St Albans Centurions
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| St Albans Centurions | |
 |
|
| Full name | St Albans Centurions Rugby League Club |
| Emblem | None |
| Colours | Dark blue with yellow |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Sport | Rugby league |
| League | Rugby League Conference Premier |
| Ground | Recreation Ground, Colney Heath |
| Official website | www.sacenturions.co.uk |
St Albans Centurions is a rugby league team based in St Albans, Hertfordshire. In 2006 they played in National League 3 and in the Rugby League Conference. From 2007 they will play in the Rugby League Conference Premier division, a step down from National League 3, which from 2007 onwards has been rebranded as the Rugby League Conference National division.
They play at the Recreation Ground in Colney Heath, just outside St Albans.
[edit] History
The club was established in 1996 and the first game was lost narrowly to a Hemel Hempstead Development team. In 1997 the Centurions replaced the Ashford club in London League Division 2, and progressed to the second round of the knockout competitions. Later that year the Centurions signed a membership agreement with Old Verulamians RU Club to secure ground sharing, giving them a firm base and offering good facilities for both players and sponsors. The team finished second in the league that season and established a rugby league development team to encourage junior development.
In 1998 the U13s competed in a Festival of Rugby League and also in the London Junior Competition and the senior team were accepted into the Rugby League Conference, where they finished runners-up in the Southern Division. The team was beaten in the semi-finals by the eventual winners, Crawley Jets.
In 1999 the team fielded a second team for the first time, and the first junior player graduated to the Open Age side.
From 2000 to 2002 the club consolidated itself in the RLC and in the London League.
In 2003 the club entered the newly created National League 3, playing teams from all over the country. They reached the play-offs, beating Sheffield Hillsborough Hawks before going down to Warrington Woolston Rovers. They also entered the Challenge Cup, losing to Birkenshaw in the first round.
In 2004 the Centurions finished 7th and then shocked Bradford Dudley Hill in the play-offs before losing to Bramley Buffaloes.
In 2005 the first team won 12 out of 16 league matches, finishing third and losing in the play-off semi-finals. The second team continued to play in the conference and the club continues its junior development programme. The club also relocated its home ground across town to share with Old Albanian Rugby Football Club at Woollam's.
In 2006 the first team qualified for the play-offs in fourth place in National League Three. It beat Dewsbury Celtic but lost an elimination match to the Warrington Wizards. The team also competed in the Northern Rail Cup, taking on semi-professional outfits London Skolars and Celtic Crusaders.
In 2007 the club relocated to Colney Heath and relaunched with a new committee and a new club logo in preparation for the 2007 RLC Premier season.
