Greece national rugby league team

The Greece national rugby league team (Greek: Ελλάδα εθνική ομάδα ράγκμπι λίγκ) represents Greece in rugby league. The national team has been participating in international competition since 2003, and have become an affiliate member of the Rugby League International Federation.[1]

Greece
Team information
NicknameTitans
Governing bodyGreek Rugby League
RegionEurope
Head coachSteve Georgallis
CaptainJordan Meads
RLIF ranking11th
Uniforms
First colours
Second colours
Team results
First international
 New Caledonia 10–26 Greece 
(September 2003)
Biggest win
 Hungary 0–90 Greece 
(27 October 2013)
Biggest defeat
 Greece 4–76 Spain 
(17 October 2015)

History

2003 – 2012: Early years

Greek Rugby League was first formed in Australia by Australians with Greek heritage. The founder of the Greek Rugby League was Colin Mylonas.

The team, nicknamed 'The Titans' first played international fixtures in 2003. Greece played a warm-up match against New Caledonia in late August winning the encounter 10-26. In September of that year, the Greek National Team played their first RLIF sanctioned game against Italy in September. The game was played in Australia at Jubilee Oval for the inaugural Ionio Cup. Greece were narrowly defeated 26–24.[2]

In October 2005, Greece played an international match in Australia against Malta which they lost 24 points to 22 in front of an estimated crowd of 6,500. Greece then 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.

In 28 October 2006, Greece played Serbia in the first international match on Greek soil. Greece, supported by Greek-heritage players from Australia, won 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 when they won the Australian Mediterranean Shield, defeating Italy in the Final 34-14. This was the first competition that the Greek side had competed in. The Greeks were captained by Wests Tigers player John Skandalis. Greece did not qualify for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.

2013 – 2017: Domestic federation founded

2013 saw the creation of a domestic Rugby League competition in Greece. This competition was originally governed by the Hellenic Federation of Rugby League (HFRL).

On 27 October 2013 Greece defeated Hungary 90-0 in an international match played in Budapest in front of 500 spectators.[3] The Greek side featured a mixture of players from the Greek domestic competition (8) and Australian-based (9) players including Braith Anasta and Michael Korkidas.[4] Anasta kicked 15 goals from 15 attempts and scored 46 points in the win.[3]

In October 2014, Greece were crowned European Championship C champions after beating Czech Republic in the final. This was their second international tournament victory[5]

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.[6]

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".[7]

In April 2016, the HFRL was suspended from the Rugby League European Federation (RLEF) following a year-long investigation for "wilfully acting in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the RLEF and international rugby league."[8] The HRFL was expelled from the RLEF in August 2016 for failing to meet membership requirements.[9]

In March 2017, the Greek Rugby League Association (GRLA) was recognised by the RLEF as the official governing body for rugby league in Greece, gaining observer status. In March 2018 the GRLA were rewarded for what the RLEF described as "significant progress rebuilding the national governing body and revamping its competition structure, with the support of the Greek Australian community" by being granted affiliate status.[10]

2018 – Present: 2021 World Cup Qualification

In September 2018, Greece began their qualification path for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup by winning the European Championship C South conference. They defeated Ukraine 28–26 at Dynamo Stadium (Kharkiv)[11] and Malta Rugby League 60–4 at Glyka Stadium, Athens.[12]

In May 2019, Greece faced European Championship C North conference winners Norway at New River Stadium, London, in the European Championship C decider.[13] The match served as a curtain raiser to the League 1 round 9 fixture between London Skolars and Doncaster, Greece defeated Norway 56–26 to progress to the final stages of World Cup qualifiers.[14]

In November 2019, Greece qualified for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup after participating in the final round of European World Cup Qualifiers in Pool B with matches against Scotland and Serbia. Greece were unable to host their designated match against Scotland, as the Greek government does not recognise the Greek Rugby League Association.[15][16] Instead, the match was played in London at New River Stadium on 1 November. Greece were defeated 42–24.[17]

The remaining match in Pool B saw Greece play Serbia, with the winners advancing to the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. Greece defeated Serbia 82–6 at Makiš Stadium, Belgrade.[18][19]

On 16 January 2020, Greece were drawn into Group A of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup with England, Samoa and France.[20]

They then entered the 2020 European Championship B where they'll play Russia and Serbia.[21]

IRL World Rankings
Official Men's Rankings as of November 2019
RankChange*TeamPts%
1 2 New Zealand
2 1 Australia
3 1 England
4  Tonga
5  Fiji
6 4 Papua New Guinea
7  Samoa
8 2 France
9 1 Scotland
10 1 Lebanon
11 5 Greece
12  Ireland
13 1 Italy
14 3 Wales
15 4 Serbia
16 1 Malta
17 1 Norway
18 3 United States
19 4 Poland
20 7 Jamaica
21 1 Hungary
22 3 Czech Republic
23 5 Cook Islands
24 7 Turkey
25 1 Netherlands
26 4 Spain
27 6 Canada
28  Nigeria
29 2 Solomon Islands
30 10 Sweden
31 4 Germany
32 1 Chile
33  Ghana
34 16 Morocco
35 3 Vanuatu
36  South Africa
37 8 Russia
38  Cameroon
39 2 Ukraine
40 1 Colombia
41 4 Brazil
42  Belgium
43 4 Denmark
44 4 Bulgaria
45 4 Latvia
*Change from July 2019

Current squad

Squad selected for the 2019 Rugby League World Cup Qualifiers:

  • Stefanos Bastas
  • Nikolaos Bosmos
  • Terry Constantinou
  • Aris Dardamanis
  • Jake Kambos
  • Kosta Katsidonis
  • Greg Koutsimporgiorgos
  • Billy Magoulias
  • Peter Mamouzelos
  • Jordan Meads
  • John Mitsias
  • Nick Mougios
  • Theodoros Nianiakas
  • Chaise Robinson
  • Sebastian Sell
  • Stefano Totidis
  • Vasili Tsikrikas
  • George Tsikrikas
  • Robert Tuliatu
  • Adam Vrahnos
  • Jake Vrahnos
  • Mitchell Zampetides

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 notable Greek Rugby League Players include:

PlayerPositionAssociation to GreeceDistinctions
Braith AnastaFive-eighthGreek Father
and Grandparents
Played in the NRL with the Canterbury Bulldogs, Sydney Roosters and the Wests Tigers. He has represented notable Australian representative teams such as the Australian national team and the New South Wales rugby league team.
Anasta has made one appearance for Greece in their 2013 test-match against Hungary where he contributed with 46 points.
Jason DemetriouSecond RowGreek HeritageMainly known for his career in their Super League.
Represented Greece in 2007.
George GatisHookerGreek HeritagePlayed in the NRL with the North Queensland Cowboys and New Zealand Warriors as well as with the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League.
Played for Greece in 2005.
Michael KorkidasPropGreek HeritageMade his debut in 2005, taking the role of captain. He has mainly played his career in the Super League with teams such as the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Salford City Reds, Castleford Tigers and Huddersfield Giants.
Nick KouparitsasSecond RowGreek HeritagePlayed in the NRL with the Canterbury Bulldogs and Sydney Roosters as well as playing for the London Broncos in the Super League.
Appeared for Greece in 2005 and 2006.
Blake LazarusHalfbackGreek HeritagePlayed in the NRL with the Wests Tigers.
Appeared for Greece in 2012 and 2014.
Jordan MeadsHalfbackGreek HeritagePlayed in the Toyota Cup with the New Zealand Warriors and in the Championship 1 tier of English competition for the Gloucestershire All Golds and Newcastle Thunder.
Captained Greece in 2014 Balkans Cup and 2014 European Championship C.
John SkandalispropGreek HeritageNotable Wests Tigers player as well as playing for the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League. Represented the City Origin Team between 2002-2006.
Captained Greece in the 2009 Australian Mediterranean Shield.

Competitive Records

All-time record

All time record for Greece's national side as of 24 December 2020.[22]

Team First Played Played Win Draw Loss Win % Points For Points Against Point Difference Last Played
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2014 1 1 0 0 100.00 58 4 +54 2014
 Bulgaria 2017 1 1 0 0 100.00 68 8 +60 2017
 Czech Republic 2014 1 1 0 0 100.00 68 16 +52 2014
 Hungary 2013 3 2 0 1 66.67 134 38 +96 2018
 Italy 2003 3 1 0 2 33.33 72 98 -26 2009
 Japan 2016 1 1 0 0 100.00 72 0 +72 2016
 Malta 2005 4 2 0 2 50.00 114 76 +38 2018
 New Caledonia 2003 2 2 0 0 100.00 82 18 +64 2004
 Niue 2018 1 0 0 1 0.00 8 16 -8 2018
 Norway 2019 1 1 0 0 100.00 56 26 +30 2019
 Portugal 2009 1 1 0 0 100.00 42 16 +26 2009
 Scotland 2019 1 0 0 1 0.00 24 42 -18 2019
 Serbia 2006 4 3 0 1 75.00 184 104 +80 2019
 Spain 2014 1 0 0 1 0.00 4 76 -72 2014
 Turkey 2019 1 1 0 0 100.00 38 24 +14 2019
 Ukraine 2018 1 1 0 0 100.00 28 26 +2 2018
 Vanuatu 2012 2 2 0 0 100.00 64 14 +50 2018
Total 2003 29 20 0 9 68.97 1116 602 +514 2019

