2010 Crusaders Rugby League season

2010 Crusaders Rugby League season
Super League XV 11th
Play-off result To be decided
Challenge Cup Fourth round
2010 record Wins: 3; Draws: 0; Losses: 4
Points scored For: 122; Against: 193
Team information
Chairman Geoff Moss
Head coach Brian Noble
Captain
Stadium Racecourse Ground
< 2009 List of seasons 2011 >

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.

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.

Table

    		 Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
    1 Wigan Warriors 27 22 0 5 922 411 +511 44
    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 FC 27 16 0 11 569 584 −15 32
    7 Hull KR 27 14 1 12 653 632 +21 29
    8 Crusaders RL 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 27 9 0 18 539 741 −202 18
    12 Salford City Reds 27 8 0 19 448 857 −409 16
    13 Harlequins RL 27 7 0 20 494 838 −344 14
    14 Catalans Dragons 27 6 0 21 409 747 −338 12
      Teams qualifying for the Play-offs
      Crusaders

    Source: superleague.co.uk.
    Classification: 1st on competition points; 2nd on match points difference.
    Competition points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0.

    2010 results and fixtures

    Friendlies

    Saturday 16 January (Jon Wells Testimonial match)

    Crusaders vs. Harlequins Rugby League – Cancelled

    Challenge Cup

    Round 4

    Crusaders 58 York City Knights 8 [7]

    Round 5

    Crusaders 34–35 Catalans Dragons

    Super League XV

    For all season results see link below: [8]

    Round 1

    Crusaders 6–34 Leeds Rhinos

    Preview:This will be the first game to kick of Super League XV the game will be played at Crusaders new home ground at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground with the 2009 champions Leeds Rhinos versus the 2009 wooden spooners then known as Celtic Crusaders.

    Despite a steady if plucky start due to the snowy weather, Crusaders simply could not sustain the pace and shear ability of the champions. Scott Donald and Gareth Raynor exchanged tries, and the 6-all scoreline remained until the 65th minute when Leeds pulled away(scoring 5 tries in the last 20 minutes) to run out comfortable victors. Although their fitness, team chemistry and ability is questionable, if Crusaders can match every game in Super League XV with the level of commitment shown against the champions, they will prosper with a few wins especially with the defence they showed for the first 65 minutes.

    Round 2

    Wigan Warriors 38–6 Crusaders

    Preview: This match will be played at the DW Stadium in Wigan where Brian Noble will come up against the club he previously coached the Wigan Warriors. Former Parramatta Eels second rower Weller Hauraki and former Wests Tigers utility back Rhys Hanbury are expected to arrive in time for the match where they will make their debuts for the Crusaders as they(The Crusaders) still look to build their squad for the 2010 season. Weller Hauraki has been named in the Crusaders 19-man squad however Rhys Hanbury will arrive sometime late February

    Team Lineups(19-man squads) Match Official: James Child

    Wigan Warriors- Phelps, Roberts, Gleeson, Carmont, Richards, S. Tomkins, Leuluai, Fielden, Riddell, Coley, Hansen, J. Tomkins, O'Loughlin, Prescott, Paleaaesina, Deacon, O'Carroll, Mossop, Goulding.

    Crusaders- Youngquest, Mellars, Raynor, Witt, O'Hara, Withers, Bryant, Hauraki, Chan, Trimarchi, Dyer, Lee, Winternstein, Peek, Thackray, James, Flower, White, Lupton.

    Match review –

    The Crusaders have recorded a second loss to their 2010 Super League season with a 38–6 loss to the Wigan Warriors in front of a 13,680 crowd at the DW Stadium. Wigan tore the Crusaders apart with fullback Cameron Phelps starring in the game, setting up two tries and scoring one of his sides 7 tries. The Crusaders gave a debut to former Parramatta Eels and New Zealand Maori international Weller Hauraki who impressed on his debut. The Crusaders lacked ability to take advantage in the first half with Wigan running out to a scoreline of 20–6 by halftime with Luke Dyer scoring just before the halftime break. It was a similar story in the second half with the Crusaders struggling to get out of their own half of the field, lacking playmaking ability. The Tomkins brother(Sam and Joel) caused trouble for the Crusaders as well as Paul Deacon with his kicking game in the second half.

