Otago rugby league team
Encyclopedia
The Otago rugby league team are 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...

 rugby 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...

 team that represents the Otago Rugby League. They are known as the Whalers. In the past they have been nicknamed the Storm, the Raiders and the 45er's.

History

In 1908 Otago was involved in some of the first provincial matches in the country when it played a home and away series against Southland
Southland rugby league team
The Southland rugby league team are New Zealand rugby league team that represents the Southland Rugby League. In the past they have been nicknamed the Rams.-History:...

. The first game was played at Caledonia Ground in Dunedin on 3 October and used goalposts which were rented from the Otago Rugby Union. The Southland side included Ned Hughes
Ned Hughes
Edward "Ned" Hughes , was a New Zealand rugby union and rugby league player who played 9 times as an All Black hooker from 1907 until 1921 and twice for the Kiwis in 1910...

, a 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....

. Otago won the match 11-8. A return match was played at Queens Park, Invercargill on 7 October. Southland was able to win the match 30-14 and draw the series.

The Otago side was made up of fullback D Bannantyne, three-quarters J Harrhy, WR Kirk and G Ogg, five-eighths EO Nees and P Walker, halfback J Coulter, and forwards J Bryant, E Manley (captain), T Mockford, W Harridge, J Campbell and Larkins.

In 1993 an Otago Invitation side, including Mark Elia
Mark Elia
Mark Wycliffe Elia was a rugby league player who represented both New Zealand and Western Samoa.-Playing career:During his long career, Elia played for the Te Atatu Roosters, Kent Invicta, Southend Invicta, St...

 and Francis Leota
Francis Leota
Francis Poipoi Leota is a New Zealand rugby league player who represented his country between 1989 and 1990, including in games that counted towards the 1992 World Cup.-Early years:Leota attended De La Salle College and played rugby union until he was 20....

, played New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby league team
-See also:* New Zealand national rugby league team* New Zealand Māori rugby union team* New Zealand Māori cricket team-External links:* Google Books...

. The Māori won 39-18.

In 1995 Otago recorded their first win over Canterbury in 35 years. In 1998 Otago defeated West Coast for the first time since 1927. They went on to make the final of the National Provincial Competition Second Division before losing 56-10 to the Bay of Plenty.

Otago won the Rugby League Cup
Rugby League Cup
The Rugby League Cup is a New Zealand rugby league trophy that is currently contested between districts on a challenge basis. The trophy was originally known as the Northern Union Cup...

 in 2002 when they defeated Tasman
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...

 on the 8 September.

In 2008 Otago won a centenary match against Southland, defeating them 64-4.

A home and away series will be held in 2011 between Canterbury, Tasman
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...

, the West Coast
West Coast rugby league team
The West Coast rugby league team are New Zealand rugby league team that represents the West Coast Rugby League. They have been nicknamed the Chargers.-History:...

, Southland
Southland rugby league team
The Southland rugby league team are New Zealand rugby league team that represents the Southland Rugby League. In the past they have been nicknamed the Rams.-History:...

and Otago.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK