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Cusaders Colts
A brand new rugby league side will be starting in Wales this year with the arrival of the “Crusaders Coltsâ€, a joint venture between Celtic Crusaders and the Welsh Rugby League.
The team will be a direct feeder side to the Celtic Crusaders with the prime objective of producing young Welsh players to play for both Celtic Crusaders and the Welsh national side.
The squad will be made up of the best young players in Wales and they will play their fixtures in the Co-operative Conference National, a league which is two divisions below National League One, where Celtic Crusaders are competing this year, and a division above the Welsh Conference Premier.
Crusaders Colts will face many other sides who like themselves are at times unofficial feeders to professional clubs, with Warrington Wizards, Huddersfield Underbank Rangers, Featherstone Lions, Dewsbury Celtic and Gateshead Storm all among their opponents this season.
Celtic Crusaders’ chief executive David Thompson said: “As we have always maintained, the future of Celtic Crusaders and the sport of rugby league in Wales lies with young Welsh talent.
“We are delighted that after just two short years, we are in a position to run an academy side in conjunction with the Welsh Rugby League. This is just the first of many building blocks that we are putting in place to ensure that all Welsh youngsters will have access to rugby league and those that are interested in playing the sport at a higher level will be provided with first class player pathways from school age to full Welsh honours. It is very exciting to think that in the not too distant future, home grown Welsh talent could be appearing on both Super League and international stages.â€
Dan Clements, who played rugby league for both Cardiff Demons and Newport ***ans, and has been involved in the Welsh international coaching set-up for a number of years, has been appointed as the Academy coach.
Clements said: “We’re delighted at the response we’ve had from players wanting to join the side. Initially players from the Welsh Conference Premier were invited, however as news got around more and more players in Wales have shown an interest, some of whom hadn’t previously played for a rugby league club. The players have been training since September and we now can’t wait for the season to start.â€
The demand for places in the side has been so high that a public trial match will take place at the Brewery Field in Bridgend this Wednesday 30th January. Admission for everyone is free and kick-off is at 7.30pm.
The Colts have chosen to play most of their nine home matches as double headers with the full Crusaders side while some will be taken on the road as double headers with Welsh Conference Premier matches.
FULL 2008 CRUSADERS COLTS CO-OPERATIVE CONFERENCE NATIONAL FIXTURES
Saturday 5th April Dewsbury Celtic h 2 30pm -
Saturday 12th April Featherstone Lions a 2 30pm
Saturday 19th April Gateshead Storm h 2 30pm -
Sunday 27th April Hemel Stags a 2 30pm
Sunday 11th May Liverpool Buccaneers a 2 30pm
Saturday 17th May Huddersfield Underbank a 2 30pm
Saturday 24th May East Lancashire Lions a 2 30pm
Saturday 31st May Bramley Buffaloes h 2 30pm *
Saturday 7th June Warrington Wizards a 3 30pm
Saturday 14th June Dewsbury Celtic a 2 30pm
Saturday 28th June Featherstone Lions h 2 30pm +
Saturday 5th July Gateshead Storm a 2 30pm
Saturday 19th July Hemel Stags h 2 30pm *
Saturday 26th July Liverpool Buccaneers h 2 30pm +
Saturday 2nd August Huddersfield Underbank Rangers h 2 30pm *
Sunday 10th August East Lancashire Lions h 2 30pm *
Sunday 17th August Bramley Buffaloes a 3 15pm
Saturday 23rd August Warrington Wizards h 3 00pm *
KEY
Home matches in bold
* double-header with Celtic Crusaders first team match
- possible double-header with Celtic Crusaders first team match (dependent on cup draw)
+ probable double header with Welsh Conference Premier match (location TBA)
A great step forward for the Crusaders. I look forward to seeing the Colts in action when they play the East Lancs Lions :cheers:
A brand new rugby league side will be starting in Wales this year with the arrival of the “Crusaders Coltsâ€, a joint venture between Celtic Crusaders and the Welsh Rugby League.
The team will be a direct feeder side to the Celtic Crusaders with the prime objective of producing young Welsh players to play for both Celtic Crusaders and the Welsh national side.
The squad will be made up of the best young players in Wales and they will play their fixtures in the Co-operative Conference National, a league which is two divisions below National League One, where Celtic Crusaders are competing this year, and a division above the Welsh Conference Premier.
Crusaders Colts will face many other sides who like themselves are at times unofficial feeders to professional clubs, with Warrington Wizards, Huddersfield Underbank Rangers, Featherstone Lions, Dewsbury Celtic and Gateshead Storm all among their opponents this season.
Celtic Crusaders’ chief executive David Thompson said: “As we have always maintained, the future of Celtic Crusaders and the sport of rugby league in Wales lies with young Welsh talent.
“We are delighted that after just two short years, we are in a position to run an academy side in conjunction with the Welsh Rugby League. This is just the first of many building blocks that we are putting in place to ensure that all Welsh youngsters will have access to rugby league and those that are interested in playing the sport at a higher level will be provided with first class player pathways from school age to full Welsh honours. It is very exciting to think that in the not too distant future, home grown Welsh talent could be appearing on both Super League and international stages.â€
Dan Clements, who played rugby league for both Cardiff Demons and Newport ***ans, and has been involved in the Welsh international coaching set-up for a number of years, has been appointed as the Academy coach.
Clements said: “We’re delighted at the response we’ve had from players wanting to join the side. Initially players from the Welsh Conference Premier were invited, however as news got around more and more players in Wales have shown an interest, some of whom hadn’t previously played for a rugby league club. The players have been training since September and we now can’t wait for the season to start.â€
The demand for places in the side has been so high that a public trial match will take place at the Brewery Field in Bridgend this Wednesday 30th January. Admission for everyone is free and kick-off is at 7.30pm.
The Colts have chosen to play most of their nine home matches as double headers with the full Crusaders side while some will be taken on the road as double headers with Welsh Conference Premier matches.
FULL 2008 CRUSADERS COLTS CO-OPERATIVE CONFERENCE NATIONAL FIXTURES
Saturday 5th April Dewsbury Celtic h 2 30pm -
Saturday 12th April Featherstone Lions a 2 30pm
Saturday 19th April Gateshead Storm h 2 30pm -
Sunday 27th April Hemel Stags a 2 30pm
Sunday 11th May Liverpool Buccaneers a 2 30pm
Saturday 17th May Huddersfield Underbank a 2 30pm
Saturday 24th May East Lancashire Lions a 2 30pm
Saturday 31st May Bramley Buffaloes h 2 30pm *
Saturday 7th June Warrington Wizards a 3 30pm
Saturday 14th June Dewsbury Celtic a 2 30pm
Saturday 28th June Featherstone Lions h 2 30pm +
Saturday 5th July Gateshead Storm a 2 30pm
Saturday 19th July Hemel Stags h 2 30pm *
Saturday 26th July Liverpool Buccaneers h 2 30pm +
Saturday 2nd August Huddersfield Underbank Rangers h 2 30pm *
Sunday 10th August East Lancashire Lions h 2 30pm *
Sunday 17th August Bramley Buffaloes a 3 15pm
Saturday 23rd August Warrington Wizards h 3 00pm *
KEY
Home matches in bold
* double-header with Celtic Crusaders first team match
- possible double-header with Celtic Crusaders first team match (dependent on cup draw)
+ probable double header with Welsh Conference Premier match (location TBA)
A great step forward for the Crusaders. I look forward to seeing the Colts in action when they play the East Lancs Lions :cheers:
