2010 Crusaders Rugby League season

2010 Crusaders Rugby League season
Super League XV Rank8th
Play-off resultLost in Eliminators
Challenge CupFifth round
Team information
ChairmanGeoff Moss
Head coachBrian Noble
Captain
StadiumRacecourse Ground
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Crusaders Rugby League enter their 5th year of rugby league, their 2nd in professional rugby league, in 2010. Additionally, this will be their first known as Crusaders Rugby League after previously being known as Celtic Crusaders,[1] and their first year playing away from Brewery Field, Bridgend, moving to Wrexham's Racecourse Ground.[2] They will be in contention for the Super League, in its 15th season and the 2010 Challenge Cup.

Season review

Preseason

The preseason saw the Crusaders make a number of changes firstly the Crusaders changed their name from Celtic Crusaders to Crusaders Rugby League[3] then they got rid of previous coach John Dixon and was replaced by Brian Noble as well as gaining Nobles services Iestyn Harris and Jon Sharp joined as assistant coaches.[4] The preseason also saw Wales take part in the 2009 European Cup which they ended up winning against Scotland 28–16,[5] from the Crusaders 2010 Squad Jordan James, Ben Flower, Elliot Kear, Lewis Mills and Lloyd White were all named in the Wales squad.[6] The Crusaders also confirmed Wrexhams Racecourse Ground as their new home ground for 2010 they originally planned to play at Newports Rodney Parade but unfortunately they couldn't which meant they had to move their South Wales base 200 miles to North Wales. The Crusaders made a number of high-profile signings during the off season with players such as former Great Britain internationals Jamie Thackray and Gareth Raynor joining the club as well as former NRL player Michael Witt returning to the 13-man code after a 1+1⁄2-year stint with the Otago rugby union club.

2010 season

In April, Crusaders progressed from the fourth round of the Challenge Cup with a 58–8 win over York City Knights.[7]

Results

Super League

Main article: 2010 Super League season

Table

Pos Team
 Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Wigan Warriors (L, C) 27 22 0 5 922 411 +511 44 Play-offs
2 St Helens 27 20 0 7 946 547 +399 40
3 Warrington Wolves 27 20 0 7 885 488 +397 40
4 Leeds Rhinos 27 17 1 9 725 561 +164 35
5 Huddersfield Giants 27 16 1 10 758 439 +319 33
6 Hull F.C. 27 16 0 11 569 584 −15 32
7 Hull Kingston Rovers 27 14 1 12 653 632 +21 29
8 Celtic Crusaders 27 12 0 15 547 732 −185 24
9 Castleford Tigers 27 11 0 16 648 766 −118 22
10 Bradford Bulls 27 9 1 17 528 728 −200 19
11 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 27 9 0 18 539 741 −202 18
12 Salford City Reds 27 8 0 19 448 857 −409 16
13 Harlequins 27 7 0 20 494 838 −344 14
14 Catalans Dragons 27 6 0 21 409 747 −338 12
Source: Rugby League Project
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;
(C) Champions; (L) League Leaders' Shield Winners

Super League results

W Win D Draw L Loss

Date Round Versus H/A Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report
Super League results
29 January 4 Leeds Rhinos H Racecourse Ground L 6–34 Raynor Witt 10,334 RLP
5 February 1 Wigan Warriors A DW Stadium L 6–38 Dyer Witt 13,680 RLP
12 February 2 Salford City Reds A The Willows W 36–16 Mellars (3), Raynor, Thackray, Winterstein, Witt Witt (4) 3,421 RLP
21 February 3 Hull F.C. H Racecourse Ground W 18–16 Youngquest (2), Witt Witt (3) 6,794 RLP
7 March 5 Warrington Wolves A Halliwell Jones Stadium L 12–46 Bryant, Withers Witt (2) 11,113 RLP
12 March 6 St Helens A The GPW Recruitment Stadium L 30–37 Dyer, Mellars, Raynor, Thackray, Withers Witt (5} 8,507 RLP
19 March 7 Catalans Dragons H Racecourse Ground W 14–6 Chan, Lupton Witt (3) 6,124 RLP
26 March 8 Castleford Tigers A The Jungle L 16–22 Chan, Lupton Witt (3) 5,229 RLP
5 April 10 Bradford Bulls A Grattan Stadium, Odsal L 16–20 Hauraki, Mellars Witt (4) 7,853 RLP
11 April 11 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats A Hearwell Stadium W 20–10 Mellars, Thomas, Witt, Youngquest Witt (2) 4,671 RLP
25 April 12 Huddersfield Giants H Racecourse Ground L 10–38 Dyer, Hauraki Witt 4,127 RLP
1 May 13 Bradford Bulls N Murrayfield Stadium W 19–0 Witt (3), Sammut Witt (3 + FG) 26,642 RLP
16 May 14 Hull Kingston Rovers A "New" Craven Park L 10–54 Raynor, Sammut Witt 7,273 RLP
22 May 15 Wigan Warriors H Racecourse Ground L 26–46 Chan, Hanbury, Lupton, Witt, Youngquest Witt (3) 6,075 RLP
6 June 16 Harlequins A Twickenham Stoop L 22–50 Chan, Hanbury, Lupton, Schifcofske Schifcofske (3) 2,381 RLP
13 June 17 Bradford Bulls H Racecourse Ground W 44–20 Hauraki (2), Martin, Mellars, Thomas, Withers, Youngquest Schifcofske (8) 2,979 RLP
20 June 18 Leeds Rhinos A Headingley Carnegie Stadium W 32–26 Hauraki (2), Mellars (2), Peek Schifcofske (6) 14,371 RLP
27 June 19 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats H Racecourse Ground L 0–41 2,837 RLP
4 July 20 Warrington Wolves H Racecourse Ground L 10–30 Hanbury, Youngquest Schifcofske 5,197 RLP
11 July 21 Huddersfield Giants A Galpharm Stadium L 12–30 Hauraki, Sammut Schifcofske (2) 5,339 RLP
17 July 22 Catalans Dragons A Stade Gilbert Brutus W 26–22 Chan, Hanbury, Hauraki, Lupton Schifcofske (5) 6,208 RLP
25 July 23 Castleford Tigers H The Gnoll W 30–24 Hanbury, Hauraki, James, Martin, Sammut Schifcofske (5) 1,495 RLP
1 August 24 Salford City Reds H Racecourse Ground W 60–16 Youngquest (3), Martin (2), Schifcofske (2), Hanbury, Hauraki, O'Hara, Winterstein Schifcofske (8) 2,412 RLP
6 August 9 Harlequins H Racecourse Ground W 16–12 Hanbury (2), Chan Schifcofske (2) 1,122 RLP
13 August 25 Hull F.C. A KC Stadium L 16–18 Dyer, Lupton Schifcofske (4) 11,762 RLP
21 August 26 St Helens A Racecourse Ground L 10–36 Mellars, Winterstein Schifcofske 5,374 RLP
4 September 27 Hull Kingston Rovers H Racecourse Ground W 30–24 Dyer, Hanbury, Martin, O'Hara, Sammut Schifcofske (5) 5,137 RLP

