Cardiff Demons
Encyclopedia
Cardiff Demons RLFC are a rugby league
side who play out of St. Albans RFC in the east of Cardiff
, Wales
. They play in the Welsh Premier
of the Rugby League Conference
.
.
They amalgamated with the UWIC
University
side in 1999 to play in the 1999-2000 Rugby League Challenge Cup
. This was a great success with Cardiff beating Durham and Rochdale Mayfield to reach the third round losing to National League side Keighley Cougars
.
Due to the success of this great cup run, in 2001, they joined the Central South Division of the Rugby League Conference
. Playing at St. Peter’s RFC, a small club two miles north of the city centre, the Demons succeeded in finishing in a creditable third place and came within seconds of pulling off a major upset at Hemel Stags
, only to be denied when the highly rated Stags scored a last-second try. Another notable success from the Demons’ inaugural season was the graduation of winger Jon Breakingbury on to the professional ranks when he signed for Sheffield Eagles
. Their continued success inspired other clubs from around Wales to form.
For the 2002 season the Demons moved to the well-appointed surroundings of Old Penarthians RFC
in the seaside district of Penarth
. Again competing in the Central South Division Cardiff defeated Worcester, Oxford Cavaliers and Gloucestershire Warriors
home and away to secure the runners up spot. The clashes with Gloucestershire will long be remembered; the Demons won the season opener 44-36 away in a see-saw battle which saw the lead change hands four times, but even that contest was eclipsed by the excitement of the return match. Cardiff squandered a 22-8 lead to trail 28-22 with five minutes remaining. A late converted try and a last minute drop goal from Evan Powell turned the tables to give the Demons an unlikely 29-28 victory. The season was also marked by a visit to the York Nines and an invitation to enter the Rugby League Challenge Cup, which resulted in a memorable trip to play Shaw Cross Sharks of Dewsbury.
2003 saw the Demons go from strength to strength, finishing top of the South West Conference with an excellent record of nine wins and only one defeat, their biggest wins being 90-0 and 100-8, both over local rivals Bristol Sonics
. The former was an historic day for the city of Cardiff all round with local football side, Cardiff City
beating Bristol City only two hours earlier. The Demons lost in the play-offs to Welsh side, Bridgend Blue Bulls
, this match being featured on Sky Sports
’ magazine programme, Boots N' All
.
2003 saw the departure of Aled James. He and Wes Palmer both represented Great Britain national rugby league team
students on their tour down under, with Aled signing for Widnes Vikings
at the conclusion of this tour. Although former Demons players had previously gone on to play Super League, this was the first time that a Super League
club had signed a player directly from them benefiting the club financially in the short term.
In 2004, the Demons moved to Taffs Well, joined the Welsh Conference and won two trophies. First was the Welsh Shield after beating Newport Titans
with a last minute try from the superb Gareth Jones, then beating Thorne Moor Marauders in National Shield despite a strong second-half comeback from the Yorkshiremen.
2005 saw a season of consolidation with the Demons having a slightly better league record but losing in the first round of the play-offs to Valley Cougars
.
The club lost just two players to Crusaders with Andre Boon and Oliver Hughes departing to join the new professional club based in Bridgend
.
The Demons moved back to St Peters RFC after one home match of 2006 and went on to win the East Division and reach the Welsh Conference Grand Final, only to lose 22-10 to Bridgend Blue Bulls
. The following year the Demons lost out to Newport Titans
14-6 in the first round of the playoffs, but in 2008 they were semifinalists losing 26-20 to Blackwood Bulldogs
. In 2009 they relocated to St Albans RFC in Tremorfa but a promising season was ended by a playoff loss to Valley Cougars
. Former Demons player Elliot Kear
went on to appear in Super League
for the Crusaders.
In 2010 the Cardiff Demons posted a regular season record of 6 wins and 4 losses, to finish in 3rd place in the new Co-operative Welsh Premier Conference Rugby League competition.
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...
side who play out of St. Albans RFC in the east of Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. They play in the Welsh Premier
Rugby League Conference Welsh Premier
The Rugby League Conference Wales is the higher of two Welsh domestic leagues for the sport of rugby league. It forms a Premier division of the Rugby League Conference competition which covers all of Great Britain.-History:...
of the Rugby League Conference
Rugby League Conference
The Rugby League Conference , was a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales.The RLC was founded as the 10-team Southern Conference League in 1997, with teams from the southern midlands and the...
.
History
Cardiff Demons were formed in 1997 as an Academy level club, competing in the Lower Division of the Rugby League Academy competition against young players from professional outfits in the North of England. The Demons reached the Grand Final of the Academy Division Two in their second season but lost to Hunslet HawksHunslet Hawks
Hunslet Hawks is a professional rugby league club based in Hunslet, West Yorkshire, England. The club, sometimes known as 'the Parksiders' after their former stadium, are currently champions of Championship One.-History:-Early years:...
