American National Rugby League
The American National Rugby League (AMNRL) was a rugby league organization in the United States that operated from 1997 to 2014. The country's first domestic rugby league competition, it hosted an annual league from 1998 through 2013. Throughout its existence, the AMNRL was also recognized by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) as the governing body for the sport in the United States, and oversaw the United States national rugby league team, the Tomahawks.
| Sport | Rugby league |
|---|---|
| Inaugural season | 1998 |
| Ceased | 2014 |
| Number of teams | 5 |
| Country | USA |
| Champions | Connecticut Wildcats (2013) |
| Most titles | Aston Bulls (6 titles) |
| Website | www |
| Related competition | USARL, Championship Rugby League |
Australian former professional player David Niu founded the competition that became AMNRL in 1997, with six teams competing in the first season the following year. The league grew to eleven teams by 2010, with plans for westward expansion. On January 12, 2011, seven teams announced they were departing the AMNRL to form the new USA Rugby League (USARL).
The AMNRL suffered from competition with the USARL, and did not host a domestic competition after the 2013 season, though it continued to organize international team games. The organization folded in 2014 and was replaced by the USARL as the internationally recognized body for rugby league in the USA.