Play-offs

Date Round Versus H/A Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report
Play-off results
11 September Eliminators Huddersfield Giants A Galpharm Stadium L 12–18 Hanbury Schifcofske (4) 5,869 RLP

Challenge Cup

Main article: 2010 Challenge Cup

W Win L Loss

Date Round Versus H/A Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report
Challenge Cup results
18 April 4 York City Knights A Huntington Stadium W 58–8 Chan (2), Hanbury (2), White (2), Flower, Thackray, Thomas, Youngquest Witt (9) 719 RLP
9 May 5 Catalans Dragons H Racecourse Ground L 34–35 Lupton, Mellars, Sammut, Schifcofske, Winterstein, Youngquest Schifcofske (3), Witt (2) 1,817 RLP

Players

Squad

2010 Crusaders RL season
First team squad Coaching staff

Head coach

Assistant coaches

Source:[8]

Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)



Transfers

Gains

Acquisitions
Player Signed from When signed
Michael Witt Otago Highlanders December 2009
Nick Youngquest Gateshead Thunder December 2009
Frank Winterstein Wakefield Trinity Wildcats December 2009
Tony Martin Wakefield Trinity Wildcats December 2009
Vincent Mellars Auckland Vulcans January 2010
Tommy Lee Hull F.C. November 2009
Jamie Thackray Hull F.C. January 2010
Weller Hauraki Parramatta Eels January/February 2010
Rhys Hanbury Wests Tigers March 2010
Rocky Trimarchi Wests Tigers January 2010
Gareth Thomas Cardiff Blues March 2010
Clinton Schifcofske Ulster Rugby March 2010
Jarrod Sammut Penrith Panthers April 2010

Losses

Losses
Player Signed for When left
Tony Duggan Lézignan Sangliers August 2009
Josh Hannay Mackay Cutters August 2009
Mark Dalle Cort Northern Pride August 2009
Jace Van Dijk Easts Tigers August 2009
Darren Mapp Central Comets August 2009
Marshall Chalk Gold Coast Titans November 2009
Matty Smith St Helens R.F.C. (loan return) November 2009
Ste Tyrer St Helens R.F.C. (loan return) November 2009
Mark Lennon Burleigh Bears November 2009
Damien Quinn Lézignan Sangliers August 2009
David Tangata-Toa Unknown Unknown
Geraint Davies Coventry RUFC December 2009
Ashley Bateman South Wales Scorpions January 2010
Chris Beasley Central Comets November 2009
Aled James Unknown Unknown
Neil Budworth Mackay Cutters December 2009
Paul Ballard Blackpool Panthers December 2009
Terry Martin Unknown Unknown

References

  1. ^ "Crusaders drop 'Celtic' from name". BBC Sport. 2 November 2009. Archived from the original on 5 November 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  2. ^ "Crusaders move confirmed". BBC Sport. 2 November 2009. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  3. ^ "Crusaders drop 'Celtic' from name". BBC News. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  4. ^ "Noble unveiled as Crusaders coach". BBC News. 14 October 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  5. ^ "RLEF". Archived from the original on 16 November 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  6. ^ "Welsh confirm squad for European Cup - NRL.com". Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  7. ^ "York City Knights 8, Crusaders 58". The Press. 19 April 2010.
  8. ^ "Official Crusaders RL web site". Archived from the original on 10 June 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)