High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The 1996 New Zealand rugby league season was the 89th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the final season of the Lion Red Cup competition that was run by the New Zealand Rugby League. The Counties Manukau Heroes won the Cup by defeating the Waitakere City Raiders 34-22 in the Grand Final. With the outbreak of the Super League war the New Zealand Rugby League sided with the Super League organisation.