Czech Republic national rugby league team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Czech Republic
Badge of Czech Republic team
Team information
Governing bodyCzech Rugby League Association
RegionEurope
Head coach
CaptainJarda Stribro
Most capsMichal Priputen (10)
Tomas Holovsky (10)
IRL ranking24th
Uniforms
First colours
Team results
First game
United Kingdom British Student Pioneers 29–8  Czech Republic
(Prague, Czech Republic; 2006)
Biggest win
 Czech Republic 30–4 Germany 
(Olomouc, Czech Republic; 2009)
Biggest defeat
 Germany 96–0 Czech Republic 
(Hochspeyer, Germany; 2010)

The Czech Republic national rugby league team was established to broaden the skills of the rugby union team. The team has competed in a number of competitions and hosted the Slavic Cup in 2006.

History[]

The Czech Association of Rugby League (CZARL) began life in early 2006, under the guidance of former Czech rugby union international Milan Mrtýnek and Englishman Iain Sellers.

The squad's first training session, in February 2006, was held in an indoor basketball hall because of an extremely fierce Czech winter. From these modest beginnings, the Czech team, with support from the Rugby League European Federation, struggled to play four full games in their debut season.

Perhaps inevitably, given the unfamiliarity of the game, the Czech Republic lost all four matches, and the margins of defeat were not narrow. The Czechs played their first two games against the touring British Student Pioneers team. A 29–2 loss in Prague was followed by a less encouraging 34–2 defeat in Olomouc.

This was followed by the first away trip to Rotterdam to face the Netherlands Tasman team, where the newcomers were narrowly defeated 34–28. In their final game of the season, also in Prague, the Czechs were beaten 36–28 by Serbia, in the inaugural "Slavic Cup" match between the two countries.

In 2007 The Czech Republic played in the European Shield tournament against the Germans and Serbians. This saw them travel to Belgrade to play Serbia and Germany travelled to Prague. Both games were lost. The Serbia game doubled again as a Slavic Cup match. In 2008 the Czech team once again competed in the European Shield along with Italy and Germany, with a domestic competition in under 16, under 18 and Senior level.

In 2011, the Czech Rugby League Association was admitted to affiliate membership of the Rugby League European Federation after reforming its governance.[1]

Current squad[]

The Czech Republic national team squad for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup qualifying match against  Norway on June 16, 2018.[2]

Pos. Player Club
Fullback Patrik Koliska South Sydney colours.svg Chrudim Rabbitohs
Wing Oldřich Chrbolka South Sydney colours.svg Chrudim Rabbitohs
Centre Filip Špaček North Sydney colours.svg Slavia Hradec Králové
Centre Daniel Kittl Catalanscolours.svg Krupka Dragons
Wing Jan Mudroch North Sydney colours.svg Slavia Hradec Králové
Five-eighth Ladislav Cintler North Sydney colours.svg Slavia Hradec Králové
Halfback Tomáš Řičica South Sydney colours.svg Chrudim Rabbitohs
Prop Tomáš Adamec North Sydney colours.svg Slavia Hradec Králové
Hooker Petr Šedina Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Mikulov Roosters
Prop Pavel Mejstřík Oldhamcolours.svg Lokomotiva Beroun
Second-row Jan Heininger North Sydney colours.svg Slavia Hradec Králové
Second-row Richard Gach North Sydney colours.svg Slavia Hradec Králové
Lock Ondřej Preininger South Sydney colours.svg Chrudim Rabbitohs
- Dominik Machek Eastern Suburbs colours.svg
- Lukáš Krištof Oldhamcolours.svg Lokomotiva Beroun
- Adam Petržela Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Mikulov Roosters
- Aleš Pour Eastern Suburbs colours.svg
- Pavel Mikeska Hullcolours.svg Hodonín Black Angels
- Roman Pavelek Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Mikulov Roosters

National team results[]

The following is a summary of tournaments and results for the Czech Republic National Rugby League Team.

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

2006[]

The year 2006 saw the inaugural entrance of the Czech Rugby League team. Playing two games against the Dutch team Netherlands Tasman. This was a close and competitive match against a team that is competing for a place in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. The Czechs eventually going down by a converted try 34–28. Also in 2006 was the establishing of the annual Slavic Cup tournament, contested by the Czechs and Serbia. Serbia were the inaugural winners 38–26 in what was also a close match.

OTHER

  • Netherlands Tasman 34–28 Czech Republic – Rotterdam, Netherlands – (4 August 2006)

SLAVIC CUP

  • Czech Republic 26–38 Serbia – Prague, Czech Republic – (12 August 2006)
Team P W D L Pt
1 Serbia 1 1 0 0 2
2 Czech Republic 1 0 0 1 0

In all, the first year of international competition for the Czechs was deemed a success.

2007[]

In 2007 the Czechs entered the European Shield tri-nations tournament. This was the successor to the central development tournament the previous year that had Germany, Austria and Estonia. The European Shield was part of a multi level (tier) structure of tournaments in which teams will be promoted and relegated. The Czechs had to face the Serbians and Germans in this year's tournament and were looking to get some revenge on the Serbian team from the previous year's loss. The Serbian game would also double as the Slavic Cup game.


Alas this was not to be the Czech's year. Despite some fantastic play in offence in both games the battle hardened Serbians, who had just come off a World Cup campaign, and Germans proved a bit too strong. Still it showed that the seeds in the Czech Republic had taken hold and they will have a good core of young players to call upon in the coming years. The first game against the Germans was on home soil and Germany just having had a stinging loss to the Serbs were out to make amends and some valuable points. The Czechs after having a strong lead in the first half went into the half down by 6 points. In the second half the Germans experience came through and they ran away with the win 44–22. The next match was in Belgrade against the Serbians who showed why they were in World Cup contention. With an early try to the Czechs, the Serbians then muscled up in defence and moved the ball in attack to use their advantage. With the win secured the Serbians not only took away the European Shield but also the Slavic Cup.