    Round 3

    Salford City Reds 16 vs 36 Crusaders

    Match review-

    This was the Crusaders first win of their 2010 Super League Season giving them some momentum for the in-form Hull who have won 2 from 2. The Crusaders tries came from Vince Mellars who scored 3 tries, while Gareth Raynor, Michael Witt, Frank Winterstein and Jamie Thackray also scoring, Michael Witt landed 4 conversions. For the hosts Karl Fitzpatrick, former Crusaders halfback Matty Smith and former Bulldogs NRL players Daniel Holdsworth scored the tries for Salford, while Stefan Ratchford landed 2 conversions.

    Round 4

    Crusaders 18–16 Hull

    Preview- This will be the Crusaders second home game of the season against the in-form Hull. Crusaders hooker Tommy Lee returns from an ankle injury where he missed last week's win over Salford, he faces his old club (Hull F.C.|Hull) along with Jamie Thackray and Gareth Raynor while second rower Weller Hauraki makes his home debut and as for Hull Mike Burnett replaces Danny Tickle who suffered a groin injury in last week's win over Huddersfield and coach Richard Agar has Danny Washbrook and Jordan Turner on standby in case Sean Long and Richard Horne fail to recover from leg knocks.[9]

    Match review- The Crusaders won their first home game of the season where the match was won in the last few minutes which is the first time they have won two games in the row since entering super league.

    Scorecard Crusaders-

    Hull-

    Round 5

    Warrington Wolves 46 Crusaders 12

    Round 6

    St Helens RLFC 37 Crusaders 30

    Round 7

    Crusaders 14 vs Catalans Dragons 6

    Round 8

    Castleford Tigers 22 Crusaders 16

    Round 9

    Bradford Bulls 20 Crusaders 16

    Round 10

    Crusaders 20 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 10

    Round 11

    Huddersfield Giants 38 Crusaders 10

    Round 12

    Crusaders 19 Bradford 0

    Tries: Witt (2), Sammut

    Goals: Witt (3/3)

    Field Goals: Witt

    Round 13

    Hull KR 54–0 Crusaders

    Round 14

    Crusaders 26 Wigan Warriors 46

    Round 15

    Crusaders 22 Harlequins 50

    Round 16

    Crusaders 44 Bradford Bulls 20

    Round 17

    Crusaders 32 Leeds 26

    Round 18

    Wakefield 41 Crusaders 0

    Round 19

    Warrington 30 Crusaders 10

    Round 20

    Huddersfield 30 Crusaders 12

    Round 21

    Crusaders 26 Catalans 22

    Round 22

    Crusaders 30 Castleford 24

    Round 23

    Crusaders 60 Salford 16

    Round 24

    Crusaders 16 Harlequins 12

    Round 25

    Hull 18 Crusaders 16

    Round 26

    St Helens 36 Crusaders 10

    Round 27

    Crusaders 30 Hull KR 24

    2010 squad

    2010 Crusaders RL season
    First team squad Coaching staff

    Head coach

    Assistant coaches

    Source:[10]

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

    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 November 2009
    Jamie Thackray Hull 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 Lezignan 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 RLFC (loan return) November 2009
    Ste Tyrer St Helens RLFC (loan return) November 2009
    Mark Lennon Burleigh Bears November 2009
    Damien Quinn Lezignan 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. 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. ↑ http://www.rlef.eu.com/news.php?id=1259
    6. ↑ http://www.nrl.com/NewsViews/LatestNews/NewsArticle/tabid/10874/newsId/57161/Default.aspx
    7. ↑ http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/sport/yorkcityknights/matchreports/8106746.York_City_Knights_8__Crusaders_58/
    8. ↑ http://www.superleague.co.uk/results.php?team=Crusaders+RL&days=&c=106&s=2010&id=&submit.x=11&submit.y=6
    9. ↑ http://www.superleague.co.uk/preview.php?id=4701
    10. ↑ http://www.crusadersrfl.com/team.php?id=11
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