Cardiff Demons
 | |
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Cardiff Demons Rugby League Football Club |
| Colours | Black, red and white |
| Founded | 1997 (Men's) 2021 (Women's) |
| Website | Cardiff Demons (Ladies) Archived Mens website |
| Current details | |
| Ground(s) |
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| Competition | RFL Women's Super League South |
The Cardiff Demons RLFC name has been used multiple times over the years. Firstly for a now-defunct men's rugby league side, and subsequently for a women's rugby league side who began in 2021.
The men's side played out of St. Peters RFC in the east of
The women's team on the other hand compete in the RFL Women's Super League South since its inaugural season in June 2021.
Men's team: 1997–2015
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2023) |
History
Cardiff Demons were formed in 1997
They amalgamated with the
Due to the success of this great cup run, in 2001, they joined the Central South Division of the Rugby League Conference. Playing at St. Peter's RFC, a small club two miles north of the city centre, the Demons succeeded in finishing in a creditable third place and came within seconds of pulling off a major upset at Hemel Stags, only to be denied when the highly rated Stags scored a last-second try. Another notable success from the Demons’ inaugural season was the graduation of winger Jon Breakingbury on to the professional ranks when he signed for Sheffield Eagles. Their continued success inspired other clubs from around Wales to form.
For the 2002 season the Demons moved to the well-appointed surroundings of
2003 saw the Demons go from strength to strength, finishing top of the South West Conference with an excellent record of nine wins and only one defeat, their biggest wins being 90-0 and 100–8, both over local rivals
2003 saw the departure of Aled James. He and Wes Palmer both represented Great Britain national rugby league team students on their tour down under, with Aled signing for Widnes Vikings at the conclusion of this tour. Although former Demons players had previously gone on to play Super League, this was the first time that a Super League club had signed a player directly from them benefiting the club financially in the short term.
In 2004, the Demons moved to
2005 saw a season of consolidation with the Demons having a slightly better league record but losing in the first round of the play-offs to Valley Cougars.
The club lost just two players to Crusaders with Andre Boon and Oliver Hughes departing to join the new professional club based in Bridgend.
The Demons moved back to St Peters RFC after one home match of 2006 and went on to win the East Division and reach the Welsh Conference Grand Final, only to lose 22–10 to Bridgend Blue Bulls. The following year the Demons lost out to Newport Titans 14–6 in the first round of the playoffs, but in 2008 they were semi-finalists losing 26–20 to Blackwood Bulldogs. In 2009 they relocated to St Albans RFC in Tremorfa but a promising season was ended by a playoff loss to Valley Cougars. Former Demons player Elliot Kear went on to appear regularly in the Super League for the Crusaders and the Bradford Bulls.
In 2010 the Cardiff Demons posted a regular season record of 6 wins and 4 losses, to finish in 3rd place in the new Co-operative Welsh Premier Conference Rugby League competition. In 2011 the Demons were restricted to three wins out of 10 regular season fixtures, but thanks to home and away victories over close rivals Torfaen Tigers they were still able to finish in fourth place in the competition.
After a period of restructuring between 2012 and 2014, with a handful of wins each season, the two main Rugby League clubs in the city, Demons and the Cardiff Spartans decided to merge. The result was Cardiff City RL,[2] which in 2017 was rebranded as Cardiff Blue Dragons RLFC[3] (a resurrection of the name of the last professional RL side in Cardiff and kit colours) now running two open age sides for the 2015 Welsh Conference season and playing home games at Cardiff Arms Park. The merged club also includes age grade sides at u15 and aims to promote a strong pathway for potential players in the city for years ahead. In 2019 the club is the largest RL club in Wales with sides at all age grades, a Welsh Premier and Southern Conference side, as well the first Women's and Masters RL sides in Wales.
Honours
- RLC South West Division: 2003
- Welsh Shield: 2004
- RLC Shield: 2004
- Welsh Nines Winners: 2006
- Welsh Premier (East): 2006
- Welsh Nines Winners: 2008
Statistics
- Year Formed: 1997
- Previous Grounds: Old Penarthians RFC, 1997–2000, St Peters RFC, 2001, Old Penarthians RFC, 2002–2003, Taffs Well RFC, 2004–2006, St Peters RFC, 2007–2008.
- Record League victory: 100-8 vs. Bristol Sonics, RLC South West Division, 2003.
- Record Cup victory: 36-6 vs. Durham, Rugby League Challenge Cup First Round, 1999–2000.
- Heaviest Defeat 0-90 vs. Keighley Cougars, Rugby League Challenge Cup Third Round, 1999–2000.
Women's team: 2021–present
History
After a number of years of dormancy, the Cardiff Demons name was resurrected in 2021 for a new women's rugby league team, set to compete in the inaugural season of the
Seasons
| Season | League | Play-offs | Challenge Cup | Ref | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | ||||
| 2021 | Super League South: Western Conference | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 314 | 6 | 8 | 1st | Won in Grand Final | — | [11][6] |
| 2022 | Super League South | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 298 | 32 | 8 | 2nd | Won in Grand Final | — | [12][7] |
| 2023 | Super League South | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 168 | 22 | 10 | 1st | Lost in Grand Final | QF | [13][14] |
| 2024 | Southern Championship | QF | [15] | |||||||||
See also
References
- ^ "First ever open age Cardiff derby goes to Spartans". RFL. 18 June 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
- ^ "New Cardiff club to launch with Scorpions friendly". RFL. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
- ^ "About Cardiff Blue Dragons". Wales Rugby League. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ "Cardiff Demons aim for Women's Super League franchise". Wales Rugby League. 28 May 2021. Archived from the original on 29 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ^ "Cardiff Demons returns as the new name for the Welsh Women's Super League side". Wales Rugby League. 28 May 2021. Archived from the original on 29 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Cardiff Demons clinch first Betfred Super League South title". RFL. 29 August 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Cardiff Demons deliver Grand Final masterclass". RFL. 28 August 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ^ "Cardiff Demons join big guns in Cup Quarter-Final draw". RFL. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
- ^ "Cardiff Demons continue to make history in Women's Rugby League". RFL. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
- ^ "Looking back… Women's Super League South". Betfred Women's Super League Grand Final 2023: Official Programme (PDF). p. 13. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ^ "Cardiff Demons Women's Super League 2021". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ^ "Cardiff Demons Women's Super League 2022". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ^ "Match Centre". RFL. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ "Women's Challenge Cup: Holders St Helens, Wigan Warriors and York Valkyrie seal quarter-final wins". BBC Sport. 18 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ^ "Men's and Women's Quarter-Finals Review & Semi-Finals confirmed | Betfred Challenge Cup". RFL. 14 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
External links
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