EUROPEAN SHIELD

  • Czech Republic 22–44 Germany – Prague, Czech Republic – (4 August 2007)
  • Serbia 56–16 Czech Republic – Belgrade, Serbia – (18 August 2007)
Team P W D L Pt
1 Serbia 2 2 0 0 4
2 Germany 2 1 0 0 2
3 Czech Republic 2 0 0 2 0
  • Other European Shield game: Germany 6-38 Serbia – Heidelberg, Germany – (7 July 2007)

SLAVIC CUP

  • Serbia 56–16 Czech Republic – Belgrade, Serbia – (18 August 2007)
Team P W D L Pt
1 Serbia 1 1 0 0 2
2 Czech Republic 1 0 0 1 0

2008[]

The 2008 European Shield Tri Series once again featured the Czech Republic along with Germany and newcomers Italy. Last year's winners, Serbia, had been promoted into the European Med Cup with Lebanon and Russia.

The Czech Republic were looking to go two steps better this year, to get a maiden win in international competition and one over local international derby rivals Germany. With the advent of regular touring teams to Prague and Beroun and also a junior structure there was much confidence in the Czechs becoming a local force to be reckoned with this year and the coming years.

EUROPEAN SHIELD

  • Italy 58–26 Germany – Padova, Italy – (13 June 2008)
  • Czech Rep. 18–38 Italy – Prague, Czech Republic – (12 July 2008)
  • Germany 62–20 Czech Republic – Karlsruhe, Germany – (2 August 2008)
Team P W D L Pt
1 Italy 2 2 0 0 4
2 Germany 2 1 0 1 2
3 Czech Republic 2 0 0 2 0

2009[]

The Czech Rugby League Association announced a 20-man squad and travelling party selected from four of the sides that competed in the inaugural domestic Championship to form a 'Czech President's XIII' to play a European Tour. The tour commenced with a game against Catalonia, then two European Shield matches against Germany at home in Olomouc on 4 July and in Padova against Italy a week later.[3]

The first match took place at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona as a curtain raiser to the engage Super League Round 17 clash between Catalans Dragons and Warrington Wolves, which attracted a crowd of 18,150.[4] Over 3,000 watched the international at kick-off, and the crowd grew steadily through the game.

The first match of the 2009 European Shield was played between Germany and the Czech Republic in Olomouc. Before a home crowd, the Czech team came away with their first international win.[5] They subsequently lost to eventual champions Italy, but the win over Germany was enough to earn second place in the tournament.

EUROPEAN SHIELD

  • Czech Rep 30–4 Germany – Olomouc, Czech Republic – (4 July 2009)
  • Italy 38–8 Czech Republic – Padova, Italy – (11 July 2009)
  • Germany 30–42 Italy – Hurth, Germany – (18 July 2009)
Team P W D L Pt
1 Italy 2 2 0 0 4
2 Czech Republic 2 1 0 1 2
3 Germany 2 0 0 2 0

2010[]

The first match of the 2010 European Shield West was played between the Czech Republic and Serbia in Prague with a win for Serbia 4–56. In July, the CZRLA announced that Andrew Mulhall would be the new national team coach,[6] before the friendly match that Czech Republic lost with Catalonia 16–66. The last match was against Germany in Hochspeyer with another loss.

EUROPEAN SHIELD – West

  • Czech Republic 4–56 Serbia – Prague, Czech Republic – (26 June 2010)
  • Serbia 40–14 Germany – Belgrade, Serbia – (3 July 2010)
  • Germany 96–0 Czech Rep. – Hochspeyer, Germany – (17 July 2010)
Team P W D L Pt
1 Serbia 2 2 0 0 4
2 Germany 2 1 0 1 2
3 Czech Republic 2 0 0 2 0

2011[]

In 2011 the Czech Republic national rugby league team participated in the Rugby League European Bowl against Hungary. The tournament featured a one off fixture between the two nations on 23 July in Budapest, Hungary.

  • Czech Republic 38–16 Hungary XIII – Budapest, Hungary – (23 July 2011)

Tour matches[]

There have been several touring sides that have been on development tours to the Czech Republic.

2006

  • Czech Republic XIII 08–29 British Students – Prague, Czech Republic – (9 July 2006)
  • Czech Republic XIII 22–34 British Students – Olomouc, Czech Republic – (16 July 2006)

2007

  • Czech Republic XIII 18–64 Shaw Cross Sharks – Prague, Czech Republic – (27 April 2007)
  • Czech Republic XIII 10–22 Crigglestone All Blacks – Olomouc, Czech Republic – (5 May 2007)
  • Czech Republic XIII 10–68 British Police – Beroun, Czech Republic – (23 May 2007)

2008

  • TBA

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Caplan, Phil (27 October 2011). "RLEF formally admits four new members". www.rleague.com. Archived from the original on 28 October 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  2. ^ "Preview:European Championship C - Czech Republic v Norway". rlwc2021.com. 15 June 2018.
  3. ^ Fixtures Archived 14 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Rugby League Europe Federation. Retrieved 29 June 2009
  4. ^ RFL Chief hails Barcelona success Archived 30 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine. engage Super League. Retrieved 29 June 2009
  5. ^ Czech’s Pick Up First Victory In Shield Success Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Rugby League Europe Federation. Retrieved 7 July 2009
  6. ^ "Czech's make coaching change". rleague.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2010.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""