Limassol Crusaders
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| Full name | Limassol Crusaders Rugby Football Club |
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| Nickname(s) | Crusaders |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Location | Limassol, Cyprus |
| Ground(s) | Mesa Geitonia Stadium (Capacity: 2,000) |
| Chairman | Michael Quain |
| President | Nicholas Mastoroudes |
| Coach(es) | Rick Wadmore |
| Captain(s) | Constantinos Constantinides |
| League(s) | Cyprus Rugby Federation League |
| Official website | |
| limassolcrusadersrfc |
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The Limassol Crusaders are an independent rugby union club based in Limassol, Cyprus. They were the 2nd independent rugby club to be formed in Cyprus, after the Paphos Tigers. They were established in late 2003.[1]
Contents
History
The club was formed, and initial membership recruited, by word of mouth after the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Temporary training facilities were used initially, including a spell at the Elias Beach Resort Hotel, until the club finally leased the AEK Achileas Stadium in 2004, with the club joining the Joint Services Rugby Football Union and competing formally starting with the 2004/05 season. When the Cyprus Rugby Federation formed its own league, Limassol Crusaders joined it.
When, in 2006, Cyprus formed a national squad, five Crusaders were members of the team that won their inaugural game against Greece.[2]
In 2013, the Crusaders moved to a new stadium in the Mesa Geitonia area of Limassol. The new stadium has a higher capacity, better drainage and conforms better to IRB safety regulations. In 2016, the club moved back to the historical stadium next to Katholiki Technical School after closing the contract with the previous venue.
Results
League
| Season | League | Final Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2004/05 | JSRFU League | 6th |
| 2005/06 | JSRFU League | 6th |
| 2006/07 | JSRFU League | 6th |
| 2007/08 | JSRFU League | 5th |
| 2008/09 | JSRFU League | 6th |
| 2009/10 | JSRFU League | 3rd |
| 2010/11 | JSRFU League | 5th |
| 2011/12 | CRF League | 4th |
| 2012/13 | CRF League | 5th |
| 2013/14 | CRF League | 3rd |
| 2014/15 | CRF League | 3rd |
| 2015/16 | CRF League | In Progress |
Tournaments
| Year | Tournament | Final Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Aya Nik 15s | 4th |
| 2010 | Aya Nik 15s | 3rd |
| 2011 | Aya Nik 15s | 3rd |
| 2012 | Aya Nik 15s | 3rd |
| 2013 | Cyprus Beach Rugby[3] | Runner-up |
| 2013 | Aya Nik 15s | 5th |
| 2015 | Warsaw Rugby Festival | Cup Winner |
Tours
| Year | Team | Location | Result | Year | Team | Location | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Maastricht University  |
Limassol Techniki School  |
Won | 2015 | Les Zozos [1]  |
Warsaw - AWF a  |
Won | |
| 2009 | Beit Jala Lions  |
Limassol Techniki School |
Won | 2015 | Honey Badgers  |
Warsaw - AWF a |
Drawn | |
| 2009 | Cairo Rugby  |
Cairo |
Won | 2015 | Old Actonians [2]  |
Warsaw - AWF a |
Lost | |
| 2012 | Warwick University |
Limassol Techniki School |
Lost | 2015 | Cani Sciolti [3]  |
Warsaw - AWF a |
Lost | |
| 2013 | Leigh RFC [4] |
Limassol Techniki School |
Won | 2015 | Abbeyfeale |
Warsaw - AWF a |
Lost | |
| 2013 | URAG |
Rome Campo Tre Fontane |
Won | 2015 | Warsaw Frogs (White)[5] |
Warsaw - AWF a |
Won | |
| 2013 | Rugby Roma |
Rome Campo Tre Fontane |
Lost | 2015 | Aberdeen Grammar  |
Warsaw - AWF a |
Won | |
| 2013 | The World  |
Limassol - Mesa Geitonia |
Won | 2015 | Camberley Rugby Vets [6] |
Limassol Techniki School |
Won | |
| 2014 | HMS Diamond  |
Limassol - Mesa Geitonia |
Won | |||||
| 2014 | Courbet |
Limassol - Mesa Geitonia |
Won |
a Match played in the 2015 Warsaw Rugby Festiival.
Current squad
2015/16 Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.
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Internationally capped players
- Andrew Spring
- Panayiotis Jacovides
- Scott Lennox
- Dan McFarlane
- Constantinos Constantinides
- Artemis Papageorgiou
- Solomone Tuipulotu
Internationally capped former players
- Marco Mladenovic
- Fidias Efthimiou
- Kiki Vatikiotis
- Dimitri Maratheftis
- George Stylianou
- Dervis Devren
- Nathan Pring
- Greg Loucaides
- Chris Christofi
- Kostas Christou
- Peter Hunter
- Panayiotis Loizides
- Will Booth
- Stevie Awah
- Andy Webster
Captains
- 2004/05 Zeno Nicolaou
- 2005/06 Zeno Nicolaou
- 2006/07 Chris Snaith
- 2007/08 Andrew Spring
- 2008/09
Darryl Davies - 2009/10 Greg Loucaides
- 2010/11 Andrew Spring - Marko Mladenovic
- 2011/12 Fraser Nelson
- 2012/13 Fraser Nelson
- 2013/14 Constantinos Constantinides
- 2014/15 Constantinos Constantinides
- 2015/16 Constantinos Constantinides
Youth rugby
As well as the senior team, the Crusaders also encourage youth rugby. The Crusader Colts is open to boys and girls aged 13 and older[4] and the Minicru is open to children aged 6 and older.[5]
Veterans rugby
In November 2016 the Limassol Crusaders for the first time fulfil a Veterans squad as opposition for the Camberley Rugby Vets [7] on tour in Cyprus. The team has been unofficially called "the Commandarias".
References
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