1947 New Zealand rugby league season

International competitions

New Zealand toured Great Britain and France. The Kiwis defeated France and Wales but lost the series against Great Britain 1–2. In Bradford, a crowd of 42,680 saw New Zealand play, setting a new record for the team on British soil.{{cite news | access-date = 22 April 2010

During the French leg of the tour captain Pat Smith acted as stand-in coach as MyClymont had an agreement with the NZRL that he would not coach Test teams on Sundays, due to his religious beliefs.

The New South Wales Rugby League's champion Balmain Tigers traveled to Auckland, defeating the Auckland Rugby League's champion Mount Albert Lions 16–11. Balmain lost to Otahuhu and Marist before defeating Otahuhu before losing to Waikato Māori in Huntly.

National competitions

Northern Union Cup

Wellington held the Northern Union Cup at the end of the season after they had defeated the West Coast 11–4. The West Coast was missing its 1947-48 Kiwi players.

Inter-district competition

Canterbury defeated the West Coast 10–5 in Greymouth for their first win in ten years. They then lost 8–2 in the return match in Christchurch. During the Kiwis tour, Auckland defeated Canterbury 22–20 at Carlaw Park before drawing 13-all with the West Coast at the same venue. Auckland included Ray Cranch and Roy Nurse while Canterbury included Joe Duke.

Club competitions

Auckland

Mt Albert won the Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial Trophy, Roope Rooster and Stormont Shield. Marist and Richmond shared the Rukutai Shield.

Warwick Clarke and Rex Cunningham played for City, while Des White played his first senior game with the Ponsonby club, who also included Travers Hardwick and Len Jordan.{{cite book

The Eden Roskill, Wesley and Mt Roskill clubs amalgamated in 1947 to form Mt Roskill.

Wellington

Marist, Randwick won the Wellington Rugby League's Appleton Shield.

Canterbury

Sydenham won the Canterbury Rugby League's Massetti Cup.

The Papanui and Prebbleton clubs were founded in 1947.

Jimmy Haig switched from Otago rugby union to join the Prebbleton club, where he was joined by "The Master", Pat Smith, who joined from Addington. Smith would later become an administrator of Marist and Canterbury and coach Papanui.

Other Competitions

Blackball defeated Sydenham 19–3 to retain the Thacker Shield.

References

References

1. Coffey, John and Bernie Wood ''Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909-2009'', 2009. {{ISBN. 978-1-86969-366-4.
2. link. (26 October 2012 ''rleague.com'', 17 April 2007)
3. Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1990 ''New Zealand Rugby League'', 1990. p.72
4. [https://web.archive.org/web/20100523170735/http://aucklandleague.co.nz/display_page.asp?item=359 Bay Roskill Rugby League Inc] ''aucklandleague.co.nz''
5. Coffey, John. ''Canterbury XIII'', Christchurch, 1987.