Carlisle Centurions
Encyclopedia
East Cumbria Crusaders is a rugby league
club based in Carlisle
, Cumbria
. They play in the North East Division
of the Rugby League Conference
. Their home ground is Creighton RUFC.
Carlisle Border Raiders RLFC
were a semi-professional club that existed between 1981 and 1997.
and joined the North West Division of the Rugby League Conference
which it won. The Centurions went on to reach the Grand Final of the Harry Jepson Trophy in 2003 when they were narrowly beaten at Wilderspool
by Bridgend Blue Bulls
.
The 2004 season saw Carlisle Centurions leave the Conference to join the newly formed National League Three
. Centurions 'A' continued to play in the Conference in a newly formed Cumbrian Division but withdrew mid-season.
However, Carlisle Centurions failed to complete the 2005 National League Three because of travelling difficulties causing serious player-availability issues. The club was reformed in 2006 under coach Geoff Grieves and returned to the Rugby League Conference in 2006 joining the North Division. The club began to cut its early reliance on out-of-season West Cumbrian British Amateur Rugby League Association
players and focused on gaining new recruits. The club failed to reach the final losing out to Liverpool Buccaneers
.
Carlisle stepped up to the Premier North in 2007 and won it; they continued in this competition in 2008 and successfully defended their title. In both 2007 and 2008 the club lost out at the National semi-final stage to Coventry Bears
and Nottingham Outlaws, suffering for a lack of genuine competition in the Northern Premier competition. In 2009, they returned to National League Three reconstituted as the Rugby League Conference National Division
. Former Super League player Dennis Bibby became coach after Grieves left mid-season.
Carlisle Centurions withdrew from the National Division mid-season in 2010 after suffering a string of heavy defeats and struggling to raise a team. They became East Cumbria Crusaders and joined the RLC North East Division
in 2011 after significant restructuring and consolidation.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club based in Carlisle
City of Carlisle
The City of Carlisle is a local government district of Cumbria, England, with the status of a city and non-metropolitan district. It is named after its largest settlement, Carlisle, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Brampton and Longtown, as well as outlying villages...
, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
. They play in the North East Division
Rugby League Conference North East Division
The Rugby League Conference North East Division is a division in the Rugby League Conference, an amateur rugby league competition with sides from across Britain...
of the Rugby League Conference
Rugby League Conference
The Rugby League Conference , was a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales.The RLC was founded as the 10-team Southern Conference League in 1997, with teams from the southern midlands and the...
. Their home ground is Creighton RUFC.
Carlisle Border Raiders RLFC
Carlisle RLFC
Carlisle RLFC were a rugby league team based in Carlisle, Cumbria.-Early rugby league in Carlisle:Carlisle City, based at Harraby Greyhound Stadium close to Gillford Park, were admitted to the Northern Rugby Football Union for the 1928-29 season. They withdrew on November 8, 1928 after only ten...
were a semi-professional club that existed between 1981 and 1997.
History
The club were founded in 2003 as Carlisle Centurions by former international Bev RismanBev Risman
Augustus Beverley Walter Risman is a former rugby union and rugby league footballer, a dual-code international, who later became a coach....
and joined the North West Division of the Rugby League Conference
Rugby League Conference
The Rugby League Conference , was a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales.The RLC was founded as the 10-team Southern Conference League in 1997, with teams from the southern midlands and the...
which it won. The Centurions went on to reach the Grand Final of the Harry Jepson Trophy in 2003 when they were narrowly beaten at Wilderspool
Wilderspool
Wilderspool is a district of Warrington, England, located near to the town centre. Its area is basically Wilderspool Causeway and the streets coming off it; the limits being the River Mersey into the Stockton Heath Area of Warrington , Bridgefoot , and Centre Park...
by Bridgend Blue Bulls
Bridgend Blue Bulls
Bridgend Blue Bulls RLFC are a rugby league side based in Porthcawl, Wales. They play in the Welsh Premier of the Rugby League Conference. They are the most successful amateur rugby league team in Wales, having won the Welsh Premier a record five times, as well as winning the Harry Jepson Trophy...
.
The 2004 season saw Carlisle Centurions leave the Conference to join the newly formed National League Three
Rugby League Conference National Division
The Rugby League Conference National Division is the highest division in the Rugby League Conference. Between 2003 and 2006, it was known as National League Three.-National League Three:...
. Centurions 'A' continued to play in the Conference in a newly formed Cumbrian Division but withdrew mid-season.
However, Carlisle Centurions failed to complete the 2005 National League Three because of travelling difficulties causing serious player-availability issues. The club was reformed in 2006 under coach Geoff Grieves and returned to the Rugby League Conference in 2006 joining the North Division. The club began to cut its early reliance on out-of-season West Cumbrian British Amateur Rugby League Association
British Amateur Rugby League Association
The British Amateur Rugby League Association is the governing body for social and recreational rugby league in the United Kingdom...
players and focused on gaining new recruits. The club failed to reach the final losing out to Liverpool Buccaneers
Liverpool Buccaneers
Liverpool Buccaneers Rugby League Football Club are an amateur rugby league club from West Derby in Liverpool. The team play home games at Sefton RUFC in West Derby. Currently they play in the North West Premier division of the Rugby League Conference and the North West Merit League.-History:The...
.
Carlisle stepped up to the Premier North in 2007 and won it; they continued in this competition in 2008 and successfully defended their title. In both 2007 and 2008 the club lost out at the National semi-final stage to Coventry Bears
Coventry Bears
Coventry Bears are a rugby league club, formed in 1998. They have a proud history pioneering rugby league in the Midlands, their major honours include winning the National League 3 title in 2004 and the Rugby League Conference in 2002...
and Nottingham Outlaws, suffering for a lack of genuine competition in the Northern Premier competition. In 2009, they returned to National League Three reconstituted as the Rugby League Conference National Division
Rugby League Conference National Division
The Rugby League Conference National Division is the highest division in the Rugby League Conference. Between 2003 and 2006, it was known as National League Three.-National League Three:...
. Former Super League player Dennis Bibby became coach after Grieves left mid-season.
Carlisle Centurions withdrew from the National Division mid-season in 2010 after suffering a string of heavy defeats and struggling to raise a team. They became East Cumbria Crusaders and joined the RLC North East Division
Rugby League Conference North East Division
The Rugby League Conference North East Division is a division in the Rugby League Conference, an amateur rugby league competition with sides from across Britain...
in 2011 after significant restructuring and consolidation.
Honours
- RLC North West Division: 2003
- RLC North Division: 2006
- RLC North Premier: 2007, 2008
- RLC North East Regional: League Leaders Shield 2011