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 49th
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]

International Results

Their first international competition was in the 2009 RLEF Euro Med Challenge against Catalonia and Morocco. [4] In their very 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.

National Team Results

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

All-Time Results Record

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 
Official rankings as of 21 December 2023
RankChangeTeamPts %
1Steady2.svgFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 100.00
2Steady2.svgFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 91.00
3Increase2.svg 1Flag of England.svg  England 74.00
4Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Samoa.svg  Samoa 70.00
5Steady2.svgFlag of Tonga.svg  Tonga 54.00
6Steady2.svgFlag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Papua New Guinea 50.00
7Steady2.svgFlag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 49.00
8Increase2.svg 1Flag of France.svg  France 24.00
9Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon 24.00
10Increase2.svg 3Flag of the Cook Islands.svg  Cook Islands 22.00
11Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia 19.00
12Increase2.svg 6Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 17.00
13Increase2.svg 1Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 15.00
14Increase2.svg 5Flag of Malta.svg  Malta 15.00
15Increase2.svg 1Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 14.00
16Decrease2.svg 4Four Provinces Flag.svg  Ireland 14.00
17Decrease2.svg 6Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 13.00
18Decrease2.svg 3Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 10.00
19Decrease2.svg 2Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 9.00
20Increase2.svg 8Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 7.00
21Increase2.svg 6Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic 7.00
22Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 6.00
23Increase2.svg 10Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines 6.00
24Increase2.svg 5Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 6.00
25Increase2.svg 1Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 5.00
26Decrease2.svg 4Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 5.00
27Increase2.svg 4Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 0.00
28Increase2.svg 6Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4.00
29Decrease2.svg 6Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 4.00
30Decrease2.svg 6Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 4.00
31Decrease2.svg 6Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 4.00
32Decrease2.svg 12Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 3.00
33Increase2.svg 4Flag of the United States.svg  United States 3.00
34Increase2.svg 1Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 3.00
35Decrease2.svg 5Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon 2.00
36Increase2.svg 2Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro 2.00
37Decrease2.svg 5Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 2.00
38Increase2.svg 6Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 1.00
39New.pngFlag of Albania.svg  Albania 1.00
40Decrease2.svg 4Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 1.00
41Increase2.svg 6Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador 1.00
42New.pngFlag of North Macedonia.svg  North Macedonia 1.00
43Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 1.00
44Decrease2.svg 3Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 0.00
45Steady2.svgFlag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.00
46Decrease2.svg 3Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 0.00
47New.pngFlag of Niue.svg  Niue 0.00
48Decrease2.svg 9Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg  Solomon Islands 0.00
49Decrease2.svg 1Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 0.00
50Decrease2.svg 10Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 0.00
51Decrease2.svg 5Flag of Vanuatu.svg  Vanuatu 0.00
52Decrease2.svg 3Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 0.00
53Decrease2.svg 3Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 0.00
54Decrease2.svg 3Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia 0.00
55New.pngFlag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 0.00
Complete rankings at INTRL.SPORT

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.

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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.