Rugby Club Luxembourg
Encyclopedia
Rugby Club Luxembourg, abbreviated to RCL, is a rugby union
club, based in Cessange
, Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg
. Luxembourg has no domestic league of its own, so RCL plays in neighbouring countries' leagues; they currently play in the German
2nd Rugby-Bundesliga South/West, having previously competed in the Belgian
and French
National Leagues.
The club has grown rapidly in recent years, and now has 300 members. Based at Stade Boy Konen
, in Cessange, the club is looking to expand to two or three pitches to relieve excessive usage of Boy Konen.
expatriate
s working in Luxembourg City. The club consisted then and still does today of a bewildering mixture of nationalities, cultures, creeds, languages : Belgian, French, English, Irish, Welsh, Scottish, Australian, South African, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Dutch, Italian, Fijian, Norwegian, Luxembourgish, American, New Zealander, Venezuelan, and Argentinian. This is in contrast with Rugby Club Walferdange
, which takes most of its players from the local community.
The club played its first competitive game against US Castillionnaise in September 1973. Up until 1995, the club played in the Alsace-Lorraine
regional league. In that year, the team joined the Belgian second division, which it belonged to until 1998, when it earned promotion to the first division.
In 2001, the club decided to return to the French league system, again playing regionally in Alsace-Lorraine. It won its division in 2008 but, after an invitation to play in Germany, decided to join the German league system in 2009.
The inclusion of RCL in the 2009 promotion round to the 2nd Bundesliga caused some debate in regards to its legality, as the club had not qualified through the German league system and was not a member of any of the German regional rugby federations. However, RC Luxembourg's application was declared valid in regards to the German rugby federations rules and regulations and the team finished second in the promotion round, earning a place in the 2nd Bundesliga for 2009-10.
The club has recently recruited several local sportsmen from other sports, including Stéphane Gillet
, former Luxembourg national football team
goalkeeper, as a back row. Prince Sébastien
plays for the club's under-20 team, and Grand Duke Henri
has visited the club to watch his youngest son play.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club, based in Cessange
Cessange
Cessange is a quarter in south-western Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg.In 2001, the quarter had a population of 2,169 people.Most of the quarter is covered by open fields to the south-west of Luxembourg City proper. At the centre of the quarter is the Croix de Cessange: a motorway...
, Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
. Luxembourg has no domestic league of its own, so RCL plays in neighbouring countries' leagues; they currently play in the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
2nd Rugby-Bundesliga South/West, having previously competed in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
National Leagues.
The club has grown rapidly in recent years, and now has 300 members. Based at Stade Boy Konen
Stade Boy Konen
Stade Boy Konen is a sports venue in the Cessange quarter of Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It is located next to the Croix de Cessange, just outside the A6...
, in Cessange, the club is looking to expand to two or three pitches to relieve excessive usage of Boy Konen.
History
Founded in May 1973, RCL was the first Luxembourgian rugby club, established by a group of BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
s working in Luxembourg City. The club consisted then and still does today of a bewildering mixture of nationalities, cultures, creeds, languages : Belgian, French, English, Irish, Welsh, Scottish, Australian, South African, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Dutch, Italian, Fijian, Norwegian, Luxembourgish, American, New Zealander, Venezuelan, and Argentinian. This is in contrast with Rugby Club Walferdange
Rugby Club Walferdange
Rugby Club Walferdange, known as 'De Renert, is a rugby union club, based in Walferdange, in central Luxembourg. Luxembourg has no domestic league of its own, so De Renert plays in the Belgian National Third Division....
, which takes most of its players from the local community.
The club played its first competitive game against US Castillionnaise in September 1973. Up until 1995, the club played in the Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
regional league. In that year, the team joined the Belgian second division, which it belonged to until 1998, when it earned promotion to the first division.
In 2001, the club decided to return to the French league system, again playing regionally in Alsace-Lorraine. It won its division in 2008 but, after an invitation to play in Germany, decided to join the German league system in 2009.
The inclusion of RCL in the 2009 promotion round to the 2nd Bundesliga caused some debate in regards to its legality, as the club had not qualified through the German league system and was not a member of any of the German regional rugby federations. However, RC Luxembourg's application was declared valid in regards to the German rugby federations rules and regulations and the team finished second in the promotion round, earning a place in the 2nd Bundesliga for 2009-10.
The club has recently recruited several local sportsmen from other sports, including Stéphane Gillet
Stéphane Gillet
Stéphane Gillet is a Luxembourgian footballer. He played in goal twenty times for Luxembourg. He has played for clubs in several countries, including Jeunesse Esch and Racing FC Union Luxembourg in Luxembourg, Chester City in England, SV Elversberg in Germany, and FC Wil in Switzerland.-Club...
, former Luxembourg national football team
Luxembourg national football team
The Luxembourg national football team is the national football team of Luxembourg, and is controlled by the Luxembourg Football Federation. The team play most of their home matches at the Stade Josy Barthel, in Luxembourg.- History :...
goalkeeper, as a back row. Prince Sébastien
Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg
Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg , is the fifth child and youngest son of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg. His godparents are Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Princess Astrid of Belgium.He has three brothers – Guillaume, Félix and Louis and a sister –...
plays for the club's under-20 team, and Grand Duke Henri
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg OIH is the head of state of Luxembourg. He is the eldest son of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. His maternal grandparents were King Leopold III of Belgium and Astrid of Sweden...
has visited the club to watch his youngest son play.
Recent seasons
| Year | Division | Tier | Position |
| 2009–10 Rugby-Bundesliga 2009–10 -Overview:The 2009-10 modus was somewhat different from the previous season. The competition had been expanded from nine to ten teams. It marks the first time since introduction of the single-division Bundesliga in 2001, that ten teams competed in the league. This change of modus was decided upon... |
2nd Rugby-Bundesliga South/West | II | 3rd |
| 2010–11 Rugby-Bundesliga 2010–11 -Overview:The 2009-10 modus is identical to the previous season. However, the competition had been reduced from ten to nine teams, after the withdrawal of the ASV Köln Rugby during last season and no team from the 2nd Bundesliga accepting promotion. Like in 2008-09, the top four teams qualify for... |
2nd Rugby-Bundesliga South/West | II | 2nd |
| 2011–12 | 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga South/West | II |