The Greece national rugby league team (Greek: ?????? ?????? ????? ??????? ????) represents Greece in rugby league football, officially since 2013. The team has been participating in international competition since 2003, and have become an affiliate member of the Rugby League International Federation until 2005. For more Greek stats, news, team results and more visit Greece's RLEF Page.
After the foundation of the Hellenic Federation of Rugby League in 2013, Greek Rugby League became RLEF/RLIF members, until their withdrawal in 2015.
In 2017, Hellenic Rugby League, under the authority of the Hellenic Federation of Modern Pentathlon, was the co-founder of the "World Rugby League" a new international confederation for the sport of rugby league, together with Italy, Pakistan, India and more countries.
Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews
History
Era previous to the foundation of a domestic Federation
In October 2005, Greece, The Titans, played an international match in Australia against Malta which they lost 24 points to 22 in front of an estimated crowd of 6,500. Before departing to Greece for their historic match, they played a warm up match against Fiji A at OKI Jubilee Stadium in front of 1103 spectators. Fiji, who had just qualified for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup won the match 34-12. Greece played their first ever Rugby League International Game in a 26-10 victory against New Caledonia in September 2003. On 28 October 2006, Greece played Serbia in the first international match on Greek soil. Greece, because of their Australian based contingent, were favourites against a much improved Serbian outfit as both teams fought out the game in determined fashion. Greece eventually ran out winners, 44-26 in front of 150 home fans of the Glyka Nera Football Club, Athens. Greece were coached by former Western Suburbs Magpies player Steve Georgallis.Greece won their first ever Rugby League Championship in 2009 where they won the Australian Mediterranean Shield defeating Italy in the Final 34-14. The 2009 Australian Mediterranean Shield that they won was their first competition that they took part in. The Greeks were led to the win by Wests Tigers player John Skandalis. The Greeks Triumph at the 2009 Australian Mediterranean Shield was their first trophy in the trophy cabinet. The Greeks did not qualify for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup which was held in Australia.
A number of plans for the Greek Rugby League have been put into place with a regular domestic competition to commence in 2007. The domestic competition was planned to be based in Athens consisted of four teams, as that was the minimum requirement in gaining associate membership into the Rugby League European Federation. As of 2012 they did not manage to establish a championship. On July 11, 2011, the GB Student "Pioneers" played a game vs an unofficial "national" team (consisted of players from the two Rhodes teams) in Rhodes island. Greeks lost that game. Greece have had a fair bit of players in Australian Rugby League in the past 40 years. Players like George Peponis a former Australian International and Captain who played for the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, George Katsogiannis, Jim Serdaris, Steve Georgallis the Coach who played for Western Suburbs, John Skandalis, Nick Kouparitsas, Michael Korkidas and Braith Anasta who is half-Greek, half-Anglo Saxon Australian is a Greek and Australian International who used to play for the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs and is now retired. He played for both Countries at International level.
Era after the foundation of a domestic Federation
On 27 October 2013 Greece defeated Hungary 90-0 in an international match played in Budapest in front of 500 spectators. The Greek side featured a mixture of players from the Greek domestic competition (8) and Australian-based (9) players including Anasta and Korkidas. Anasta kicked 15 goals from 15 attempts and scored 46 points in the win.
In October 2014, Greece were crowned European Championship C champions after beating Czech Republic in the final. This was their second international tournament victory
Later in the same month, Greece competed in the inaugural Balkans Cup tournament held in Serbia. They beat the hosts in the final to win their third international tournament to add to their trophy cabinet, second in over a week.
Matthew Ashill was the coach of the team for the 2015 European C/2017 Rugby League World Cup qualifying tournament and on 13 September 2015 he named a 22-man train-on squad with only domestic club players which caused controversy as it was a key event coming up for the national rugby league team. He explained his decision saying "We have a totally new plan using just domestic players who will contribute to the growth and development of the sport here".
