Rugby league in Malta
Encyclopedia
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...
is a major team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
emerging in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. The Maltese Rugby League Association is designed to help develop a platform for taking the game of rugby league to the nation of Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. The Malta national rugby league team
Malta national rugby league team
In 2004, the Maltese Rugby League Association was formed to introduce the game of rugby league football to Malta. Malta played its first game in Malta on October 22, 2005 when they defeated England Lionhearts 36-6 at the Marsa Stadium, and in 2008 a domestic competition kicked off on the island.The...
played their inaugural match on home soil playing the England Lionhearts in October 2005.
History
The Maltese Rugby League Association (MRLA) was formed in April 2004 at the Russian Club in Strathfield, Australia.Malta made their international debut on 25 September 2004 when they defeated British Defence Forces at Melita Stadium, Sydney, Australia.
- Score: Malta won 78-0
- Crowd: 1200
Malta's first rugby league international played on home soil was on Saturday October 2005 against England Lionhearts
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
at Marsa Sports Complex, Marsa.
- Score: Malta won 36-6
- Crowd: 500
The first domestic rugby league match in Malta was on Saturday 13 October 2007 between San Giljan Dragons and Birkirkara Warriors at Floriana Stadium. (Match played in nines
Rugby league nines
Rugby league nines is a version of rugby league football played with nine players on each side. The game is substantially the same as full rugby league, with some differences in rules and shorter games. Nines is usually played in festivals, as its shorter game play allows for a tournament to be...
format).
- Score: Draw 10-10
- Crowd: about 100
Governing body
The Malta Rugby League (MRL) is the official governing body of rugby league in Malta. The MRL is an official observer of the Rugby League European FederationRugby League European Federation
The Rugby League European Federation is the umbrella body for nations playing the sport of rugby league football across Europe and the Northern Hemisphere. It supports the Rugby League International Federation . The RLEF "oversees and co-ordinates the development of the sport in all its member...
(RLEF) and recognised by the Rugby League International Federation
Rugby League International Federation
The Rugby League International Federation is the world governing body of rugby league football. It was formed in 1998 in Sydney, Australia. Its purpose is to, "foster, develop, extend, govern and administer the game of Rugby League throughout the world". Its headquarters are in Sydney, Australia,...
(RLIF). The MRL is also a member of the Kunsill Malti ghall-iSport (KMS) - the national organisation responsible for supporting, developing and promoting sport throughout Malta and Gozo.
Competitions
In October 2007, the first domestic rugby league competition, the Malta Rugby League Nines was contested with fixtures at Floriana Stadium, Floriana. Participating teams were the San Giljan Dragons, Mosta Titans, Sliema Broncos, Qormi Sharks, Birkirkara Warriors and the Siggiewi Storm along with the British Royal Logistics Corps. A Malta selection were crowned champions after defeating the Royal Logistics Corps in the final.Between 2009 and 2010, the MRL Championship took place with four games played between "North" and "South". There is also a Wheelchair rugby league
Wheelchair rugby league
Wheelchair rugby league is a wheelchair-based version of rugby league football. It was developed by French rugby league player, coach and official, Robert Fassolette in 2004...
championship and an MRL Academy.
Popularity
Malta's national rugby league team fixtures are aired on Maltese television whilst print and online media are also strong followers of the MRL's developments on the islands.The match against England Lionhearts
England national rugby league team
The England national rugby league team represent England in international rugby league football tournaments. The team has now seen a revival, having largely formed from the Great Britain team, who also represented Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The team is run under the auspices of the Rugby Football...
was partly the catalyst for continued rugby league development on the Maltese Islands and has helped set up a domestic competition within Malta.
A crowd of approximately 750 were in attendance for the first ever rugby league match in Malta played at Matthew Micallef St John Athletic Stadium, Marsa.
The national team
The Malta national rugby league teamMalta national rugby league team
In 2004, the Maltese Rugby League Association was formed to introduce the game of rugby league football to Malta. Malta played its first game in Malta on October 22, 2005 when they defeated England Lionhearts 36-6 at the Marsa Stadium, and in 2008 a domestic competition kicked off on the island.The...
is made up of Malta eligible rugby league players from Malta, England and Australia. The team is nicknamed the Knights.
Malta XIII is a national representative team for the Republic of Malta. Players must satisfy international eligibility criteria or be a resident of Malta or Gozo. Eligible players of Malta XIII can be selected for Malta Knights.