The Wellington Rugby League Team (also known as the Wellington Orcas) are a rugby league team that represents the Wellington Rugby League in New Zealand Rugby League competitions. They currently compete in the National Competition.

History

1908–1988: Early years Wellington played its first game on 24 August 1908 when they took on Auckland at Victoria Park, Auckland in the first provincial game of rugby league in New Zealand.John Haynes From All Blacks to All Golds: Rugby League's Pioneers, Christchurch, Ryan and Haynes, 1996.

The following All Golds played for Wellington in that first match: Edward Tyne, Hercules Richard Wright, Tom Cross, Conrad Byrne, Daniel Gilchrist, Daniel Fraser and James Barber.

During 1909, 1910 and 1911 Wellington continued to play a number of provincial games, and in 1909 defeated Auckland, in Auckland 22–19, the first of only five victories over Auckland in over 100 years.

In 1912 Wellington played in its first international match, losing to the touring New South Wales side, 45–13 in a game played at the Zoological Gardens.History Of Wellington Rugby League Association Wellington Rugby League

They defeated Auckland 33–18 on 27 September 1913. It was not until 1988 that they were again victorious over an Auckland side. The 1913 side was: A.Anderson, B.Whitley, W.Kelly, A.House (Petone), G.Bradley (Athletic), K.George, J.Barber, Jim Parker (Petone), J.Spencer, T.Turner, A.Bensmann, L.Campbell (Newtown), W.Wilson (Athletic). Bench: H.McGuire, B.Childs.Lion Red 1988 Rugby League Annual, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1988. p.p.151-159

During the 1951 French rugby league tour of Australasia the Wellington side hosted a match against the tourists.

During the 1988 Great Britain Lions tour, Wellington were defeated by the Britons 18 – 24 at Porirua Park before a crowd of 4,428.

1989–1990: Rugby League Cup On several occasions Wellington has held the Rugby League Cup (previously known as the Northern Union Cup 1910–1969) for interprovincial competition played on a challenge basis. Wellington won it off the West Coast in 1947 for the first time and held it for three years. Wellington held it last in 1990.

1990–1994: Great Britain Tour In 1990 Wellington defeated the touring Great Britain side 30–22.Coffey and Wood The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League This was Wellington's first, and to date only, win over a touring side.

1994–1996: Lion Red Cup Between 1994 and 1996, Wellington was represented by the Wellington City Dukes and Hutt Valley Firehawks in the Lion Red Cup. One player from the Dukes, Earl Va'a, later went on to represent Samoa in Rugby union. Both teams folded along with the competition in 1996.

TeamSeasonPldWDLPFPAPDPtsPositionFinalsHutt Valley1994229013458489−3018EighthN/AWellington City1994228014470508−3816NinthN/AHutt Valley199522130954444310126 FifthLost Elimination Play-offWellington City19952210210440514−7422SeventhN/AHutt Valley1996221129444469−2524 SixthN/AWellington City1996229013536532418EighthN/A

2002–2007: Bartercard Cup

In 2000 and 2001 the region was represented in the Bartercard Cup by the Porirua Pumas and Wainuiomata Lions. However, in 2002 it was decided that one team was needed in the competition. They narrowly missed out on a finals spot in 2002, being on equal points but with a lower For and Against than the Marist Richmond Brothers. Unfortunately this was a high point for the franchise with the team never making the play-offs.

The Orca nickname was adopted for the 2006 season, adopting the name from the Southern Orcas consortium – a group attempting to gain an expansion National Rugby League competition licence that was instead granted to the Gold Coast Titans group. Previously they were known as Wellington Franchise.

Notable players included Ben Matulino and Simon Mannering.

SeasonPldWDLPFPAPDPtsPosition (Teams)Finals2002169165474499819Sixth (Twelve)N/A2003164111460646−1866*Eleventh (Twelve)N/A2004168174654095617Sixth (Twelve)N/A200516538418459−4113Eighth (Twelve)N/A2006186012452549−9712Seventh (Ten)N/A2007181008509529−2020Sixth (10)N/A *Wellington were docked three points for registration infringements.

