1911 New Zealand rugby league season
Encyclopedia
The 1911 New Zealand rugby league season was the 4th season of rugby league
that had been played in New Zealand
.
. They lost three matches to New South Wales
, defeated Newcastle
by 21-20, defeated Queensland
two games to one and defeated Hunter River by 40-8. The touring party included Charles Dunning
, Ronald MacDonald
and George A. Gillett
. During the tour they were joined by former All Black
Billy Mitchell
, who had been bought over to Australia to play in the Queensland Rugby League
competition. Before the tour New Zealand defeated Auckland
16-14 at the Takapuna Racecourse.
New Zealand also provided four players to the Australasian tour of Great Britain; George A. Gillett
, Arthur Francis
, Charlie Savory and Frank Woodward. Former New Zealand international Con Sullivan
also toured with the team but at the time was competing in the NSWRL Premiership.
During the season Wellington and Hawke's Bay were admitted to the New Zealand Rugby League
.
had been awarded the Northern Union Cup by the 1910 Great Britain Lions
. They successfully defended it four times in 1911, defeating Wellington 16-8 on 5 August, Hawke's Bay 17-13 on 19 August, Nelson
36-12 on 26 August and Taranaki
26-15 on 2 September. Nelson included Bert Feary, Pat Hannigan, Dave Mason and Charles James.
and the Hawke's Bay Māori 22-10 on the North Shore in non-challenge matches. Reg Sprague played for Lower Waikato and later played for Auckland against Nelson. Arthur Francis
represented Auckland and later played for Wigan
and Hull. Frank Woodward was selected for Auckland from the Rotorua sub-league.
's Myers Cup.
The Manukau Northern Union Football Club
were captained by James Rukutai.
Otahuhu
was founded in 1911.
The Hawke's Bay Rugby League was founded in 1911 with the help of All Golds Jim Gleeson
and Edward Tyne
. Future dual international Dave Evans
was said to be instrumental in helping three Hawke's Bay Rugby Union
clubs switch codes; Clive, Ahuriri and Kia Toa. With the help of local politician Vigor Brown, the Rugby League secured the use of McLean Park
.
The first overseas transfer occurred in 1911 when Riki Papakura
was cleared to play for Warrington
and the 20 pounds fee was forwarded to the Rotorua sub-league.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
that had been played in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
International competitions
New Zealand toured Australia, playing in no Test matches. This was the first tour of a New Zealand side since the formation of the New Zealand Rugby LeagueNew Zealand Rugby League
The New Zealand Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. The NZRL was founded on the 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year....
. They lost three matches to New South Wales
New South Wales rugby league team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
, defeated Newcastle
Newcastle Rugby League
The Newcastle Rugby League is a rugby league competition in Newcastle, Australia. It is one of the oldest rugby league competitions in Australia, founded in 1910...
by 21-20, defeated Queensland
Queensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
two games to one and defeated Hunter River by 40-8. The touring party included Charles Dunning
Charles Dunning (rugby league)
Charles Dunning was a New Zealand rugby footballer who was part of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain.-Rugby football:...
, Ronald MacDonald
Ronald MacDonald (rugby league)
Ronald MacDonald was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country between 1909 and 1911.-Playing career:MacDonald, a halfback from Auckland, first represented New Zealand during the 1909 tour of Australia, playing in all three Test matches...
and George A. Gillett
George A. Gillett
George Arthur Gillett was a renowned New Zealand multi-code footballer of the early 20th century and a dual-code rugby international...
. During the tour they were joined by former All Black
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
Billy Mitchell
Billy Mitchell (rugby)
William James "Billy" Mitchell was a New Zealand rugby footballer who represented his country in both rugby union and rugby league.-Early years:...
, who had been bought over to Australia to play in the Queensland Rugby League
Queensland Rugby League
The Queensland Rugby Football League is the governing body for rugby league in Queensland. It is a member of the Australian Rugby League and selects the members of Queensland State of Origin teams....
competition. Before the tour New Zealand defeated Auckland
Auckland rugby league team
The Auckland rugby league team is the team which traditionally represents all of the clubs which play in the Auckland Rugby League competition. The Auckland Rugby League team has traditionally been a powerhouse of New Zealand domestic rugby league...
16-14 at the Takapuna Racecourse.
New Zealand also provided four players to the Australasian tour of Great Britain; George A. Gillett
George A. Gillett
George Arthur Gillett was a renowned New Zealand multi-code footballer of the early 20th century and a dual-code rugby international...
, Arthur Francis
Arthur Francis (rugby)
Arthur Reginald Howe 'Bolla'/'Alf' Francis was a New Zealand dual-code international rugby footballer of the 1900s, '10s and '20s, and coach of the 1930s, who at representative level played for New Zealand in rugby union and rugby league, as well as representing Australasia in rugby league and...