A red box around the year indicates tournaments played within Greece

World Cup

World Cup record
Year Round Position Pld W D L PF PA
1954Not involved in qualifying
1957
1960
1968
1970
1972
1975
1977
1985–88
1989–92
1995
2000
2008
2013
2017 Failed to Qualify
2021 Qualified
Total 0 Titles 0/13 0 0 0 0

Balkans Cup

Balkans Cup
Year Round Position GP W L D
2014Champions1/42200
2017Second place2/32110
2019to be determined
Total1 Title1/24310

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.
Australian Mediterranean Shield
Year Round Position GP W L D
2009Champions1/42200
Total1 Title1/?2200

Emerging Nations World Championship

World Cup record
Year Round Position GP W L D
20183rd Place 3/13 4 2 2 0
Total0 Titles3/134220

European Championship B

European Championship B
Year Round Position GP W L D
2020Qualified
Total 0 Titles 0/3 0 0 0 0

European Championship C

European Championship C
Year Round Position GP W L D
2008Not Invited
2009Not Invited
2010Not invited
2011Not invited
2012Not invited
2013Not invited
2014Champions1/32200
20153rd place3/32020
2016Not invited
2018Champions 1/6 4 4 0 0
Total2 Titles1/74220

Records

Most Capped Players

Left to Right: Bastas, Tuliatu, Rousoglou, Kartsonakis. After Emerging Nations 3rd Place Victory at St Mary's Stadium, Sydney.
# Name Caps
1 Stefanos Bastas 14
2 Terry Constantinou 13
3 Ioannis Rousoglou 12
4 Ioannis Nake 10
Nikos Bosmos
6 Kostas Katsidonis 9
7 Dimosthenes Kartsonakis 8
Jordan Meads
Robert Tuliatu
10 Michael Korkidas 7
Peter Mamouzelos
Jake Vrahnos
Mitchell Zampetides
Alvaro Zota

Top Try Scorers

# Name Tries
1 Jordan Meads 16
2 Terry Constantinou 14
3 Peter Mamouzelos 10
4 Nikos Bosmos 6
Jake Vrahnos
6 Ioannis Nake 5
George Tsikrikas
Mitchell Zampetides
9 Braith Anasta 4
Adam Bouris
Sebastian Sell
Vasili Tsikrikas

Top Point Scorers

# Name Points Tries Goals Field Goals
1 Jordan Meads 132 16 34 0
2 Liam Sue-Tin 66 1 31 0
3 Terry Constantinou 56 14 0 0
4 Nikos Bosmos 52 6 14 0
5 Braith Anasta 46 4 15 0
6 Peter Mamouzelos 40 10 0 0
7 Sam Stratis 30 2 11 0
8 Jake Vrahnos 24 6 0 0
9 Aris Dardamanis 22 3 5 0
Ioannis Nake 5 1 0

Source:[23]

See also

References

  1. "RLIF - Rugby League International Federation". www.rlif.com. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  2. |. "Italy wins Ionio Cup » League Unlimited". League Unlimited. Retrieved 6 February 2020.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. "RLEF". Archived from the original on 27 August 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  4. Εθνικη Ομαδα / National Team - Ελλασ Ραγκμπυ Λιγκ - Hellas Rugby League
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "RLEF". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  7. "Greece coach names initial squad for european championship c". rlef.com. 13 September 2015. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  8. "Greece suspended from RLEF". SBS News. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  9. "RLEF." 10 August 2017. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  10. "Greek Rugby League Association gains Affiliate status with RLEF". www.rlif.com. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  11. "Rugby League World Cup 2021". www.rlwc2021.com. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  12. "Greece defeat Malta in Euro C (South)". www.rlif.com. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  13. "Rugby League World Cup 2021". www.rlwc2021.com. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  14. Darbyshire, Drew (19 May 2019). "Greece defeat Norway in World Cup qualifier". Love Rugby League. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  15. "How Greece Beat Their Own Government To Qualify For The Rugby League World Cup". The Sportsman. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  16. "Greece qualify for Rugby League World Cup for the first time". 9 November 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  17. "2021 RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP QUALIFIER POOL B – GREECE 24 SCOTLAND 42 - Report". www.rlef.eu.com. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  18. "2021 RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP QUALIFIER POOL B – SERBIA 6 GREECE 82 - Report". www.rlef.eu.com. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  19. "Modern Greek history: Greece make first World Cup after thumping Serbia". National Rugby League. 9 November 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  20. "Rugby League World Cup 2021". www.rlwc2021.com. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  21. "Draw for the Euros to be Live Streamed". www.rlef.eu.com. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  22. "Head to Head". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  23. "Greece - Players - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
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