Richard Varkulis
Encyclopedia
Richard Varkulis is a rugby league
player currently contracted to Whitehaven RLFC
.
Richard signed for Championship One team Whitehaven RLFC for the 2012 season following three successful years at Widnes Vikings.
Varkulis began his career with Leigh Centurions
Academy and spent part of the 2002 season with Woolongong Bulls in Australia after representing British Amateur Rugby League Association
Young Lions in 2001. He began his professional career by signing for Warrington Wolves
in 2003 and finished top try scorer with 30 tries in 24 appearances for the Senior Academy. Varkulis scored three tries in five appearances during Super League IX
for Warrington Wolves
. He spent loan spells with Rochdale Hornets
and Halifax RLFC
.
Widnes Vikings signed Varkulis for the 2009 season as a strong running Centre from Halifax RLFC
scoring 10 tries in 22 appearances. He picked up a Northern Rail Cup Winners medal in 2009 scoring a try in the 34-18 victory of Barrow Raiders
and ended the season signing a two-year contract extension with Widnes Vikings
until the end of 2011 season.
In 2010, Varkulis scored 10 tries in 22 appearances including a hat trick against Barrow Raiders
.
In 2011, although still wearing the number 3 shirt, new Widnes Coach Denis Betts
switched Varkulis to Prop where he has used his size and strength to become an excellent asset to the Vikings pack. He made 27 appearances and scored seven tries including a Challenge Cup
try against Hull.
Despite being voted 3rd in the Player of the Year Awards, Varkulis was released by Widnes Vikings at the end of the 2011 season along with 12 other players as the Vikings prepared for life in Super League. He became a Whitehaven player in November 2011.
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...
player currently contracted to Whitehaven RLFC
Whitehaven RLFC
Whitehaven RLFC is a rugby league club playing in Whitehaven in West Cumbria. They play in Co-operative Championship. Their stadium is called the Recreation Ground...
.
Richard signed for Championship One team Whitehaven RLFC for the 2012 season following three successful years at Widnes Vikings.
Varkulis began his career with Leigh Centurions
Leigh Centurions
Leigh Centurions is an English professional rugby league club based in Leigh, Greater Manchester who play in the Co-operative Championship.The club was founded in 1878 as Leigh Rugby Football Club and is one of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in...
Academy and spent part of the 2002 season with Woolongong Bulls in Australia after representing 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...
Young Lions in 2001. He began his professional career by signing for Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
in 2003 and finished top try scorer with 30 tries in 24 appearances for the Senior Academy. Varkulis scored three tries in five appearances during Super League IX
Super League IX
-Television:Live Super League IX matches were broadcast in the United Kingdom by Sky Sports in the first year of a new five-year television deal. The contract was signed less than three weeks before the start of the season. The deal, worth £53 million, represented a 15 percent, or £7 million,...
for Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
. He spent loan spells with Rochdale Hornets
Rochdale Hornets
Rochdale Hornets RLFC is an English professional rugby league club from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. They currently play in Championship One...
and Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
.
Widnes Vikings signed Varkulis for the 2009 season as a strong running Centre from Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
scoring 10 tries in 22 appearances. He picked up a Northern Rail Cup Winners medal in 2009 scoring a try in the 34-18 victory of Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders are an English professional rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in Cumbria....
and ended the season signing a two-year contract extension with Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
until the end of 2011 season.
In 2010, Varkulis scored 10 tries in 22 appearances including a hat trick against Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders are an English professional rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in Cumbria....
.
In 2011, although still wearing the number 3 shirt, new Widnes Coach Denis Betts
Denis Betts
Denis C. Betts is an English rugby league coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Widnes Vikings in the Engage Super League. He played for Wigan in the Rugby League Premiership and the Australian NRL, for the Auckland Warriors, and also represented England at the 1995 Rugby...
switched Varkulis to Prop where he has used his size and strength to become an excellent asset to the Vikings pack. He made 27 appearances and scored seven tries including a 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....
try against Hull.
Despite being voted 3rd in the Player of the Year Awards, Varkulis was released by Widnes Vikings at the end of the 2011 season along with 12 other players as the Vikings prepared for life in Super League. He became a Whitehaven player in November 2011.