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.
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Chargers |
| Colours | Red and White |
| Founded | 1915 |
| Current details | |
| Ground(s) | |
| Competition | New Zealand Rugby League |
| Records | |
| Rugby League Cup | 1947, 1955, 1960, 1962-63, 1968 |
History
The West Coast side played its first match against Canterbury, losing 30–16 on 3 June 1915 at Victoria Park, Greymouth. That night the West Coast Rugby League was formed. Canterbury then played Blackball the next day, winning 23-10 before defeating Hokitika 33–8 on 5 June.[1]
The team for the West Coast was; H. Lawrence, L. Smith, L. Hunter, A. Hobson, W. Kirk, Hay, R. Watts, J. Rear, S.Bligh, A. Kells, D. McCann, T. Todd, J. Stenhouse.[1]
They next played in 1919 when they lost to Canterbury 5–3.[1]
The West Coast recorded their first win in 1923 when they defeated Wellington 12–6. They first defeated Canterbury in 1931, winning 37–19, before following it up the following year with a 53–26 win.[1]
Since then rugby league has traditionally been the most successful team sport in the West Coast.[2] However, since the 1990s the West Coast has usually participated in Second Division or South Island competitions and in particular the West Coast missed out on having a team in either the Lion Red Cup or Bartercard Cup, the two main New Zealand Rugby League competitions of the 1990s and 2000s.
Despite this, the West Coast has had some success in recent years. In the 1995 season the West Coast won the South Island division of the National Provincial competition and advanced to the final, losing to Wellington. The NPC was that year an invitational competition due to the Lion Red Cup.
However, in 1997 the West Coast Chargers advanced to the semi-finals of a full national competition, losing to Canterbury 24–40 in an away semi final.[3]
In 2000 the West Coast competed in the Mainland Super 10, a competition involving three South Island districts and seven Canterbury Rugby League clubs. The West Coast Chargers performed below expectations and finished eighth.[4] The West Coast declined to take part in the 2001 edition of the competition after it was moved to the first half of the season.[5]
In 2004 the West Coast played the touring Russian national team.[6]
The West Coast is currently represented by the South Island team in the National Zonal Competition.
Notable players
The West Coast has produced many New Zealand national rugby league team including Jock Butterfield, Bill McLennan, George Menzies, Whetu Taewa and Kiwis coach Cecil Mountford.
Rugby League Tour Matches
For 70 years from 1920 to 1990, the West Coast was a frequent stop for touring international rugby league teams.[7]
| Game | Date | Result | Venue | Attendance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 August 1920 |  Northern Union def.  West Coast 55–13 | Victoria Park, Greymouth | 1,500 | 1920 Great Britain Lions tour |
| 2 | 13 August 1924 | England def. West Coast 65–8 | Victoria Park, Greymouth | 3,000 | 1924 Great Britain Lions tour |
| 3 | 23 September 1925 |  Queensland Firsts def. West Coast 27–10 | Victoria Park, Greymouth | 1925 Queensland tour of New Zealand | |
| 4 | 16 August 1928 | England def. West Coast 62–13 | Victoria Park, Greymouth | 4,000 | 1928 Great Britain Lions tour |
| 5 | 10 August 1932 |  England def. West Coast 32–8 | Victoria Park, Greymouth | 3,000 | 1932 Great Britain Lions tour |
| 6 | 29 July 1946 | West Coast def. England 17–8 | Victoria Park, Greymouth | 4,000 | 1946 Great Britain Lions tour |
| 7 | 21 September 1949 |  Australia def. West Coast 39–14 | Victoria Park, Greymouth | 3,646 | 1949 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand |
| 8 | 30 July 1950 | Great Britain def. West Coast 21–15 | Victoria Park, Greymouth | 5,500 | 1950 Great Britain Lions tour |
| 9 | 25 July 1951 |  France def. West Coast 5–2 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 3,667 | 1951 French tour of Australasia |
| 10 | 24 June 1953 | Australia def. West Coast 17–11 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 2,003 | 1953 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand |
| 11 | 28 June 1953 | West Coast def.  USA 27–10 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 1953 American All-Stars tour | |
| 12 | 27 July 1955 | France def. West Coast 18–12 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 5,000 | 1955 French tour of Australasia |
| 13 | 3 August 1958 | Great Britain def. West Coast 19–2 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 4,500 | 1958 Great Britain Lions tour |
| 14 | 31 July 1960 | France def. West Coast 29–5 | Greymouth Recreation Ground, Greymouth | 4,500 | 1960 French tour of Australasia |
| 15 | 25 June 1961 | Australia def. West Coast 27–7 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 2,125 | 1961 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand |
| 16 | 5 August 1962 | Great Britain def. West Coast 66–8 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 2,758 | 1962 Great Britain Lions tour |
| 17 | 4 August 1964 | France def. West Coast 9–6 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 1,970 | 1964 French tour of Australasia |
| 18 | 13 July 1965 | Australia def. West Coast 16–6 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 1,682 | 1965 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand |
| 19 | 11 August 1966 | Great Britain def. West Coast 27–5 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 2,212 | 1966 Great Britain Lions tour |
| 20 | 16 May 1967 | West Coast drew with Queensland Firsts 8–8 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 1967 Queensland tour of New Zealand | |
| 21 | 21 July 1970 | Great Britain def. West Coast 57–2 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 676 | 1970 Great Britain Lions tour |
| 22 | 21 June 1975 |  Wales def. West Coast 35–5 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 2,000 | Wales 1975 Rugby League World Cup tour |
| 23 | 7 August 1979 | Great Britain def. West Coast 19–0 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 900 | 1979 Great Britain Lions tour |
| 24 | 26 June 1991 | France def. West Coast 14–6 | Wingham Park, Greymouth | 1991 French tour of Australasia |
References
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