| American National Rugby League | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Ceased | 2014 |
| Competitions | American National Rugby League |
 | |
The American National Rugby League (AMNRL) was the national governing body for rugby league in the United States from 1997 to 2014.
The organization was responsible for running the domestic club competitions and the United States national rugby league team in addition to other responsibilities during its time of operation
The organization was founded by Australian former professional player David Niu and throughout its existence gained recognition from the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) as the governing body for the sport in the United States.
The domestic competition began with six teams competing and grew to eleven teams by 2010, with plans for westward expansion.
On January 12, 2011, a schism occurred with seven teams departing the AMNRL to form the USA Rugby League (USARL), a rival governing body.[1]
In the years that followed, 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, with USARL becoming the recognized body for rugby league in the USA.[2][3]
- ^ "Breakaway league launched in the US". code13rugbyleague.com. January 12, 2011. Archived from the original on January 16, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
- ^ "Parramatta Eels star Joseph Paulo's role as US Tomahawks captain under threat as AMNRL bows out". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "AMNRL slam RLIF about American split".