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Waikato rugby league team

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Waikato rugby league team
Club information
Full nameWaikato Rugby League Football Club
Nickname(s)Cougars
Colours  Black
  Red
  Yellow
Founded1921
Exited2009
Former details
Ground(s)
CompetitionBartercard Premiership
Records
Premierships1997
Rugby League Cup1922-24, 1927, 1930, 1932, 1975-76, 1997-99
Waikato beating Auckland 29-12 at Carlaw Park on October 15, 1927.
Auckland v Waikato (named South Auckland originally) in 1928 at Carlaw Park. Tim Peckham of Auckland has just passed the ball. He also represented South Auckland 10 times.

The Waikato rugby league team (also known as the Waikato Cougars, formerly as South Auckland) is a New Zealand rugby league team that represents the Waikato Rugby League in New Zealand Rugby League competitions. They competed in the Lion Red Cup from 1994 to 1996, the Super League Challenge Cup in 1997 and the Bartercard Premiership in 2008 and 2009.

History

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Lion Red Cup

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Between 1994 and 1996, the Waikato region was represented by the Waikato Cougars in the Lion Red Cup competition. The team's inaugural captain was Tukere Barlow while Joe Gwynne was the coach. The team was originally going to be called the Stags or the Chiefs before the Cougars nickname was selected.[1]

Notable players included; Martin Moana, Gavin Hill, Tama Hohaia, Francis Leota, Darryl Beazley, 1994 captain Tukere Barlow, Butch Tua, 1995 captain Aaron Tucker, Tony Waikato, Kiwi Mark Woods and Hekewaru Muru.[1][2]

Season Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Position Finals
1994 22 16 1 5 589 405 184 33 Second Lost Elimination Semifinal
1995 22 13 1 8 471 379 92 27 Fourth Lost Elimination Semifinal
1996 22 13 1 8 515 472 43 27 Fourth Lost preliminary final

Late 1990s

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The Waikato Cougars won the Super League Challenge Cup in 1997, defeating Canterbury in the final. During this year they also defeated Auckland at Carlaw Park for the first time since 1943 and won the Rugby League Cup. They defended the Rugby League Cup in 1998.

Bartercard Cup

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The Waikato region was represented in the Bartercard Cup competition by the Waicoa Bay Stallions, a co-operative team involving players from Waikato, Coastline and Bay of Plenty federations.

Season Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Position Finals
2004 16 4 2 10 380 455 -75 10 9th (12) N/A
2005 16 3 0 13 368 620 -252 6 12th (12) N/A
2006 18 5 2 11 494 662 -168 12 8th (10) N/A
2007 18 5 1 12 418 682 -264 11 7th (10) N/A

Bartercard Premiership

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Waikato Rugby League were one of the six teams that compete in the National Provincial Competition in 2008 and 2009. In both years they finished third.

Season Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Position Finals
2008 5 3 0 2 110 138 -28 6 Third N/A
2009 5 3 0 2 130 108 22 6 Third Lost semi-final

Rugby League Tour Matches

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Over the years Waikato has been an infrequent stop for touring international rugby league teams.

Game Date Result Venue Attendance Notes
1 4 September 1913 New South Wales def. Waikato 20–14 Claudelands, Hamilton 1,500 1913 NSW Tour of New Zealand
2 18 September 1919 Australia def. Waikato 58–5 Steele Park, Hamilton 1,500 1919 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand
3 28 July 1924 England def. Waikato 30–12 Paterson Park, Ngāruawāhia 1924 Great Britain Lions tour
4 20 July 1960 France def. Waikato 32–2 Davies Park, Hamilton 3,071 1960 French Tour of Australasia
5 5 July 1961 Australia def. Waikato 26–8 Steele Park, Hamilton 866 1961 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand
6 25 July 1962 Great Britain def. Waikato 59–20 Davies Park, Hamilton 3,461 1962 Great Britain Lions tour
7 9 August 1964 France def. Waikato 23–16 Davies Park, Hamilton 2,737 1964 French Tour of Australasia
8 23 June 1965 Australia def. Waikato 25–4 Davies Park, Hamilton 1,800 1965 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand
9 3 August 1966 Great Britain def. Waikato 47–8 Davies Park, Hamilton 2,933 1966 Great Britain Lions tour
10 10 May 1970 NSW Country def. Waikato 22–11 Davies Park, Hamilton 3,000
11 3 August 1976 Combined Sydney def. Waikato 41–3 Davies Park, Hamilton
12 20 September 1983 Papua New Guinea def. Waikato 28–24 Davies Park, Hamilton 1983 Papua New Guinea Kumuls tour
13 5 July 1988 Papua New Guinea def. Waikato 38–12 Davies Park, Hamilton 1988 Papua New Guinea Kumuls tour

References

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  1. ^ a b Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1994, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1994. p.114
  2. ^ Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1995, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1995. p.95