*, 2009. {{ISBN\|978-1-86969-366-4}}, p.317.)
1998	*Waikato
1999	Waikato Taranaki (24 April[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-23973355.html Sharks put bite on Waikato Cougars]{{dead link\|date=February 2019\|bot=medic}}{{cbignore\|bot=medic}} Taranaki Daily News*, 26 April 1999)
2000	*Taranaki Coastline{{cite news \|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=210128 \|title=Rugby League: Orcas give Mariners incentive for Challenge Cup \|date=22 August 2001 \|agency=The Daily Post \|work=The New Zealand Herald \|access-date=6 November 2011}}
2001	Coastline Tasman[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-14378729.html Orcas fired up to retain league cup]{{dead link\|date=February 2019\|bot=medic}}{{cbignore\|bot=medic}} The Nelson Mail*, 7 September 2002
2002	Tasman Otago (8 September[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-14380155.html Otago snatches cup from muddled Orcas ]{{dead link\|date=February 2019\|bot=medic}}{{cbignore\|bot=medic}} The Nelson Mail*, 10 September 2002)
2003	rowspan=2\| Otago
2004
2005	rowspan=2\| Gisborne Tairawhiti
2006
2007	*Gisborne Tairawhiti Hawke's Bay (15 September) Canterbury
2008	Canterbury Auckland (28 September)Coffey, John and Bernie Wood Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909-2009*, 2009. {{ISBN\|978-1-86969-366-4}}, p.357.
2009	Auckland Canterbury (23 August)[http://www.aucklandleague.co.nz/display_page.asp?item=333 Bulls regain league cup] The Press, 24 August 2009Geoff Longley [http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=16-4977-0-0-0&sID=64815&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=12287793§ionID=64815 It's go the South Island, No Bull] The Press*, 4 June 2010
2010	rowspan=2\| Canterbury
2011
2012	Auckland (4 June)[http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/rugby-league/6590649/League-cup-match-returns-to-spiritual-home-in-June League cup match returns to spiritual home in June] The Press, 17 March 2012[http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/7041936/Auckland-spoil-Bulls-coachs-finale/ Auckland spoil Bulls coach's finale] The Press*, 5 June 2012

References

External links

Category:Rugby league competitions in New Zealand