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Peter Leitch QSM Challenge Trophy
SportRugby league
Founded2008
AdministratorNew Zealand Rugby League
No. of teams6
Country Cook Islands
 Fiji
 New Zealand
 Papua New Guinea
 Samoa
 Tonga
Most recent
champion(s)		New Zealand
Most titlesNew Zealand (5 defences)

The Peter Leitch QSM Challenge Trophy (often shortened to "the Peter Leitch Challenge Trophy") is a rugby league challenge trophy that is contested when the New Zealand national rugby league team play a Pacific island side in non-Rugby League World Cup internationals.[1] Rugby League Four Nations games, however, do count and the challenge trophy has been contested at both the 2010 and 2014 editions. The trophy is named after New Zealand businessmen, philanthropist and Rugby League advocate Peter Leitch.

History

On 15 October 2008 New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) chairman Ray Haffenden announced that the Kiwis vs Tonga Test Match would be used to launch the Peter Leitch QSM Challenge Trophy. The NZRL wished to "acknowledged the close affinity and involvement [Leitch] has had with the Pacific Island and rugby league communities in New Zealand for many years."[2]

While held infrequently it was the NZRL's intention that the trophy will "be at stake in future internationals between the Kiwis and our Pacific neighbours.”[3]

The 2011 edition was cancelled by the NZRL due to a high number of injured New Zealand players.[4] This match would have been the first Rugby League test between the Cooks Islands and New Zealand.

Results

18 October 2008
New Zealand 56–8 Tonga
Report
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Attendance: 5,000
14 October 2009
New Zealand 40–24 Tonga
Report
Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua
Attendance: 8,000
16 October 2010
New Zealand 50–6 Samoa
Report
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Attendance: 11,512
6 October 2011
Cook Islands Cancelled by the NZRL New Zealand
Report
Avarua Tereora Stadium, Rarotonga
Attendance: Match cancelled
2010 Rugby League Four Nations
30 October 2010
New Zealand  76–12  Papua New Guinea
Report
2014 Rugby League Four Nations
1 November 2014
New Zealand  14–12  Samoa
Report
Toll Stadium, Whangarei
Attendance: 16,912
Referee: New Zealand Henry Perenara
Player of the Match: New Zealand Kieran Foran
22 June 2019
New Zealand  34–14  Tonga
Report
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Attendance: 23,624
Referee: Australia Ben Cummins

Results by team

Country Challenges Defences Losses
 New Zealand 6 6 0
 Tonga 3 0 3
 Samoa 2 0 2
 Papua New Guinea 1 0 1
 Cook Islands 0 0 0
 Fiji 0 0 0

See also

References

  1. ^ "Double header game day notes". New Zealand Rugby League. 2019-06-22. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  2. ^ "League: Kiwis and Tonga play for trophies". Otago Daily Times Online News. 2008-10-16. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  3. ^ "League: Trophies up for grabs in Kiwis-Tonga test". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2021-01-27.
  4. ^ "Cook Islands to lose $40,000 on cancelled test". Stuff. 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2021-01-27.

External links


Rugby league in Oceania
International Rugby League
Categories