Inside rugby league's new European comp

Rugby league is about to go through a European renaissance.

A small group of people have created a new competition focused on developing players, strengthening domestic leagues, and increasing player participation throughout Europe.

They are doing this by setting up a Europa League-styled system, with teams from different cities travelling around to see who is king.

It sounds like an expansionist dream… and it the idea gets better! There is a draft. A rugby league draft. And it will pull in players not just from Europe, but from places like the Americas, Asia, and Africa. A true thing of international rugby league beauty.

Now, something this large and different cannot come about without administrative challenges. I will leave that important investigation to smarter and better journalists than me. I am too excited about the prospect.

So instead, I will be highlighting three of the first teams that have been announced to be joining the Euro XIII, to help me find a team to support.

(Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

Dublin Blues Rugby League
The club was originally formed back in 1989, however ceased playing games in 2008. The club was resurrected with the altruistic manifesto of helping grow the game in Ireland by giving players a new pathway.

“We are expecting an exciting new competition against opposition many of us have never played,” said Conor Kelly from Dublin Blues RL.

“Our goal like all of the teams entering the tournament is to come home with silverware. We also want to develop players, which in turn we hope will strengthen Ireland’s domestic competition by giving players more playing opportunities.”

North Brussels Gorillas
This team was created on April Fool’s Day, 2014. But do not be fooled, this club means business. The Gorillas won the Belgium RL Championship in 2015. Most incredibly, their captain Jonathan Bouillon has been playing with them since their very first game.

“Playing in this Euro XIII is an opportunity to measure ourselves against the best amateur teams in Europe”, relishes the president of North Brussels Gorillas, Morachi Marco, “and to develop rugby league in Brussels and in Belgium.”

Vrchlabí Mad Squirrels
A team with an amazing mascot has an equally amazing story behind it. It was founded 12 years ago, by a group of teenagers who were bored during summer holiday. They wanted to try some different sport. The friends had no idea about rugby league, as they had found rugby union online and had just started playing. You must love their initiative and can-do attitudes!

At the same time, the future coach David Lahr was playing rugby league at Pardubice at university. He came back home to Vrchlabí for the summer holiday, found the young men looking for a sport, and were shown rugby league. It was serendipity.

Over the last six years the men focused on coaching the next generation. Due to this focus, they are the only Czech club with under-nine, under-12, under-15 and under-18 teams. Understandably this has translated into success. The Mad Squirrels under-18s have won the under-18 Czech Championship four times.

This amazing story does not end there. Vrchlabí is small village of around 13,000 people, now playing international competition.

“We can’t wait to train and with and play with draft players,” says coach Lahr, barely containing his excitement.

“We would like to make some training sessions open for all Czech clubs. I believe the draft players will give us lot of experience. We don’t want only Vrchlabí to benefit from this opportunity, we want all of the Czech RL to benefit”.

You may have guessed by now, I am a new Squirrels fan. I was not before I started this article, but their story was too heart-warming.

Go Squirrels!