Greece national rugby league team

Greece
Nickname Centaurs
Governing body Hellas Rugby League Federation
Region Europe
Head coach Steve Georgallis
Captain Joshua Kanakis
RLIF ranking 24th
Colours
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)

The Greece national rugby league team (Greek: Ελλάδα εθνική ομάδα ράγκμπι λίγκ) represents Greece in rugby league football, officially since 2013. The team has been participating in international competition since 2003, and have since become an affiliate member of the Rugby League International Federation.

For more Greek stats, news, team results and more visit Greece's RLEF Page.

History

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.

Official Rankings as of November 2016[1]
RankChangeTeamPoints
1 Increase  Australia
2 Decrease  New Zealand
3 Steady  England
4 Increase  Scotland
5 Decrease  Samoa
6  France
7  Fiji
8  Ireland
9  Wales
10 Steady  United States
11  Serbia
12 Increase  Canada
13  Italy
14 Decrease  Tonga
15  Papua New Guinea
16 Increase  Russia
17 Decrease  Jamaica
18  Belgium
19 Steady  Spain
20  Malta
21  Lebanon
22 Increase  Ukraine
23  Germany
24  Czech Republic
25 Decrease  Cook Islands
26 Steady  Norway
27  Denmark
28  Greece
29  Sweden
30  Netherlands
31  South Africa
32 Increase  Niue
33 Decrease  Philippines
34 Steady  Chile
35  Vanuatu
36  Latvia
37  Solomon Islands
38  Hungary
39  El Salvador
40  Morocco

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 is 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.

On 27 October 2013 Greece defeated Hungary 90-0 in an international match played in Budapest in front of 500 spectators.[2] The Greek side featured a mixture of players from the Greek domestic competition and Australian-based players including Anasta and Korkidas.[3] Anasta kicked 15 goals from 15 attempts and scored 46 points in the win.[2]

In October 2014, Greece were crowned European Championship C champions after beating Czech Republic in the final. This was their second international tournament victory[4]

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.[5]

Matthew Ashill was the coach of the team for the 2015 European C/2017 Rugby League World Cup qualifying tournament and on the 13th of 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”.[6]

Current squad

Here is the 22 man train-on squad named for the 2015 European Championship C/2017 Rugby League World Cup qualifying tournament. *Note, players are listed in no particular order

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:

Player Position Association to Greece Distinctions
Braith Anasta Five-eighth Greek Father
and Grandparents 		Played in the NRL with the Canterbury Bulldogs, Sydney Roosters and the West 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 Demetriou Second Row Greek Heritage Mainly known for his career in the Super League.
Represented Greece in 2000.
George Gatis Hooker Greek Heritage Played 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.
Iwi Hauraki Wing Greek Heritage Played in the NRL with the Sydney Roosters.
Has represented Greece in 20??
Michael Korkidas Prop Greek Heritage By far Greece's most influential big name player, making his debut in 2005 and ever since captaining the side and making more than 10 appearances for the team. He has mainly played his career in the Super League with teams such as the Wakefield Wildcats, Salford City Reds, Castleford Tigers and Huddersfield Giants.
Nick Kouparitsas Second Row Greek Heritage Played 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 Lazarus Halfback Greek Heritage Played in the NRL with the Wests Tigers.
Appeared for Greece in 2012 and 2014.
Jordan Meads Halfback Greek Heritage Played in the NRL with the New Zealand Warriors and in the Championship 1 tier of English competition for the Gloucestershire All Golds.
Captained Greece in 2014 Balkans Cup and 2014 European Championship C.
John Skandalis prop Greek Heritage Notable 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.

Match official

Referee

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

World Cup record
Year Round Position GP W L D
Australia 2008 Not involved in qualifying
EnglandWales 2013 Not involved in qualifying
AustraliaNew Zealand 2017 Failed to Qualify
Total0 Titles0/130000

Balkans Cup

Balkans Cup
Year Round Position GP W L D
Serbia 2014Champions1/42200
Total1 Title1/12200

Australian Mediterranean Shield

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

European Championship C

European Championship C
Year Round Position GP W L D
Estonia Latvia 2008 Not Invited
Latvia Estonia 2009 Not Invited
Malta 2010 Not invited
Hungary 2011 Not invited
Czech Republic 2012 Not invited
Ukraine Norway Czech Republic 2013 Not invited
Malta Czech Republic Greece2014Champions1/32200
Spain Malta Greece 2015 To Be Determined
Total1 Title1/72200

Results

See also

References

  1. ↑
  2. 1 2 RLEF
  3. ↑ Εθνικη Ομαδα / National Team - Ελλασ Ραγκμπυ Λιγκ - Hellas Rugby League
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-10-21. Retrieved 2014-10-21.
  5. ↑ RLEF
  6. ↑ "Greece coach names initial squad for european championship c". rlef.com. 2015-09-13. Retrieved 2015-09-18.
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