Russian Rugby League, What's the score? Options

[Maximus Decimus]

One minute we seem to be in the situation where RL is about to take off in Russia and then the next it looks like it is about to die. It is certainly a typical RL nation with the amount of in fighting that goes on.

Anyway looking on leagueunlimited.com it looked like Russian RL was having a bit of a resurgence in the military and that this year there were something like 40 clubs registered, which is a lot for an amateur nation. However somewhat predictably it hasn't gone to plan and results have been very difficult to come by, making many wonder if they have actually been played or not.

As somebody pointed out it is quite insular and for instance despite it being in existence for 20 odd years there has never been a Russian RL poster on any of the forums. Very recently though I managed to find some video's of Russian RL on their equivalent of youtube, rutube. I was quite impressed to be honest, looked to be some semi-decent sides and there is a video of the opening ceremony of a tournament involving the military that has like 12 sides in it. I find it so strange that for a sport that publicises tournaments in places like Germany, Jamaica, Lebanon USA etc that have 6 teams that we know so little about the sport somewhere else that has plenty more.

For anybody interested, here is the military opening ceremony. Here is another of that tournament with proper a proper military leader opening it. If you would like to see more action go to the Vereya website or just cope and paste 'регби-13' and put it into rutube.

On a separate point, I was telling somebody about this recently and they asked what is the aim for Russian RL? Are we looking to get to a point where we could enter them as a Super League side? I see the point of French, Spanish, Italian sides but I'm not sure I could ever see the day where we could afford to have a Russian side in Super League. They may be our best bet for future international competition.

If only I was a billionaire, they would be the first country to get substantial investment!

Edit: sorry I forgot to mention they also have Super League shown over there now which I think is probably for the first time. http://www.ntvplus.ru/sport/article.xl?id=26452 this is the channel that shows it and is Russia's first dedicated sports channel.

This post has been edited by Maximus Decimus: Aug 26 2009, 05:30 PM

[druzik]

One minute we seem to be in the situation where RL is about to take off in Russia and then the next it looks like it is about to die. It is certainly a typical RL nation with the amount of in fighting that goes on.

Anyway looking on leagueunlimited.com it looked like Russian RL was having a bit of a resurgence in the military and that this year there were something like 40 clubs registered, which is a lot for an amateur nation. However somewhat predictably it hasn't gone to plan and results have been very difficult to come by, making many wonder if they have actually been played or not.

As somebody pointed out it is quite insular and for instance despite it being in existence for 20 odd years there has never been a Russian RL poster on any of the forums. Very recently though I managed to find some video's of Russian RL on their equivalent of youtube, rutube. I was quite impressed to be honest, looked to be some semi-decent sides and there is a video of the opening ceremony of a tournament involving the military that has like 12 sides in it. I find it so strange that for a sport that publicises tournaments in places like Germany, Jamaica, Lebanon USA etc that have 6 teams that we know so little about the sport somewhere else that has plenty more.

For anybody interested, here is the military opening ceremony. Here is another of that tournament with proper a proper military leader opening it. If you would like to see more action go to the Vereya website or just cope and paste 'регби-13' and put it into rutube.

On a separate point, I was telling somebody about this recently and they asked what is the aim for Russian RL? Are we looking to get to a point where we could enter them as a Super League side? I see the point of French, Spanish, Italian sides but I'm not sure I could ever see the day where we could afford to have a Russian side in Super League. They may be our best bet for future international competition.

If only I was a billionaire, they would be the first country to get substantial investment!

Edit: sorry I forgot to mention they also have Super League shown over there now which I think is probably for the first time. http://www.ntvplus.ru/sport/article.xl?id=26452 this is the channel that shows it and is Russia's first dedicated sports channel.

which is where the current problems are. There IS a rich guy funding the thing but he is reluctant to share power which has led to some internal struggles and problesm... that is as I have understood it from what I have been told.

[waistline expans...]

which is where the current problems are. There IS a rich guy funding the thing but he is reluctant to share power which has led to some internal struggles and problesm... that is as I have understood it from what I have been told.

He's also reluctant to share any trophies.

He's a bit like the Barrow chairman - broken away and playing against himself.

[ParraEelsNRL]

There was 1 Russian guy who posted here a few times about 2/3 years ago but I haven't seen him for a while.

He posts at some Russian blogs and RL sites.

[ParisSurtout]

which is where the current problems are. There IS a rich guy funding the thing but he is reluctant to share power which has led to some internal struggles and problesm... that is as I have understood it from what I have been told.

Klebanov is not particularly rich. His main job has been hiring out bouncers to nightclubs. All his money would come from government subsidies (if any) for running the internationally recognized RRL and having the top club, and the perks he enjoys are the free trips to the UK that the RLIF/RLEF have given him over the years.


The man is a low grade con artist and an oxygen thief, pure and simple. Pity that Nigel Wood, who has been heavily wined and dined by the RRL in Moscow, cannot see through him.

This post has been edited by ParisSurtout: Sep 3 2009, 05:05 PM

[waistline expans...]

Klebanov is not particularly rich. His main job has been hiring out bouncers to nightclubs.

There's plenty of money in that business, and various "ancillary" activities.

[TheMancunianCand...]

Nigel Wood... heavily...

OK So I've paraphrased you a bit...but funny all the same...

[ParisSurtout]

There's plenty of money in that business, and various "ancillary" activities.

Yes, perhaps, but he is not rich at the level of casino-owner rich. We lost the casino owner to rugby union, because the casino owner's motive was to satisfy Russian government regulations about casinos putting money into sports -- any sports. But the casino owner could not put up with Klebanov's power controlling antics.

A decade ago the casino owner might have arranged to have Klebanov taken away from his home late at night and shot. But now it is not worth the effort, because there are alternatives to rugby league, and rugby union is beckoning. So thanks to Klebanov the casino money is now going into rugby union development, while Klebanov remains a big shot in his little world, and our Nigel Wood can still count on tasty super size meals in Moscow.