Celtic Crusaders
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| Celtic Crusaders | |
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| Full name | Celtic Crusaders Rugby League Club |
| Emblem | St David's Cross |
| Colours | Black and gold |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Sport | Rugby league |
| League | Rugby League National League Two |
| Ground | Brewery Field, Bridgend |
| Official website | www.crusadersrfl.com |
The Celtic Crusaders are a rugby league club based in Bridgend, Wales, United Kingdom. They joined the LHF Healthplan National League Two in 2006. They play their home games at Brewery Field in Bridgend though they have taken games to other parts of South Wales.
Most Crusaders players are Welsh-qualified and were recruited from the Welsh Conference sides, mainly Bridgend Blue Bulls and Aberavon Fighting Irish. They also run an academy side drawn from every club in the Welsh Conference.
The Crusaders are attracting fans of the now defunct rugby union team Celtic Warriors, who participated in the Celtic League during the 2003-2004 season, before they were disbanded by the WRU.
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[edit] Symbols
The Badge - The badge depicts the Cross of St David with the Crusaders logo emblazed thereon. The club colours are black and gold and the change strip blue and white.
The Motto - The motto comes from Lucius Accius a Roman tragic Poet. ‘Oderint dum metuant’ - ‘Let them hate, so long as they fear’ later became a famous motto of the Emperor Caligula.
[edit] History
[edit] Celtic Warriors
In the summer of 2003, the WRU voted to reduce the top tier of Welsh professional rugby union from nine clubs into five regions. The Celtic Warriors officially represented the Mid-Glamorgan Valleys area, which in practice meant that they were a combination of Pontypridd RFC and Bridgend RFC.
Financial problems at Pontypridd RFC led to the sale of their half of the Warriors to Bridgend RFC owner Leighton Samuel, which he gifted to the WRU. He then later sold his half to the WRU who in the Summer of 2004 decided to liquidate the club.
[edit] Celtic Crusaders
Leighton Samuel then created a team which he claimed was the resurrection of the old Celtic Warriors franchise, however, instead of playing rugby union they would play rugby league. The RFL had long wanted a team based in South Wales to play in their leagues and accepted his proposals.
The initial plan to use the 'Celtic Warriors' name was abandoned in favour of 'Celtic Crusaders' which had been considered by the rugby union franchise. They were to play their home games at Brewery Field and games were planned to be held at Sardis Road as well.
The Crusaders' aim was to reach Super League and to represent South Wales. Previous attempts to create rugby league franchises in non-traditional areas have met with mixed success. Gateshead Thunder and Paris Saint Germain were given automatic entry to the Super League, Paris survived only one season and Gateshead were forcibly merged and reincarnated as a national league two side. The philosophy behind the creation of the Crusaders was a bottom up approach to ensure that the club grew with its playing and spectator base, into a nationally recognised sporting brand.
The Crusaders first match took place against Harlequins Academy at Brewery Field. The Crusaders used the fixture as a chance to view the fringe players in their squad and secured a 22-22 draw. [1]
Their first competitive games were in the National League Cup; Crusaders were placed in a group along with London Skolars, Hemel Stags and St Albans Centurions. Crusaders won every game convincingly and were installed as favourites to win National League two in their first year. However, the team finished a creditable third and lost out 26-27 in the Final Eliminator to Swinton Lions.
Celtic Crusaders will again compete in National League Two in 2007.
[edit] 2007 squad
[edit] Current squad
| Player | Position | Previous Club | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Tony Duggan | Full Back | Toowoomba Clydesdales |
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Damien Quinn | Centre | Toowoomba Clydesdales |
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Luke Young | Stand-off | Canterbury Bulldogs |
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Geraint Davies | Centre | Aberavon Fighting Irish |
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Richard Johnson | Wing | Aberavon Fighting Irish |
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Grant Epton | Wing | Bridgend Blue Bulls |
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Anthony Blackwood | Centre | Halifax RLFC |
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Chris Beasley | Second Row | St Gaudens |
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Neale Wyatt | Second Row | Pia Donkeys |
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Hywel Davies | Prop | Bridgend Blue Bulls |
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Jace Van Dijk | Scrum Half | Wynnum Seagulls |
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Phil Cushion | Prop | Swinton Lions |
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Dean Fitzgerald | Loose Forward | Bridgend Blue Bulls |
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Gareth Dean | Prop | AS Carcassonne |
squad will be increased to 25 over coming months
[edit] Fixtures
- Northern Rail Cup Group Stages
- Sunday 12 February – Hemel Hempstead Stags (a) 2pm
- Sunday 19 February - London Skolars (a) 3pm
- Sunday 26 February – St Albans Centurions (a) 2:30pm
- Sunday 05 March - London Skolars (h) 3pm
- Sunday 19 March - Hemel Hempstead Stags (h) 3pm
- Sunday 26 March - St Albans Centurions (h) 3pm
- Powergen Challenge Cup
- Sunday 12 March - Third Round
- Sunday 02 April - Fourth Round
- Sunday 21 May - Fifth Round
- Sunday 04 June - Quarter Finals
- Sunday 30 July - Semi Finals
- Saturday 26 August - Powergen Challenge Cup Final
- L H F Healthplan National League Two
- Sunday 09 April - Workington Town (a) 3pm
- Friday 14 April - London Skolars (h) 6pm
- Monday 17 April - Sheffield Eagles (a) 12pm
- Sunday 30 April - Barrow Raiders (a) 3pm
- Sunday 07 May - Hunslet Hawks (h) 3pm
- Sunday 14 May - Keighley Cougars (a) 3pm
- Sunday 21 May - Blackpool Panthers (h) 3pm
- Sunday 28 May - Dewsbury Rams (a) 3pm
- Sunday 04 June - Keighley Cougars (h) 3pm
- Sunday 11 June - Swinton Lions (a) 3pm
- Sunday 18 June - Sheffield Eagles (h) 3pm
- Sunday 25 June - London Skolars (a) 3pm
- Sunday 02 July - Swinton Lions (h) 3pm
- Sunday 09 July – Hunslet Hawks (a) 3pm
- Sunday 16 July - Barrow Raiders (h) 3pm
- Sunday 23 July - Blackpool Panthers (a) 3pm
- Sunday 30 July - Dewsbury Rams (h) 3pm
- Sunday 06 August - Gateshead Thunder (h) 3pm
- Sunday 13 August - Featherstone Rovers (a) 3pm
- Sunday 20 August - Workington Town (h) 3pm
- Sunday 03 September - Gateshead Thunder (a) 3pm
- Sunday 10 September - Featherstone Rovers (h) 3pm
- Sunday 17 September – First Round of the play-offs
[edit] See also
- Celtic Warriors
- Wales national rugby league team
- Rugby League in Wales
- Rugby League Conference
- Rugby League National Leagues
[edit] External links
- Celtic Crusaders announcement
- Celtic Crusaders official website
- Celtic Crusaders Message Board
- Fansite
- Website containing information about past League clubs
- Official Wales Rugby League website
- Official Wales Rugby League photographer's website
| Rugby League National Leagues - National League Two |
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Barrow Raiders | Blackpool Panthers | Celtic Crusaders | Featherstone Rovers | Gateshead Thunder | Hunslet Hawks | Keighley Cougars | London Skolars | Oldham Roughyeds | Swinton Lions | Workington Town | York City Knights | |
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See also: Rugby League Championship Third Division |
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