, Charlie Savory and Frank Woodward. Former New Zealand international Con Sullivan
Con Sullivan
Con Sullivan was a New Zealand international rugby league footballer of the early twentieth century who played for various Australasian representative sides.-Playing career:...
also toured with the team but at the time was competing in the NSWRL Premiership.
During the season Wellington and Hawke's Bay were admitted to the New Zealand Rugby League
New Zealand Rugby League
The New Zealand Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. The NZRL was founded on the 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year....
.
Northern Union Cup
AucklandAuckland rugby league team
The Auckland rugby league team is the team which traditionally represents all of the clubs which play in the Auckland Rugby League competition. The Auckland Rugby League team has traditionally been a powerhouse of New Zealand domestic rugby league...
had been awarded the Northern Union Cup by the 1910 Great Britain Lions
1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand
The 1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand was the first international tour of the Great Britain national rugby league team, "The Lions". They played the second ever Ashes series against Australia before travelling to Auckland to take on New Zealand...
. They successfully defended it four times in 1911, defeating Wellington 16-8 on 5 August, Hawke's Bay 17-13 on 19 August, Nelson
Tasman rugby league team
The Tasman rugby league team are New Zealand rugby league team that represents the Tasman Rugby League. They have previously been nicknamed the Orcas but in 2010 adopted the Titans nickname...
36-12 on 26 August and Taranaki
Taranaki rugby league team
The Taranaki rugby league team are New Zealand rugby league team that represents the Taranaki Rugby League. They have been nicknamed the Rockets, Sharks and Wildcats.-1908:...
26-15 on 2 September. Nelson included Bert Feary, Pat Hannigan, Dave Mason and Charles James.
Inter-provincial matches
Auckland also bet the Lower Waikato 36-22 at FranktonFrankton, Waikato
Frankton is a central suburb of the city of Hamilton, New Zealand. It is the site of the city's passenger railway station, a major industrial-commercial stretch of State Highway 1, and a commercial shopping area.- Tornado :...
and the Hawke's Bay Māori 22-10 on the North Shore in non-challenge matches. Reg Sprague played for Lower Waikato and later played for Auckland against Nelson. Arthur Francis
Arthur Francis (rugby)
Arthur Reginald Howe 'Bolla'/'Alf' Francis was a New Zealand dual-code international rugby footballer of the 1900s, '10s and '20s, and coach of the 1930s, who at representative level played for New Zealand in rugby union and rugby league, as well as representing Australasia in rugby league and...
represented Auckland and later played for Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
and Hull. Frank Woodward was selected for Auckland from the Rotorua sub-league.
Auckland
City won the Auckland Rugby LeagueAuckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League 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 and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
's Myers Cup.
The Manukau Northern Union Football Club
Manukau Magpies
The Manukau Magpies are a rugby league football club based in Manukau, New Zealand who compete in Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition. The club was established in 1910.-History:...
were captained by James Rukutai.
Otahuhu
Otahuhu Leopards
The Otahuhu Leopards are a rugby league club based in Otahuhu, New Zealand. The club competes in the Fox Memorial competition run by the Auckland Rugby League. They are coached by Peter Caccioppoli. Between 2000 and 2003 they also competed in the Bartercard Cup.The team are the current holders of...
was founded in 1911.
Other Competitions
The Ngaruawahia, Huntly, Taupiri and Rangiriri clubs were founded, forming the Lower Waikato District League. Only the Ngaruawahia club still exists today. Reg Sprague, from Ngaruawahia, made the New Zealand side that same year.The Hawke's Bay Rugby League was founded in 1911 with the help of All Golds Jim Gleeson
Jim Gleeson (rugby league)
James Collins "Jim" Gleeson was a New Zealand rugby footballer who was part of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain.-Rugby Football:Gleeson was a rugby union scrum-half from the Hawkes Bay.-Rugby League:...
and Edward Tyne
Edward Tyne
Edward "Hone" Tyne was a New Zealand rugby footballer who was part of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain.-Rugby Football:...
. Future dual international Dave Evans
David Evans (rugby)
David "Dave" Alexander Evans was a New Zealand dual-code international who represented New Zealand in rugby union and rugby league.-Rugby union career:...
was said to be instrumental in helping three Hawke's Bay Rugby Union
Hawke's Bay Rugby Union
The Hawke's Bay Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand. The union is based in Napier.-Representative rugby:...
clubs switch codes; Clive, Ahuriri and Kia Toa. With the help of local politician Vigor Brown, the Rugby League secured the use of McLean Park
McLean Park
McLean Park is a sports ground in Napier, New Zealand. The two main sports played at the ground are cricket and rugby. It is one of the 10 proper cricket grounds of New Zealand....
.
The first overseas transfer occurred in 1911 when Riki Papakura
Riki Papakura
Riki "Dick" Papakura was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented the New Zealand Māori side and Australasia and played professionally for Warrington...
was cleared to play for Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
and the 20 pounds fee was forwarded to the Rotorua sub-league.