Catalan rugby league competition kicks off : Thu Mar 05, 2009 11:10 am  

The Catalan league has begun! great news and here is some action from the opening round http://www.rugbylliga.cat/videos/campionat-universitari-2009 one of my mates, who plays for Girona University, said it was a great opening round and over 150 players were involved!

The Catalan league has begun! great news and here is some action from the opening round http://www.rugbylliga.cat/videos/campionat-universitari-2009 one of my mates, who plays for Girona University, said it was a great opening round and over 150 players were involved!

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:08 pm  

Is this spanish Catalonians or French too Catalancs?

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:11 pm  

marvwoodburn wrote:

Is this spanish Catalonians or French too Catalancs?

Seven of the clubs are from 'Spanish' Catalonia. The other team being the University of Perpignan.
Appparently quite a few of the players were said to have seen the light

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:21 pm  

Catalancs wrote:

Appparently quite a few of the players were said to have seen the light

glad to hear that.

Be nice to think that in 5-10 years we couold see our first Dragon from south of the border

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:28 pm  

marvwoodburn wrote:

glad to hear that.

Be nice to think that in 5-10 years we couold see our first Dragon from south of the border

fingers crossed!!
girona university are trying to sort out a uk tour. ive put them in contact with leeds met.

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:20 pm  

RUGBY XIII

The team from the University of Perpinyà (UP) is the first leader of the University Championship of Rugby League after the first games were played last Tuesday at the University of Girona (UdG) in this new and exciting contest of rugby XIII

In total there were seven teams that fought it out in Girona, bringing together over 150 players. It would have been eight but for the absence of the representatives of the University of Barcelona (UB).

The teams from the universities of Perpinyà, Girona and Ramon Llull, more experienced in rugby XIII, eventually prevailed using this advantage to beat their rivals.

The Catalan Association of Rugby League (ACRL), organiser of the championship talked of "success" and of "a very positive experience" after this landmark day.

The second and decisive day of matches will be held in Barcelona on Thursday 12th March, in the sports complex of the Mar Bella.

: Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:38 pm  

and here are the results:

Group1
UdG - UP 4-8
UdC - UPF 8-4
UDG - UPC 16-4
UP - UPF 16-0
UPF - UdG 0-14
UPC - UP 0-12

1st UP, 2nd UdG, 3rd UPC, 4th UPF


Group2
URL - UVic 12-8
UAB - URL 0-26
UVic - UAB 10-14

1st URL, 2nd UAB, 3rd UVic


5th, 6th and 7th place games:
UVic - UPC 12-0
UVic - UPF 18-12
(the results of the matches involving UPC and UPF in the first round didn't count due to the absence of the UB)

3rd-4th place game:

UAB - UdG 4-26


Final:
URL - UP 0-20


Table after first round:
1- 8 pts - Perpignan University (UP)
2- 7 pts - Ramon Llull University (URL)
3- 6 pts - University of Girona (UdG)
4- 5 pts - Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB)
5- 4 pts - Vic University (UVic)
6- 3 pts - Polytechnic University of Barcelona (UPC)
7- 2 pts - Pompeu Fabra University (UPF)
8- 0 pts - Barcelona University (UB)

[tb]

: Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:47 pm  

Also noticed this in the Catalans magazine/ pogramme from the weekend

The game is already set up in France, but it is also the case in Barcelona. Indeed, Liberto Lopez one of the Catalans Dragons directors is working hard since tree (sic) years to create a real Catalan rugby league federation.

With the help of the RFL Performance and Coaching Department more than forty rugby union coaches have been converted to the league game.

More than that, a real competition will be played by the former rugby union clubs (Lleida, Tarragona, Valls, Girona, Vic, Olot, Poble Nou and Sant Cugat), from Aprill 18th to June 7th of this year.

This is great news, but we still have work to do concerning the Catalan national selection. Eric Delherbe, the Catalan national coach, will be very busy to prepare a strong Catalan side that will face Germany or Italy in a curtain raiser game before the Super League clash: Catalans Dragons v Warrington Wolves in Barcelona.

The situation is good and we hope the rugby league game will continue to attract a large number of people in Catalonia.

: Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:52 pm  

tb wrote:

Also noticed this in the Catalans magazine/ pogramme from the weekend

Lleida pulled out but the number of union players who have 'had their eyes opened' is encouraging.
Italt and Germany are indeed the two teams being lined up for a friendly, with Germany the preferred option according to the Catalonia players I've spoken to.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 8:55 am  

Catalancs wrote:

Lleida pulled out but the number of union players who have 'had their eyes opened' is encouraging.
Italt and Germany are indeed the two teams being lined up for a friendly, with Germany the preferred option according to the Catalonia players I've spoken to.

Germany are more of a development side, Italy will just bring in as many ring-ins as possible should they play