The Catalonia national rugby league team represents Catalonia in the sport of rugby league football, running under the auspices of the Associació Catalana de Rugby Lliga.
History
Rugby league started in Catalonia in autumn 2007, with the advice of people from the French Catalan region, where this sport has been played since the 1930s.
The number of clubs grew since 3 clubs participated in the first competition in southern Catalonia in 2008 (FC Barcelona, Aligots Girona and Nord-Català), to reach 9 teams in the first Catalonia Championships in April 2009: CR Tarragona, CR Valls, CR Sant Cugat, INEF Lleida, GEiEG, Poble Nou Enginyers, BUC, RC Garrotxa and Vic Crancs. Also, the first Rugby League Catalan University Championship was played in February 2009, with 9 teams in competition.
Catalonia used to be an unranked member of the Rugby League European Federation; however, their participation in some international rugby league competitions, such as the World Cup, has been questioned as Catalonia is not a sovereign nation.
Catalonia played their first match in January 2008 when they participated in the French Interleague Championship held near Perpignan, France. In June of the same year, Morocco beat Catalonia in a match played in Perpignan, 62–12.
In June 2009, Catalonia beat the Czech Republic in a match played prior to the Catalans Dragons vs Warrington Wolves Super League game. This match was an international warm-up ahead of the Euro Med Challenge contested by Catalonia, Morocco and Belgium. They lost 6–29 at home to Morocco, and 28–22 at Belgium.
In 2010 Catalonia played only friendlies, with a win over Czech Republic 16–66 in Prague.
Following further disputes over their RLEF status, the Catalonia national team did not subsequently participate in international competition and their RLEF affiliation was later dropped. They are currently not active in international competition, and any further international activity will likely fall under the umbrella of the Spain national rugby league team.
Players
2009 Catalonia vs. Morocco, 4 July 2009
Name Club DebutJulien Lebon CNPN EnginyersPau PuigdollersCR Sant CugatJose A. PleguezuelosCR TarragonaFernando FernándezBUCRoger Ferraté BUC2008Albert Homs GEiEG2008Aitor FiguerueloBUCCalvin Tchoumi CE INEF LleidaJoan Miquel PetanàsCE INEF LleidaSergi PetanàsCE INEF LleidaSebastién AmigasUTCJordi GiménezSergi CalzadaBUCMarc LópezCNPN EnginyersErmengol Alemany BUCRaül Vall-llosadaCA Vic Crancs2008Christian PelissierGEiEGJordi SánchezCNPN Enginyers
Catalonia vs. Belgium, 25 July 2009.
Name Club DebutErmengol Alemany BUCSergi PetanàsCE INEF LleidaRoger FerratéBUC2008Aitor FiguerueloBUCPau PuigdollersCR Sant CugatRaül Vall-llosada Vic2008Sergi Calzada BUCJose A. PleguezuelosCR TarragonaCalvin Tchoumi CE INEF LleidaJoan Miquel PetanàsCE INEF LleidaAlbert Homs GEiEG2008Joaquim SalaGEiEGÒscar MercèCE INEF LleidaJuan Pablo PistoneBUCJordi PallàsRC GarrotxaJulien Lebon CNPN EnginyersJavier LópezBUC
2010 Catalonia vs. Czech Republic, July 10, 2010.
Name Position ClubPau PuigdollersCR Sant CugatRaül Vall-llosada Free AgentRichard Cottrell Free AgentXavi Zubero BUCMarc FormanCR Sant CugatAlex CarrascoFree AgentErmengol AlemanyBUCMariano LagoGEiEGJoan PorrasBUCJoan Miquel PetanàsCE INEF LleidaÒscar MercèCE INEF LleidaSergio Calzada BUCAlbert HomsGEiEGJulien LebonInterchangeCNPN EnginyersCalvin TchoumiInterchangeCE INEF LleidaJose PlegueauelosInterchangeCR TarragonaJoaquim SalaInterchangeGEiEGJavier LópezReserveBUCMarco PasarelloReserveFree Agent
Competitive record Overall Team 1st Played Play Win Draw Loss Points For Points Agn. Morocco 2008 2 0 0 2 18 91 Czech Republic 2009 2 2 0 0 118 26 Belgium 2009 1 0 0 1 22 28
Results French championships interleagues French championships interleagues – Short game Date Opponents Result Venue Crowd Competition 26 January 2008 Languedoc-Roussillon 0–24 Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque 200 French Interleague Championship 27 January 2008 Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur 4–14 Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque 200 French Interleague Championship 27 January 2008 Île-de-France 14–26 Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque 200 French Interleague Championship
Internationals Date Home Result Away Competition Venue Crowd 7 June 2008 Catalonia 18–64 French Universities Friendly University of Girona, Girona 150 21 June 2008 Catalonia 12–62 Morocco Friendly Stade Gilbert Brutus, Perpignan 2,000 20 June 2009 Catalonia 52–10 Czech Republic Friendly Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona 18,150 4 July 2009 Catalonia 6–29 Morocco RLEF Euro Med Challenge Torroella de Montgrí 1,000 10 July 2010Czech Republic 16–66 Catalonia Friendly Prague 25 July 2009Belgium 28–22 Catalonia RLEF Euro Med Challenge Wavre 400
See also Associació Catalana de Rugby Lliga Rugby League European Federation Catalans Dragons
References
External links Catalan Rugby League Association Rugby League European Federation Highlights video: Catalonia-Morocco