Rugby League
Though generally not as popular as Rugby Union in New Zealand, Rugby League has a growing number of followers. It is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field.
The national New Zealand team is known as the Kiwis.
New Zealand first played in an official rugby league tour in 1907, and since then have competed in every Rugby League World Cup since the first in 1954. In 2000 - 2013, the Kiwis reached 3 consecutive tournament finals, winning the World Cup for the first time in 2008.
The Warriors
Based in Auckland, our national Rugby League team are the Warriors - also known as the Auckland Warriors, or the Vodafone Warriors.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is the current captain of the Warriors.
The Warriors compete in the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia.
Follow the Warriors on the official Warriors website: www.warriors.co.nz.
NRL
The NRL, or the New Zealand Rugby League, is the not-for-profit National Sports Organisation responsible for rugby league. The organisation is charged with the growth, development and delivery of the game of rugby league in New Zealand - from grassrooots to Kiwis.
The different teams looked after by the NRL include:
- New Zealand Kiwis - men's national team
- Kiwi Ferns - women's team
- Junior Kiwis
- NZ 16s
- NZ 18s
To find out more about the NRL visit the official website: nzrl.co.nz.