2008–2009: Bartercard Premiership

Wellington Rugby League were awarded a place in the new six-team National Provincial Competition. The team plays its home matches at Porirua Park.

SeasonPldWDLPFPAPDPtsPosition Finals2008521214613885 FourthN/A2009 5 2 0 3 142 120 22 4FourthLost semi-final

2010–present: NZRL National Competition Wellington was put in the NZRL National Competition after the Bartercard Premiership disbanded. Wellington were called the "Wellington Orcas" through the competition.

Rugby League Tour Matches Wellington has also been a frequent stop for touring international rugby league teams. Of the 28 games Wellington has played against touring teams, only in the 28th and last game to date (as of 2024) did the Orcas win, defeating Great Britain 30–22 in front of just 800 fans at the Basin Reserve on 27 June 1990.

Game Date Result Venue Attendance Notes1 4 October 1912 New South Wales def. Wellington 45–13 Zoological Gardens 4,000 1912 NSW Tour of New Zealand2 13 September 1913 New South Wales def. Wellington 34–18 Newtown Park 10,000 1913 NSW Tour of New Zealand3 11 July 1914 Northern Union def. Wellington 14–7 Newtown Park 5,000 1914 Great Britain Lions tour4 4 October 1919 Australia def. Wellington 93–5 Newtown Park 1,000 1919 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand5 29 July 1936 England def. Wellington 48–8 Basin Reserve 1936 Great Britain Lions tour6 30 July 1951 France def. Wellington 26–13 Basin Reserve 8,602 1951 French Tour of Australasia7 7 August 1953 American All-Stars def. Wellington 17–8 Basin Reserve 1953 American All-Stars tour8 27 July 1954 Great Britain def. Wellington 61–18 Basin Reserve 3,103 1954 Great Britain Lions tour9 2 August 1955 France def. Wellington 19–14 Basin Reserve 4,000 1955 French Tour of Australasia10 30 July 1958 Great Britain def. Wellington 26–13 Basin Reserve 8,602 1958 Great Britain Lions tour11 27 July 1960 France def. Wellington 41–3 Wellington Showgrounds 1,701 1960 French Tour of Australasia12 21 June 1961 Australia def. Wellington 61–3 Basin Reserve 707 1961 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand13 1 August 1963 South Africa def. Wellington 21–12 Basin Reserve 1963 South Africa Tour of Australasia14 28 July 1964 France def. Wellington 18–12 Basin Reserve 1,301 1964 French Tour of Australasia15 9 June 1965 Australia def. Wellington 34–16 Basin Reserve 1,745 1965 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand16 9 August 1966 Great Britain def. Wellington 28–9 Basin Reserve 1,142 1966 Great Britain Lions tour17 4 June 1969 Australia def. Wellington 48–7 Basin Reserve 1,415 1969 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand18 14 July 1970 Great Britain def. Wellington 60–8 Basin Reserve 859 1970 Great Britain Lions tour19 3 June 1972 Queensland def. Wellington 26–3 Basin Reserve 1973 QLD Tour of New Zealand20 1 August 1974 Great Britain def. Wellington 39–11 Basin Reserve 5,000 1974 Great Britain Lions tour21 18 June 1975 Wales def. Wellington 52–8 Basin Reserve 2,000 Wales 1975 Rugby League World Cup tour22 7 June 1977 France def. Wellington 8–0 Basin Reserve 1,500 France 1977 Rugby League World Cup tour23 29 July 1979 Great Britain def. Wellington 39–3 Petone Recreation Ground 2,000 1979 Great Britain Lions tour24 25 September 1983 Papua New Guinea def. Wellington 62–16 Basin Reserve 1983 Papua New Guinea Kumuls tour25 13 July 1988 Great Britain def. Wellington 39–3 Porirua Park 4,428 1988 Great Britain Lions tour26 2 October 1988 Australia def. Wellington 24–12 Basin Reserve 2,000 1988 Australia Rugby League World Cup Final tour27 19 July 1989 Australia def. Wellington 28–10 Basin Reserve 5,000 1989 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand28 27 June 1990 Wellington def. Great Britain 30–22 Basin Reserve 800 1990 Great Britain Lions tour

References