VVA Saracens

The VVA-Podmoskovye is a Russian rugby union team currently playing in the Professional Rugby League. The team plays at Gagarin Air Force Academy stadium in Monino, a garrison town just outside Moscow. VVA-Podmoskovye have strong links to the air force and also supply the bulk of Russia, with which they share a head coach, Nikolai Nerush. The team has ambitious plans for the future - it is lobbying hard for inclusion in the European Challenge Cup and is close to completing a 12,500-seat purpose-built rugby stadium.[1]

VVA Podmoskovye
Full nameRugby club VVA-Podmoskovje, Moscow region
Founded1967
LocationMonino, Russia
Ground(s)Gagarin Air Force Academy stadium (Capacity: 1500)
ChairmanRifkat Sattarov
Coach(es)Nikolay Nerush
Captain(s)Vladimir Marchenko
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
www.vva-podmoskovje.ru

VVA-Podmoskovye have won the title eight times, in 1993, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. They were also nine-time winners of the Soviet Championship.

March 2011 saw two stars depart for Aviva Premiership clubs, with Moldovan international Vadim Cobîlaş joining former Russia coach Steve Diamond at Sale Sharks and Russian international Vasily Artemiev joining Northampton Saints.

Honours
  • USSR/Russian Championship (17): 1969, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1993, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010.
  • Runner-up (9): 1972, 1982, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2005.
  • USSR/Russian Cup (13): 1976, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010.

Current squad

2019

VVA
Pos. Nat. Name Date of birth (age) Caps Former club
HK Evgeny Matveev (1984-04-15) 15 April 1984 61 Lokomotiv
HK Alexander Ivanov (1990-11-04) 4 November 1990 3 homegrown player
HK Ivan Nezhdanov (1995-01-01) 1 January 1995 Bulava Taganrog
PR Andrey Polivalov (1986-08-09) 9 August 1986 28 Enisei-STM
PR Vladimir Podrezov (1994-01-27) 27 January 1994 27 Enisei-STM
PR Clinton Theron (1995-11-03) 3 November 1995 Boland Cavaliers
PR Anton Drozdov (1996-10-08) 8 October 1996 3 Bulava Taganrog
PR Dmitry Krovyakov (1998-05-19) 19 May 1998 Energia Kazan
LK Alexey Panasenko (1983-01-13) 13 January 1983 33 homegrown player
LK Andrey Garbuzov (1983-08-07) 7 August 1983 99 Krasny Yar
LK Freddy Ngoza (1991-10-20) 20 October 1991 Boland Cavaliers
LK Egor Zykov (1993-01-11) 11 January 1993 2 Krasny Yar
LK Mikhail Pankratov (1999-04-11) 11 April 1999 Energia Kazan
FL Alexander Lavrov (1991-03-18) 18 March 1991 Bulava Taganrog
FL Vitaly Zhivatov (1992-02-16) 16 February 1992 12 homegrown player
FL Tagir Gadzhiev (1994-03-29) 29 March 1994 31 RC Kuban
FL Sergey Mysin (1995-09-16) 16 September 1995 homegrown player
FL Patris Peki (1995-10-19) 19 October 1995 2 RC Zelenograd
N8 Artem Marchenko (1991-03-23) 23 March 1991 homegrown player
SH Dmitry Perov (1984-11-18) 18 November 1984 14 homegrown player
SH Denis Syomin (1992-12-24) 24 December 1992 homegrown player
SH Gor Petrosyan (1997-08-17) 17 August 1997 Krasny Yar
FH Lasha Malaguradze (1986-06-02) 2 June 1986 91 Krasny Yar
FH Leighton Eksteen (1994-09-15) 15 September 1994 SWD Eagles
CE Sergey Trishin (1984-12-12) 12 December 1984 56 Enisei-STM
CE Mikhail Babaev (1986-01-19) 19 January 1986 71 Enisei-STM
CE Ilya Babaev (1989-01-10) 10 January 1989 homegrown player
CE German Davydov (1994-03-10) 10 March 1994 21 Energia Kazan
CE Kirill Golosnitsky (1994-05-30) 30 May 1994 14 Krasny Yar
CE Artem Kashyrsky (1995-01-01) 1 January 1995 homegrown player
CE Sergey Motov (1997-01-05) 5 January 1997 homegrown player
CE Egor Kuleshov (1998-02-18) 18 February 1998 homegrown player
WG Alexander Romanov (1993-04-26) 26 April 1993 homegrown player
WG Vladislav Sozonov (1993-10-09) 9 October 1993 11 homegrown player
WG Meli Rokoua (1994-08-24) 24 August 1994 Eastern Province Elephants
WG Alexander Nikitin (1999-04-22) 22 April 1999 homegrown player
WG Daniil Potikhanov (1999-11-30) 30 November 1999 3 Lokomotiv
FB Andrey Lizogub (1991-01-22) 22 January 1991 2 RC Kuban
FB German Godlyuk (1992-08-11) 11 August 1992 2 Slava Moscow

Former players now in a professional overseas league

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union
Vadim Cobilas Prop Moldova -> Sale Sharks
Vladislav Korshunov Hooker Russia -> London Wasps
Karolis Navickas Lock Lithuania -> Sale Sharks & Union Bordeaux Bègles
Vasily Artemiev Wing Russia -> Northampton Saints

International honours

References
  1. "Russian League Expands for 2010".
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