Rugby League 101

The National Rugby League (NRL) is the most watched TV sport in Australia and is the most viewed and attended rugby league club competition in the world. Regarded as the world's elite rugby league championship, the NRL's main competition known as the Telstra Premiership is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand. NRL matches are played in Australia and New Zealand from March to October. The season culminates in the premiership-deciding game, the NRL Grand Final, traditionally one of Australia's most popular sporting events and one of the world's largest attended sporting championship games. NRL also features The State of Origin; a 3 games "All-Star" series between New South Wales and Queensland which is considered Australia's greatest sports rivalry. The State of Origin series is the annual best-of-three Australian rugby league football match series between two state representative sides, the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons. 

Games in the USA are traditonally broadcast on FS2 (Fox Network) and FoxSoccer Plus with the full season available to watch on www.foxsoccer2go.com or by downloading the app.

Follow NRL: www.nrl.com | facebook.com/nrl 

Super League, officially the First Utility Super League for sponsorship reasons. The league has twelve teams: eleven from England and one from France. The Super League season runs March through September.  Learn more about SuperLeague, Operations & Youth Level Activities by visiting http://www.rugby-league.com  

The USARL XIII Competition is a National Men's Division 1 League played every Summer (May - August) comprised of east coast teams ranging from Boston through to Florida. Each season, clubs from two conferences (North & South) compete in an 8 week schedule followed by a 3-4 round playoff series that leads to a grand final event where the finalist from both the North and South conference compete and a National Champion is crowned. The U.S. Association of Rugby League (USARL) focuses on and conducts Rugby League activities, youth and elite development, education and training as required to compete in both domestic and international environments.

View the USARL XIII's Club Champions Wall

Under the control of the US Association of Rugby League Inc., the national governing body for the sport of Rugby League in the USA (member of both the RLIF and RLEF,) qualification to play for the HAWKS and represent the United States at a national level for Men's and Women's requires citizenship or heritage connections with the USA. Players who are eligible to represent the USA must be either registered players with the USARL National Competition and other competing competitions throughout the world. USARL Player Applcation Click Here. 

In 2021, the best Rugby League players from around the world will be playing for the most sought after prize in international Rugby League.

The Rugby League World Cup 2021 (RLWC2021) will see 16 teams play over five weeks – all hoping to be crowned world champions in what is the pinnacle event in international Rugby League. Set to be the biggest and best Rugby League World Cup in history, the inspirational moments of England 2021 will capture the imagination of all. The 2021 Rugby League World Cup will be the sixteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and will be held in England between 23 October 2021 and 27 November 2021. The tournament will include 16 teams, an increase of two from the last two tournaments.

PREVIOUS WORLD CUP WINNERS

• RLWC2017 | Nov 2 @Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (Australia)
  Australia (6) defeated England (0)

• RLWC2013 | Nov 30 @Old Trafford, Manchester (England)
  Australia (34) defeated New Zealand (2)

• RLWC2008 | Nov 22 @Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (Australia)
  New Zealand (34) defeated Australia (20)

• RLWC2000 | Nov 25 @Old Trafford, Manchester (England)
  Australia (40) defeated New Zealand (12)

• RLWC1995 | Oct 28 @Wembley Stadium, London (England)
  Australia (16) defeated England (8)

The Colonial Cup is an international rugby league football challenge match played each year between the United States and Canada Wolverines. The inaugural match was played in September, 2010 at the Richardson Memorial Stadium at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. The match was won by the USA 22-16.

In 2011, the Colonial Cup was expanded to a 'home and away' series. Each team won their home fixture; the USA won the first of the two games 18-2 with Canada securing their first win in the second match with an 18-16 win. USA won the series with an overall aggregate score of 34-20. In 2012, the Cup was again contested over 2 games, with the USA winning both games. In 2013, the series was expanded to a best 2 of 3 series. In 2014, Canada won their first ever Colonial Cup trophy. In 2015, the USA were beaten by Canada 2-0 with both games played in Philadelphia. In 2016, The USA won both games playing home and away reclaiming their first cup since 2014.

• 2018 - DID NOT PLAY

• 2017 Champions - USA
  (Game I: Canada 18 - USA 36)

• 2016 Champions - USA
  (Game I: Canada 8 - USA 14; Game II: USA 20 - Canada 14)

• 2015 Champions - Canada
  (Game I: USA 28 - Canada 36; Game II: USA 28 - Canada 34)

• 2014 Champions - Canada
  (Canada 52 - USA 14)

• 2013 Champions - USA
  (Game I: Canada 20 - USA 36; Game II: USA 44 - Canada 16; Game III: Canada 20 - USA 28)

• 2012 Champions - USA
  (Results not available...)

• 2011 Champions - USA
  (Game I: USA 18 - Canada 2; Game II: USA 16 - Canada 18)

Responsible for the Laws of the Game, the development, organisation and governance Rugby League internationally, and for the sport's major international tournament, the Rugby League World Cup.

The objects of the Rugby League International Federation are to foster, develop, extend, govern and administer the Game of Rugby League throughout the world; and to bring together the Members, Affiliates, Honorary Members and others for the purpose of achieving the above. The USA is recognized as an affiliate member as in the process of meeting the requirements for full member status. Visit the Rugby League International Federation website to learn more. 

Rugby league nines (or simply nines) is a version of rugby league football played with nine players on each side. 

Much like its rugby union counterpart rugby 7’s, 9’s is an exciting spectacle but is unique in design to showcase the explosive speed and strength often witnessed in Rugby League. Competing teams will field 9 players each side for two 9 minute halves in a group and knockout style tournament. The game is substantially the same as full rugby league, with some differences in rules and shorter games. Nines is usually played in festivals, as its shorter game play allows for a tournament to be completed in a day or over a single weekend. It has become more popular than the similar rugby league sevens (rugby league with seven players to a side), with many tournaments using nines to distinguish it from rugby union sevens.