AEL Limassol Rugby are the rugby union department of AEL Limassol, Cyprus. They were the second independent (not affiliated to the British or UN Military) rugby club to be formed in Cyprus, after the Paphos Tigers. They were established in late 2003 as Limassol Crusaders and joined AEL in September 2025.
History
The club was formed, as Limassol Crusaders, and initial membership recruited, by word of mouth after the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Temporary training facilities were used initially, including a spell at the Elias Beach Resort Hotel, until the club finally leased the AEK Achileas Stadium in 2004, with the club joining the Joint Services Rugby Football Union and competing formally starting with the 2004/05 season. When the Cyprus Rugby Federation formed its own league, Limassol Crusaders joined it.
When, in 2006, Cyprus formed a national squad, five Crusaders were members of the team that won their inaugural game against Greece.
In 2013, the Crusaders moved to a new stadium in the Mesa Geitonia area of Limassol. The new stadium had a higher capacity, better drainage and conformed better to IRB safety regulations. In 2016, the club moved back to the historical stadium of AEK Achileas after closing the contract with the previous venue.
In 2025, Limassol Crusaders were officially dissolved as the club was integrated into AEL Limassol to become their Rugby department.
Men's Rugby
Results
(Note: All results before 2025 were by the legacy club, Limassol Crusaders)
League
Season League Final Position2004/05 JSRFU League 6th2005/06 JSRFU League 6th2006/07 JSRFU League 6th2007/08 JSRFU League 5th2008/09 JSRFU League 6th2009/10 JSRFU League 3rd2010/11 JSRFU League 5th2011/12 CRF League 4th2012/13 CRF League 5th2013/14 CRF League 3rd2014/15 CRF League 3rd2015/16 CRF League 3rd2016/17 CRF League 2nd2017/18 CRF League 3rd2018/19 CRF League Unfinished due to Covid2019/20 CRF League Cancelled due to Covid2025/26 CRF League Ongoing
Tournaments Year Tournament Final Position2009 Aya Nik 15s 4th2010 Aya Nik 15s 3rd2011 Aya Nik 15s 3rd2012 Aya Nik 15s 3rd2013 Cyprus Beach Rugby Runner-up2013 Aya Nik 15s 5th2015 Warsaw Rugby Festival Cup Winner
Tours
Year Team Location Result Year Team Location Result2006 Maastricht University AEK Achileas Stadium Won 2009 Beit Jala Lions AEK Achileas Stadium Won2009 Cairo Rugby Cairo Won2012 Warwick University AEK Achileas Stadium Lost2013 Leigh RFC AEK Achileas Stadium Won2013 URAG Rome Campo Tre Fontane Won2013 Rugby Roma Rome Campo Tre Fontane Lost2013 The World Limassol - Mesa Geitonia Won2014 HMS Diamond Limassol - Mesa Geitonia Won2014 Courbet Limassol - Mesa Geitonia Won2015 Les Zozos Warsaw - AWF Won 2015 Honey Badgers Warsaw - AWF Drawn2015 Old Actonians Warsaw - AWF Lost2015 Cani Sciolti Warsaw - AWF Lost2015 Abbeyfeale Warsaw - AWF Lost2015 Warsaw Frogs (White) Warsaw - AWF Won2015 Aberdeen Grammar Warsaw - AWF Won2015 Camberley Rugby Vets AEK Achileas Stadium Won2016 Cirencester RFC AEK Achileas Stadium Lost2016 Brussels Celtic Barbarians VUB Lost2017 Arlechinii Bucuresti Stadionul Florea Dumitrache Lost2018 Kyiv Rebels Spartak Stadium Lost2018 Jamhour Black Lions AEK Achileas Stadium Lost2019 Belgrade Rugby Club Red Star Ada Ciganlija Lost2021 HMS Queen Elizabeth AEK Achileas Stadium Lost2022 Rugby Klub Bratislava Športový Areál Ekonomickej Univerzity Won2023 Amatori Napoli Rugby GLS Villaggio del Rugby Lost2024 Locomotiv Sofia Borisova Gradina Won2025 Ragbi Klub Zagreb Rudeš Won
Captains
Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
2004/06 Zeno Nicolaou 2006/08 Andrew Spring 2008/09 Darryl Davies 2009/10 Greg Loucaides 2010/11 Andrew Spring - Marko Mladenovic 2011/13 Fraser Nelson 2013/19 Constantinos Constantinides 2019/20 Robert Field 2021/25 Devon Van Der Merwe
Ladies rugby
The ladies section of AEL Limassol Rugby are known as The Sirens. They currently compete in the Women's Cyprus Rugby Federation League, predominantly with the minimal contact version of Touch Rugby; according to the Federation of International Touch (F.I.T) rules. They played their first competitive match, against a team from the visiting HMS Queen Elizabeth, in 2021.
There is also training for the contact versions of rugby union, and smaller local competitions held in the 7's, 10's, and XV's format, numbers permitting.
As of 2025, the Sirens are the title holders of the Women's CRF League.
Results
League
Season League Final Position2024/25 Women's CRF League Winner2025/26 Women's CRF League Ongoing
Captains
2023/25 Lotte Pollack
Coaches 2024/25 Panayiotis Karasavvas 2025 Steve Wrigglesworth
Youth rugby
As well as the senior teams, AEL Limassol Rugby also encourages youth rugby. The Colts is open to boys and girls aged 13 and older and the Minicru is open to children aged 6 and older.
Veterans rugby
In November 2016 the Limassol Crusaders fielded a Veterans squad for the first time against the Camberley Rugby Vets, who were on tour in Cyprus. The team has been unofficially called "the Commandarias". AEL Limassol Rugby now have a veterans team who train regularly.
References
External links Cyprus Rugby Federation