Matthew AshilL was the coach also in the first international test match, played after the recognition of the sport by the Greek Government, under the Aegis of the Modern Pentathlon Federation. The match took place in L'Aquilla, Italy, at March 12, 2017 vs the national Italian Team of the LIRFL. Both Federations non-RLEF members. Hosts won by 51 to 13. The Greek tries scored by Konstantinos Ilias and Ilias Gatos. Kostas Roussos scored two conversions and a field goal. In May 2017, the first "Episkyros Cup" took place in Nikaea Piraeus Greece and was Organised by the Hellenic Federation of Modern Pentathlon. Greece faced Italy again and the Italians won 54-0.
Greek Rugby Shirts Video
Current squad
Here is the 18 man squad played vs Italy on March 12, 2017.
- Panagiotis Karefilis (c) - Agios Thomas Goudi
- Kostas Roussos - Agios Thomas Goudi
- Dimitris Pagozidis - Pyrrihios Aspropyrgou
- Stathis (Stu) Papadopoulos - Agios Thomas Goudi
- Giannis Giannimaras - Promitheas Rendi
- Ilias Gatos - Agios Thomas Goudi
- Alexandros Goumas - Agios Thomas Goudi
- Thodoris Konstantinidis - Pyrrihios Aspropyrgou
- Kyriakos Spetsiotis - Promitheas Rendi
- Vasilis Dokouslis - Agios Thomas Goudi
- Konstantinos Ilias - Pyrrihios Aspropyrgou
- Giorgos Aslanoglou - A.O. Kavala
- Nikos Leivathinos - Agios Thomas Goudi
- Alekos Kesidis - A.O. Kavala
- Nikos Keskinis - A.O. Kavala
- Panagiotis Stefanidis - Nemesis Thessaloniki
- Vaggelis Kolouvardis - Promitheas Rendi
- Kyriakos Herouvis - Promitheas Rendi
- Dimitris Kalogeropoulos - Promitheas Rendi
- Kostas Reris - Agios Thomas
- George Basakos - A.O. Kavala
Notable players
Since rugby league has been known to the nation of Greece since the 2000s many players of Greek birth or heritage have gone on to attain notability in representing either Greece, other nations or appearing in major domestic leagues around the world, some of the more notable Greeks have included:
Match official
Referee
- Vasileios Tsaganis
- Kyriakos Spetsiotis
- Matthew Ashill
Overall Tournament History
The following tournaments is a list of notable international competitions that Greece has been competing in since their existence in 2003.
A red box around the year indicates tournaments played within Greece
World Cup
Balkans Cup
Australian Mediterranean Shield
- The Australian Mediterranean Shield tournament is a tournament involving affiliate and observer European nations competing against each other for more international rugby league experience. Greece beat Portugal by 42-16 and therefore advanced to the final to take on Italy. They won the final by a score of 34-14 to be crowned the champions, the country's first International rugby league title.
European Championship C
Results
- MAY 2017: Greece 0-54 Italy (Episkyros Cup)
- MAR 2017: Italy 51-13 Greece
- OCT 2015: Greece 4-76 Spain (RLEF European Championship C)
- OCT 2014: Serbia 22-50 Greece (Balkan Cup - winners)
- OCT 2014: Bosnia / Herzegovina 4-58 Greece (Balkan Cup)
- OCT 2014: Greece 68-16 Czech Republic (RLEF European Championship - winners)
- JUN 2014: Malta 18-32 Greece (RLEF European Championship C)
- OCT 2013: Hungary 0-90 Greece
- OCT 2012: Vanuatu 14-24 Greece
- JUL 2008: Greece 14-12 France (Plate Winners, Student World Cup)
- Oct 2007: Greece 58-32 Scotland Students (development team)
- Oct 2006: Greece 44-26 Serbia
- Oct 2005: Malta 24-22 Greece
- Oct 2004: Italy 58-14 Greece
- Mar 2004: Greece 56-8 New Caledonia
- Sep 2003: Italy 26-24 Greece
- Sep 2003: Greece 26-10 New Caledonia
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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