.
They amalgamated with the UWIC
University of Wales Institute, Cardiff
Cardiff Metropolitan University is a university situated in Cardiff. It operates from three campuses: Llandaff on Western Avenue, Cyncoed, and Howard Gardens in the City Centre. The university serves over 12,000 students...
University
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
side in 1999 to play in the 1999-2000 Rugby League Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
. This was a great success with Cardiff beating Durham and Rochdale Mayfield to reach the third round losing to National League side Keighley Cougars
Keighley Cougars
Keighley Cougars are a professional rugby league club from Keighley in West Yorkshire, England. As of 2012 they will play in Co-operative Championship having won the Co-operative Championship 1 play off final 32-12 against Workington...
.
Due to the success of this great cup run, in 2001, they joined the Central South Division of the Rugby League Conference
Rugby League Conference
The Rugby League Conference , was a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales.The RLC was founded as the 10-team Southern Conference League in 1997, with teams from the southern midlands and the...
. Playing at St. Peter’s RFC, a small club two miles north of the city centre, the Demons succeeded in finishing in a creditable third place and came within seconds of pulling off a major upset at Hemel Stags
Hemel Stags
Hemel Stags are a rugby league team based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire playing in the National Division of the Rugby League Conference.The club has played in a number of leagues over the years, from the London League, MASWARLA, National Conference League and the Alliance League...
, only to be denied when the highly rated Stags scored a last-second try. Another notable success from the Demons’ inaugural season was the graduation of winger Jon Breakingbury on to the professional ranks when he signed for Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009....
. Their continued success inspired other clubs from around Wales to form.
For the 2002 season the Demons moved to the well-appointed surroundings of Old Penarthians RFC
Old Penarthians RFC
Old Penarthians Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Penarth, Wales. The Old Penarthians were formed out of an association set up on the 7th December 1923 by Penarth County School. The society formed was the Penarth County School Old Boys Association and it covered the games of...
in the seaside district of Penarth
Penarth
Penarth is a town and seaside resort in the Vale of Glamorgan , Wales, 5.2 miles south west from the city centre of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff and lying on the north shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay...
. Again competing in the Central South Division Cardiff defeated Worcester, Oxford Cavaliers and Gloucestershire Warriors
Gloucestershire Warriors
Gloucestershire Warriors RLFC are a rugby league team from the county of Gloucestershire in England. They play in the RLC West of England division of the Rugby League Conference and in 2006 made their debut in the Challenge Cup.-History:...
home and away to secure the runners up spot. The clashes with Gloucestershire will long be remembered; the Demons won the season opener 44-36 away in a see-saw battle which saw the lead change hands four times, but even that contest was eclipsed by the excitement of the return match. Cardiff squandered a 22-8 lead to trail 28-22 with five minutes remaining. A late converted try and a last minute drop goal from Evan Powell turned the tables to give the Demons an unlikely 29-28 victory. The season was also marked by a visit to the York Nines and an invitation to enter the Rugby League Challenge Cup, which resulted in a memorable trip to play Shaw Cross Sharks of Dewsbury.
2003 saw the Demons go from strength to strength, finishing top of the South West Conference with an excellent record of nine wins and only one defeat, their biggest wins being 90-0 and 100-8, both over local rivals Bristol Sonics
Bristol Sonics
Bristol Sonics are a rugby league club based in Bristol in the South West of England.The Sonics play in the Midlands Premier division of the Rugby League Conference. Bristol Sonics A play in the RLC West of England.- 2002-2004: Early Days :...
. The former was an historic day for the city of Cardiff all round with local football side, Cardiff City
Cardiff city
Cardiff City may refer to:* Cardiff city centre* Cardiff City Council* Cardiff City F.C.* Cardiff City L.F.C.* Cardiff City Stadium...
beating Bristol City only two hours earlier. The Demons lost in the play-offs to Welsh side, Bridgend Blue Bulls
Bridgend Blue Bulls
Bridgend Blue Bulls RLFC are a rugby league side based in Porthcawl, Wales. They play in the Welsh Premier of the Rugby League Conference. They are the most successful amateur rugby league team in Wales, having won the Welsh Premier a record five times, as well as winning the Harry Jepson Trophy...
, this match being featured on Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
’ magazine programme, Boots N' All
Boots N' All
Boots 'N' All is the Sky Sports-televised rugby league, weekly magazine programme, focusing on the Super League, National Leagues and amateur game...
.
