Manawatu Rugby League was formed in 1957. They are currently part of the Mid-Central zone along with Taranaki Rugby League

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...

.

Kiwi Players

Only one player from Manawatu has ever made the New Zealand Kiwis. This was Kiwi number 456, Dick Uluave

Dick Uluave

Stephen Jeffery "Dick" Uluave is a former rugby league player who represented both New Zealand and Tonga.-Playing career:Uluave represented the Manwatu district and played for New Zealand Māori....

, who played two tests in 1979.

National Competitions

In 1997 Manawatu had a team in the Lion Red Cup

Lion Red Cup

The Lion Red Cup was a New Zealand domestic rugby league competition that ran from 1994-1996 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 accepted into the Winfield Cup. The competition was a...

. This team was known as the Manawatu Mustangs.

Between 2002 and 2007 Manawatu Rugby League fielded a side in the national Bartercard Cup

Bartercard Cup

The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...

. This team was known as the Central Falcons

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 previously been nicknamed the Mustangs and between 2002 and 2007 competed in the Bartercard Cup as the Central Falcons.Manawatu has a strong domestic...

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

Representative Football 2007

Manawatu U16's

• Round 1 Manawatu 14 Vs Wellington 34
• Round 2 Taranaki 42 Vs Manawatu 0
• Round 3 Manawatu 34 Vs Nelson 22

Overall Placing: 3rd

Manawatu U15's

• Round 1 Hawkes Bay b Manawatu 20 - 10
• Round 2 Wellington d Manawatu 58 - 0
• Round 3 Taranaki b Manawatu 29 - 16
• Round 4 Gisborne b Manawatu 20 - 8
• Round 5 Manawatu b Horowhenua 30 - 16

Overall Placing: 5th

Western Alliance

Western Alliance was created in 2003 when clubs from Taranaki

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...

, Wellington

Wellington Rugby League

Wellington Rugby League is the local sporting body responsible for the administration of Rugby league in the Greater Wellington region. It is responsible for the local competition of the same name, as well as its representative team, the Wellington rugby league team.- Local Senior Competition :The...

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