captain Duane Mann, Tama Hohaia, Phillip Leuluai, Dean Clark, Ben Lythe, Anthony Seuseu, Don Stewart, Hare Te Rangi, Willie Wolfgramme, Paki Tuimavave, Charlie Kennedy, Darryl Beazley, Boycie Nelson and Lesley Vainikolo, and the Auckland Raiders, who represented Auckland Rugby League's second division and were coached by Dominic Clark. The Raiders included Tyrone Pau. Other teams included the Waikato Cougars, who were coached by Bill Kells and featured Tukere Barlow, Darryl Fisher and Kelly Shelford, and the Northland Wild Boars, who were coached by Phil Marsh and included Jason Mackie. The Auckland Heroes were unbeaten in their six-round robin games while the Auckland Raiders won just once in the round robin. Waikato won three of their six matches. On the 14 September Waikato defeated the Auckland Heroes at Carlaw Park for the first time since 1943, while Northland eliminated the Raiders from the competition. Northland were subsequently eliminated by the Auckland Heroes. Eastern Region The Eastern Region featured the Bay of Plenty Stags, Hawkes Bay Unicorns, Coastline and the Gisborne-East Coast Lions. Bay of Plenty included Patrick Kuru and Mark Woods. Coastline included Andrew Leota. Central Region The Central Zone featured the Wellington Dukes, Wellington Pumas, Taranaki Rockets, coached by Howie Tamati and including Artie Shead, and the Manawatu Mustangs. Wellington Rugby League approached the Auckland Warriors about releasing Syd Eru and Stephen Kearney for the competition, but they were unsuccessful. The Wellington Dukes included Denvour Johnston. The Wellington Pumas were a second XIII from the region. The Dukes won the zone with the Rockets finishing second. Manawatu did not win a game. The Rockets them eliminated the Pumas in a close zonal play-off match. Southern Region The Southern Zone featured the West Coast Chargers, Canterbury Reds, who included Simon Angell, Blair Harding, Mark Nixon and were coached by Gerard Stokes, the Tasman Orcas and the Southland Rams. Southland had defeated Otago 34-20 to qualify for the round robin. Canterbury hosted the West Coast at Lancaster Park, the first time they had played there since 1920. Canterbury were undefeated in the round robin while Tasman failed to win a match. Canterbury defeated West Coast in a close South zone final, 28–21, on the 14 September. Finals In the first round of finals on 28 September Canterbury defeated Taranaki while West Coast also advanced to the semi-finals with a shock 34–22 win over the Wellington Dukes. In the semi finals on the