Just four months after gaining official recognition, the Ukraine Rugby League Federation has completed its first formal championship season, with Legion XIII crowned senior champions.

"This year rugby league in Ukraine started a new era of domestic competition,” said development manager Artur Martyrosyan. “We now have two senior leagues;  the first division, which is played under 13-a-side rules and a second division, which is played under the 9s format. Also, we have two age categories of children`s competitions, under-14s and under-16s, with four-teams in each.”

Donbass Tigers from Donestsk were runners up in the title race ahead of Atlantis (Dnepropetrovsk) and Rhinos (Krivoi Rog) with the champions from Kharkov victorious in all nine matches played. The national media reported extensively on the competition.

“ODUSH” (Odessa), “DUSH” (Krasnoarmeysk), Donbas Tigers and the Krivoy Rog Rhinos fielded sides in the under-14s competition while Donbas Tigers, the Rhinos, “Typhoon” (Donetsk) and “Gornyak” (Krivoi Rog) competed in the under-16s competition,” continued Martyrosyan.

“We are really seeing how interest in rugby league is on the rise. Every game attracted more spectators and more kids signing up with their local club. This is a good base for the UFRL’s big plans, which include introducing more teams in every league and our national team on a bigger stage.”

Pictured: Legion versus Atlantis.