2003 saw the departure of Aled James. He and Wes Palmer both represented Great Britain national rugby league team
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
students on their tour down under, with Aled signing for Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
at the conclusion of this tour. Although former Demons players had previously gone on to play Super League, this was the first time that a Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
club had signed a player directly from them benefiting the club financially in the short term.
In 2004, the Demons moved to Taffs Well, joined the Welsh Conference and won two trophies. First was the Welsh Shield after beating Newport Titans
Newport Titans
Titans RLFC are a rugby league side who play out of Machen RFC in Machen, South Wales. They play in the Welsh Premier of the Rugby League Conference.-History:...
with a last minute try from the superb Gareth Jones, then beating Thorne Moor Marauders in National Shield despite a strong second-half comeback from the Yorkshiremen.
2005 saw a season of consolidation with the Demons having a slightly better league record but losing in the first round of the play-offs to Valley Cougars
Valley Cougars
Valley Cougars are a rugby league team based in Caerphilly. They play in the National Division of the Rugby League Conference-History:They were founded in 1975 and joined the Welsh Division of the Rugby League Conference in 2003. They led a nomadic existence for their first few years in the valleys...
.
The club lost just two players to Crusaders with Andre Boon and Oliver Hughes departing to join the new professional club based in Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
.
The Demons moved back to St Peters RFC after one home match of 2006 and went on to win the East Division and reach the Welsh Conference Grand Final, only to lose 22-10 to Bridgend Blue Bulls
Bridgend Blue Bulls
Bridgend Blue Bulls RLFC are a rugby league side based in Porthcawl, Wales. They play in the Welsh Premier of the Rugby League Conference. They are the most successful amateur rugby league team in Wales, having won the Welsh Premier a record five times, as well as winning the Harry Jepson Trophy...
. The following year the Demons lost out to Newport Titans
Newport Titans
Titans RLFC are a rugby league side who play out of Machen RFC in Machen, South Wales. They play in the Welsh Premier of the Rugby League Conference.-History:...
14-6 in the first round of the playoffs, but in 2008 they were semifinalists losing 26-20 to Blackwood Bulldogs
Blackwood Bulldogs
Blackwood Bulldogs are a rugby league team based in Blackwood, Caerphilly, Wales. They play in the Welsh Championship of the Rugby League Conference.-History:...
. In 2009 they relocated to St Albans RFC in Tremorfa but a promising season was ended by a playoff loss to Valley Cougars
Valley Cougars
Valley Cougars are a rugby league team based in Caerphilly. They play in the National Division of the Rugby League Conference-History:They were founded in 1975 and joined the Welsh Division of the Rugby League Conference in 2003. They led a nomadic existence for their first few years in the valleys...
. Former Demons player Elliot Kear
Elliot Kear
Elliot Kear is a Wales international rugby league footballer with the Bradford Bulls . His usual position is full back but can also play on the wing...
went on to appear in Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
for the Crusaders.
In 2010 the Cardiff Demons posted a regular season record of 6 wins and 4 losses, to finish in 3rd place in the new Co-operative Welsh Premier Conference Rugby League competition.
Honours
- RLC South West Division: 2003
- Welsh Shield: 2004
- RLC Shield: 2004
- Welsh Nines Winners: 2006
- Welsh Premier (East): 2006
- Welsh Nines Winners: 2008
Records
- Year Formed: 1997
- Previous Grounds: Old Penarthians RFC, 1997-2000, St Peters RFC, 2001, Old Penarthians RFC, 2002-2003, Taffs Well RFC, 2004-2006, St Peters RFC, 2007-2008.
- Record League victory: 100-8 vs. Bristol Sonics, RLC South West Division, 2003.
- Record Cup victory: 36-6 vs. Durham, Rugby League Challenge Cup First Round, 1999-2000.
- Heaviest Defeat 0-90 vs. Keighley Cougars, Rugby League Challenge Cup Third Round, 1999-2000.
See also
- Crusaders Rugby League
- Wales national rugby league teamWales national rugby league teamThe Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
- Rugby League in WalesRugby league in WalesRugby league is a sport played in Wales. The governing body of the game in Wales is the Wales Rugby League.There is a long but sporadic history of rugby league in Wales. Over the decades many hundreds of players have "gone north" to play for the leading English clubs...
- Rugby League ConferenceRugby League ConferenceThe Rugby League Conference , was a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales.The RLC was founded as the 10-team Southern Conference League in 1997, with teams from the southern midlands and the...
- Rugby League National LeaguesRugby League National LeaguesThe Championship, known as Co-operative Championship due to sponsorship by The Co-operative Group, is a professional rugby league competition based in the United Kingdom. It is currently contested by ten teams from England. It acts as Europe's second-tier competition below the Super League, and has...