In the first ever Serbian Rugby League Federation Super Cup to begin the 2015 domestic club season, Serbian cup holders Dorćol beat championship winners Red Star 44-36, at Belgrade’s BASK Arena.
Until last season, Dorćol had won every championship since the reinstatement of Serbian Rugby League in 2001, Red Star ending their 12-year domination in the Grand Final but Dorćol redressed that.
Red Star got the upper hand with two tries in the first 11 minutes from Dragan Vasiljević and captain Vojislav Dedić but Dorćol – superbly led by Serbian internationals Dalibor Vukanović and Stefan Nedeljković – hit back to lead 28-14 at half time and showed their class late on, despite having Stefan Stanić red-carded in the 44th minute.
RED STAR: 36 (14)
Vojislav Dedić (capt.), Nikola Djurić, Dragan Vasiljević, Petar Milanović, Aleksandar Radovanović, Mark Pullen, Stefan Kokanović, Nikola Vulić, Vuk Štrbac, Nenad Žujić, Miodrag Tomić, Miloš Kostadinović, Denis Čengaj.
Subs: Rajko Trifunović, Aleksandar Predojević, Slobodan Manak, Miloš Zogović.
Tries: Vasiljević (5′), Dedić (11′, 64′), Zogović (22′, 60′), Milanović (57′), Trifunović (80′)
Goals: Dedić 3/5, Zogović 1/2
DORĆOL: 44 (28)
Andrej Mora, Rade Spajić, Aleksa Radić, Marko Marinković, Milan Avramović, Mirko Božović, Dalibor Vukanović (capt.), Miloš Aleksić, Nikola Vlahović, Stefan Stanić, Stevan Stevanović, Milan Čobanović, Stefan Nedeljković.
Subs: Vuk Miladinović, Arsenije Milenković, Gavrilo Vučetić, Sergej Devetak.
Tries: Nedeljković (15′, 71′), Čobanović (18′), Stevanović (30′, 33′), Vučetić (39′), Avramović (47′), Vukanović (78′)
Goals: Vukanović 6/8
Sin bin: Aleksić (60′)
sent off: Stanić (44′)
An expanded Serbian domestic competition begins next weekend (7/8 March) when the new six team First Division featuring Red Star, Dorćol, Partizan, Radnički Nova Pazova, Tašmajdan Tigers and Radnički Niš kicks off.
Seven clubs will compete in the Second Division: Zemun, Jedinstvo Pancevo, Warriors Belgrade, New Belgrade, Car Lazar Krusevac, Morava Cheetahs Leskovac, Soko Vranje.
In accordance with the SRLF strategic plan for 2015, there will be corresponding youth championships.
SRLF president Predrag Pantić commented, “We have presented a strategy of further development. The main points in the plan are to strengthen youth rugby and big plans for all national team selections.
“The crucial project for us is developing basic Rugby League at primary and secondary schools in Belgrade – a project that recently commenced through a partnership with the Australian Embassy in Serbia.“
