Belgium national rugby league team

Last updated

Belgium
Belgium rugby league.png
Team information
NicknameGolden Lions
Governing body Rugby League Belgium
Region Europe
Head coach Valu Bentley
CaptainDamien Parée
Home stadiumCentre Sportif de Neder Over Hembeek
IRL ranking 55th
Uniforms
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body libya home.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
First colours
Team results
First game
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 28–22 Catalonia  Flag of Catalonia.svg
(Wavre, Belgium; 25 July 2009)
Biggest win
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 60–12 Netherlands  Flag of the Netherlands.svg
(Rotterdam, Netherlands; 2 May 2015)
Biggest defeat
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 54–10 Belgium  Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
(Moncada, Spain; 8 June 2014)

The Belgium national rugby league team represents Belgium in the sport of rugby league football.

Contents

For more Belgian stats, news, team results and more visit Belgium's RLEF Page.

History

The success of the 2008 Rugby League World Cup resulted in a popularity surge for the sport around the world. As a result, a number of new nations took up the sport. Belgium followed this trend in 2009. [1] Rugby League Belgium was started with a single franchise, Brabant Wallon Wavre Rugby XIII, and the creation of a national side to participate in the RLEF Euro Med Challenge and other international matches. [2]

Under new President Yves-Michael Kazadi, Belgium were granted observer membership of the Rugby League European Federation in June 2013. [3]

Their first international competition was in the 2009 RLEF Euro Med Challenge against Catalonia and Morocco. [4] In their first international, Belgium defeated Catalonia in front of a home crowd in Wavre. Belgium came in second in the Euro Med Challenge 2009, losing to Morocco 46-12. Following this tournament, the national team took a 4-year hiatus before being granted affiliate RLEF membership and returning to international competition in 2013.

Current squad

The current Squad is managed by well experienced coach Valu Bentley a former player himself he served as an assistant to the former national coach Tony Benson and was awarded the full time role upon his predecessors departure.

2018 [5] The Belgium squad that took on the Czech Republic on 3 October.

Competitive record

Overall

TeamFirst PlayedPlayedWinDrawLossPoints ForPoints Againstlast played
Flag of Catalonia.svg Catalonia 2009110028222009
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Republic 2015210154262015
Flag of Germany.svg Germany 2016110026122016
Four Provinces Flag.svg  Ireland 201510010342015
Flag of Malta.svg Malta 2015100134352015
Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco 2009100112462009
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands 20134400150482016
Flag of Spain.svg Spain 2014200220662014
Total 13706324289 

Results

YearDateResultVenueCityAttendanceCompetitionReport
200925 JulyBelgium def. Catalonia 28-22 Wavre, Belgium400 Euro-Med Challenge match report
200915 August Morocco def. Belgium 46-16Stade de la Meditérrannée Beziers, France Euro-Med Challenge match report
201329 JuneBelgium def. Netherlands 22-6 Delft, NetherlandsInternational friendly match report
201424 May Spain def. Belgium 12-10Centre Sportif Neder-Over-Heembeek, BelgiumInternational friendly match report
20148 June Spain def. Belgium 54-10Campo de Rugby la Pelosa Moncada, SpainInternational friendly match report
201428 JuneBelgium def. Netherlands 32-16Centre SportifNeder-Over-Heembeek, BelgiumTri-Nation Challenge Cup match report
201518 AprilBelgium def. Czech Republic 50-12Domaine van Puyenbroek Brussels, BelgiumInternational Friendly match report
20152 MayBelgium def. Netherlands 60-12 Rotterdam, NetherlandsInternational Friendly match report
201521 June Malta def. Belgium 35-34 Headingley Carnegie Stadium Leeds, England International Friendly match report
201512 July Ireland def. Belgium 38-0 Carlisle Grounds Bray, Ireland International Friendly match report
20153 October Czech Republic def. Belgium 14-4 Tis, Czech Republic International Friendly match report

IRL Rankings

Official rankings as of 30 June 2024
RankChangeTeamPts %
1Steady2.svgFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 100
2Steady2.svgFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 82
3Steady2.svgFlag of England.svg  England 80
4Steady2.svgFlag of Samoa.svg  Samoa 67
5Steady2.svgFlag of Tonga.svg  Tonga 49
6Increase2.svg 1Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 49
7Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Papua New Guinea 47
8Steady2.svgFlag of France.svg  France 28
9Steady2.svgFlag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon 22
10Steady2.svgFlag of the Cook Islands.svg  Cook Islands 20
11Steady2.svgFlag of Serbia.svg  Serbia 19
12Steady2.svgFlag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 17
13Steady2.svgFlag of Italy.svg  Italy 15
14Increase2.svg 1Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 15
15Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Malta.svg  Malta 14
16Steady2.svgFour Provinces Flag.svg  Ireland 14
17Steady2.svgFlag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 13
18Steady2.svgFlag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 10
19Steady2.svgFlag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 9
20Steady2.svgFlag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 7
21Steady2.svgFlag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 7
22Steady2.svgFlag of Germany.svg  Germany 6
23Increase2.svg 3Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 6
24Steady2.svgFlag of Poland.svg  Poland 6
25Increase2.svg 3Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 6
26Increase2.svg 1Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 5
27Decrease2.svg 4Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines 5
28Decrease2.svg 3Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 4
29Steady2.svgFlag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 4
30Steady2.svgFlag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 4
31Increase2.svg 2Flag of the United States.svg  United States 4
32Increase2.svg 4Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro 4
33Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 3
34Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 3
35Increase2.svg 7Flag of North Macedonia.svg  North Macedonia 3
36Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 3
37Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon 2
38Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 2
39Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 1
40Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Albania.svg  Albania 1
41Increase2.svg 5Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 1
42Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 1
43Decrease2.svg 2Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador 1
44Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 1
45New.pngFlag of Russia.svg  Russia 0
46Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 0
47Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina 0
48Increase2.svg 2Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 0
49Increase2.svg 3Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 0
50New.pngFlag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong 0
51Decrease2.svg 3Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg  Solomon Islands 0
52Decrease2.svg 5Flag of Niue.svg  Niue 0
53Increase2.svg 1Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia 0
54Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 0
55Decrease2.svg 6Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 0
56Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 0
57Decrease2.svg 6Flag of Vanuatu.svg  Vanuatu 0
Complete rankings at INTRL.SPORT

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References

  1. "BELGIUM RUGBY LEAGUE NATION OVERVIEW". Rugby League Planet. Archived from the original on 13 June 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  2. "Rugby 13". Rugby League Belgium XIII. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  3. "RLEF". Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  4. "Catalonia Won 52 to 10 in the Czech Republic". Associació Catalana de Rugby Lliga. 22 June 2009. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  5. "RLEF". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2015.