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This article contains information on rugby league played in 2006. The season commenced with the World Club Challenge in England in February and concluded with the Tri-Nations final in Australia in November.
Contents
World Club Challenge
Bradford Bulls won the one-off match against Wests Tigers 30–10 at Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield.
Week 1
Week 2
South Sydney Rabbitohs and the St George Illawarra Dragons played their annual Charity Shield match. The Rabbitohs narrowly took the shield with a score of 14–12, while most of the Dragons' top grade players were being rested on the bench in preparation for weeks to come.
Other results from this week of trials included:
Week 3
May
12 - Dubbo, Australia: In the annual City vs Country Origin match, Country NSW defeated City NSW 12-10 at Apex Oval before a crowd of 11,423.
August
September
October
November
Super League XI
The European Super League kicked off the weekend after the World Club Challenge with Hull defeating the newly promoted Castleford Tigers 42–18. This season saw the entry of Catalans Dragons, who are the first French team to compete since the demise of Paris Saint-Germain at the end of Super League II. The regular season would finish with St. Helens taking out the minor premiership and the Castleford Tigers being relegated to division one. The Super League Grand Final saw St Helens claim a twelve championship with victory over Hull at Old Trafford in front of 73,000.
National Rugby League – Season 2006
The 99th season of first grade rugby league in Australia was controversial before competition even began. The New Zealand Warriors were fined and penalised four competition points for salary cap breaches in 2004 and 2005. They were fined, and started the season on −4 points. The season began on Friday, 10 March, when defending premiers Wests Tigers and early favourites St George Illawarra Dragons played at Telstra Stadium. Melbourne Storm won the Minor Premiership, however, lost to the Brisbane Broncos in the Grand Final in front of over 79,000.
Powergen Challenge Cup 2006
The Powergen Rugby League Challenge Cup is the most prestigious knock-out competition in the world of Rugby League and the 2006 competition saw over a hundred clubs competing from countries including England, France, Russia, Scotland and Wales. The final would see St. Helens take victory 41–12 over the Huddersfield Giants at Twickenham Stadium in front of 65,187.
UK National Leagues
The National Leagues kicked off on 7 April. There are three divisions, and the top team in National One has the opportunity to enter SuperLeague, subject to minimum standards.
AMNRL – Season 2006
The American National Rugby League kicked off on Wednesday 17 June with the Glen Mills Bulls defeating the Philadelphia Fight 48–26. This season saw the entry of three new competition teams the Jacksonville Axemen, New Haven Warriors and the Boston Braves. At the conclusion of the AMNRL regular season the Glen Mills Bulls won the Minor Premiership, however, lost to the Connecticut Wildcats in the Grand Final Championship match in front of over 2,500.