Kazan Arrows
Encyclopedia
Kazan Arrows, sometimes called Strela Kazan, are a rugby league
and rugby union
club from Kazan
, Tatarstan
in Russia
. They were formed in 1989 and currently play in the Russian Championship, the top-tier of rugby league in Russia.
Since late 2009 they have decided to run their senior team as a rugby union team
teams in the competition.
In 1998 they went on tour round Great Britain
and were hosted by the London Skolars
. During the tour they also played the Rugby League Conference Runners Up Leicester Phoenix at Saffron Lane. They then hosted the Skolars in 1999.
In 2002 the club took part in the 'The Damart Russian Tour', a tour of England with Locomotive Moscow
. The team got the chance to play the Bradford Bulls
in front of 2,000 at Odsal
. They lost 86-14, conceding 15 tries, but were pleased with the match, the development and the experience.
Also in 2002, and in 2003 they competed in the York International 9s
tournament. They were beaten by French team Lézignan Sangliers
in 2002, having won their quarter final match.
The team frequently make an appearance in the Rugby League Challenge Cup
and alongside fellow Russian club Locomotive Moscow, they became the first Russian clubs to take part in the competition in 2001. In 2005 they lost 62-14 against the Keighley Cougars
in Round 3 of the competition. In 2007 they were beaten by Thornhill Trojans
38-20 in Round 2.
, Italy
. In their first match they beat the Italy Students 16-12. But they were narrowly beaten by the Scotland Students 23-18, despite being 15-0 up in the first 15 minutes. Eventually the students finished second out of the three teams.
• Khabibullin Marat
• Batmanov Artoym
• Yusupov Ramil
There are now significant problems for Russian Rugby league.
When Rugby Sevens was admitted to the Olympic Games several clubs switched to rugby Union.
These clubs include the champions for the past eight years, Locomotive, and also Kazan Arrows
A Russian Ministry of Sports order number 21 dated January 20, 2010 expelled the Rugby League from the State Register of Sports of Russia.
In February a new president of the RRLF was elected, Alexander Eremin.
Mr Eremin, the board members and employees of the RRLF are currently investigating the potential for the continuation of Rugby League in Russia with various government, civic and sports organizations, in particular the ministry of Sports and Rugby Union of Russia
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...
and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club from Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
, Tatarstan
Tatarstan
The Republic of Tatarstan is a federal subject of Russia located in the Volga Federal District. Its capital is the city of Kazan, which is one of Russia's largest and most prosperous cities. The republic borders with Kirov, Ulyanovsk, Samara, and Orenburg Oblasts, and with the Mari El, Udmurt,...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. They were formed in 1989 and currently play in the Russian Championship, the top-tier of rugby league in Russia.
Since late 2009 they have decided to run their senior team as a rugby union team
Russian Championship
They won their first piece of silverware in 1993, and from 1995 through to 1999 became the best club in Russia having won the Russian Championship in each of those years. In 2000 they had a bad season but returned in 2001 to retrieve their trophy. But they then lost it again in 2002, which started the dominance of the MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
teams in the competition.
Playing In England
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and were hosted by the London Skolars
London Skolars
London Skolars are a rugby league club based at the New River Stadium, Wood Green, Haringey in North London. They were founded in 1995 and have been semi-professional since 2003, operating in Championship One...
. During the tour they also played the Rugby League Conference Runners Up Leicester Phoenix at Saffron Lane. They then hosted the Skolars in 1999.
In 2002 the club took part in the 'The Damart Russian Tour', a tour of England with Locomotive Moscow
RC Lokomotiv Moscow
RC Lokomotiv Moscow is a professional Russian rugby football club based in Moscow, which from 2010 will field teams in both rugby league and rugby union. The club is one of the oldest in Russia. Originally a club for those who worked on the railways, they participated in the first USSR rugby union...
. The team got the chance to play the Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
in front of 2,000 at Odsal
Odsal
Odsal is a village in the metropolitan district of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated outside the village of Wibsey. Odsal's main attraction is Odsal Stadium which is the home of the four times Super League champions the Bradford Bulls...
. They lost 86-14, conceding 15 tries, but were pleased with the match, the development and the experience.
Also in 2002, and in 2003 they competed in the York International 9s
York International 9s
York International 9s is an international rugby league nines tournament taking place in York, England. It is held at Heworth ARLC's Elmpark Way ground on the north east side of the city. The 2007 tournament took place on Saturday 14 July....
tournament. They were beaten by French team Lézignan Sangliers
Lézignan Sangliers
Football Club de Lézignan are a professional rugby league football club based in Lézignan-Corbières in the départment of Aude in the south of France...
in 2002, having won their quarter final match.
Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
and alongside fellow Russian club Locomotive Moscow, they became the first Russian clubs to take part in the competition in 2001. In 2005 they lost 62-14 against the Keighley Cougars
Keighley Cougars
Keighley Cougars are a professional rugby league club from Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. As of 2012 they will play in Co-operative Championship having won the Co-operative Championship 1 play off final 32-12 against Workington...
in Round 3 of the competition. In 2007 they were beaten by Thornhill Trojans
Thornhill Trojans
Thornhill Trojans are an amateur rugby league club situated in Thornhill, West Yorkshire they currently compete in the Pennine Division.The current coach of the team is James Ratcliffe former York City Knights coach.Formation...
38-20 in Round 2.
Tatarstan Students
The club organised a student team called the Tatarstan Students to represent Russia in a the Student Padua Cup taking place in PaduaPadua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. In their first match they beat the Italy Students 16-12. But they were narrowly beaten by the Scotland Students 23-18, despite being 15-0 up in the first 15 minutes. Eventually the students finished second out of the three teams.
Kazan Players who represented Russian National Team in 2008
• Musin Azat• Khabibullin Marat
• Batmanov Artoym
• Yusupov Ramil
Switch to Rugby Union
The advent of Rugby Union 7s in the Olympics has caused Kazan Arrows to change their senior squad to play Union from now on. For the time being they will still run a junior Rugby League team.There are now significant problems for Russian Rugby league.
When Rugby Sevens was admitted to the Olympic Games several clubs switched to rugby Union.
These clubs include the champions for the past eight years, Locomotive, and also Kazan Arrows
A Russian Ministry of Sports order number 21 dated January 20, 2010 expelled the Rugby League from the State Register of Sports of Russia.
In February a new president of the RRLF was elected, Alexander Eremin.
Mr Eremin, the board members and employees of the RRLF are currently investigating the potential for the continuation of Rugby League in Russia with various government, civic and sports organizations, in particular the ministry of Sports and Rugby Union of Russia