Featherstone Lions U16 have returned from a highly successful trip to Serbia. They played two matches, going down 30-22 to Red Star Belgrade’s youth team at the FC Sava 45 football ground and defeating Morava Cheetahs youth in Leskovac, 280km from the capital, 34-0 at FC Sloga.
The trip was in part conceived by Lions’ director of rugby, Darren Fisher, who is also head coach of the Serbia men’s national side.
Lions U16s head coach, Craig Barker, commented: “I'd like to thank the Serbian Federation for accommodating us on this tour, without their help and support it wouldn't have been possible.
“The staff along with every player and parent were looking forward to this trip for almost a year and we thoroughly enjoyed experiencing what Serbia had to offer both on and off the field. It has been a wonderful experience for the group.
“To be the first club youth team to tour this country is an honour not lost on any of us and we have made some amazing memories.”
Serbian Rugby League Federation director, Radoslav Novakovic, commented: “We were very pleased that Featherstone Lions U16 toured here after our successful hosting of the Euro U19 in Belgrade.
“For us, youth players are essential for the further development of rugby league in Serbia. We thank the Lions and their management for making this tour happen and to test our up and coming players. It was especially important for us to play a match in Leskovac, a club with over 18 years of tradition, which works a lot on the development of young players. The visit of an English team from the rugby league heartland meant a lot to this community.”
Serbian Rugby League, meanwhile, are mourning the death of Dusan Novakov on 13 August 2024, at age of 86. A pioneer of the sport in the country, he played more than 100 matches for Rugby League Club Jedinstovo from Pancevo and Rugby League Club JSP Pancevo from 1955 to 1964.
He was a league champion in 1957 and Yugoslav cup winner the following year, voted as the best player in Yugoslavia in 1961. He played aninternational against France in Banja Luka on 21 May 1961, in front of over 5,000 fans.
Serbian Rugby League Federation, general secretary, Vladan Kikanovic, said in tribute: “Dusan left big legacy in Serbian rugby league history which will always be remebered. The Serbian Rugby League Federation expresses its deepest condolences to Dusan's family and his home club Dinamo from Pancevo.”
Jovan Vujosevic, European Rugby League regional director, added: “I had the honor of knowing Dusan. He was present at the first matches when rugby league returned to Serbia at the beginning of the 2000s. He was a great rugby enthusiast and left a deep mark on both codes of Serbian rugby.”