The enlarged Serbian domestic season started in late March, with fully five distinct tiers organised by the Serbian Rugby League Federation. A three division senior championship, an under-18 league and a student competition combine to make 2013 the most active season in Serbia, with the cup and representative season at senior and youth levels adding to the action.
Radoslav Novakovic, Serbian Rugby League Federation board member, was bullish about the continual progress in the central European nation: “We are very optimistic and proud of the new format of the competition and we hope that we will promote it and have great benefits from our domestic activities.”
The six-team First Division Championship sits atop the three division domestic league structure. Podbara (Novi Sad), Radnicki (Nova Pazova), Dorcol, Red Star, Novi Beograd (Belgrade) and Nis (Nis) contest the top tier, while Stari Grad, Radnicki (Belgrade), White Rabbits (Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina), Soko (Vranje), Morava (Leskovac) and Car Lazar (Krusevac) make up the six-team Second Division.
Beneath them, in a first for the country, the Third Division will see five clubs facing off: Zmaj, Policajac (Police rugby league club), Vozdovac, Serbian Military Academy (Belgrade) and Vojvoda (Pancevo).
The first round of the First Division was postponed due snow and bad weather but the second round results saw Radnicki lose at home 36-20 to Red Star, perennial champions Dorcol crush Podbara 44:6 and Nis snatching an exciting away win, 28-22 over Novi Beograd.
The third consecutive under-18 championship kicked off at the same time, contested by Radnicki (Nova Pazova), Dorcol, Red Star, Vozdovac (Belgrade), Morava (Leskovac) and Soko (Vranje). Vozdovac and Soko were winners against Dorcol and Morava.
Predrag Pantic, Serbian Rugby League Federation president: “This is a continuation of the development of the youth rugby league and the idea is that all the best clubs develop U18 and U16 teams, because this is the basis for new open age players. Practice has proved that the clubs who have their youth teams have no problems with participation numbers for senior teams and staff development. We all hope that we can start in the near future an U16 club competition.
“The Serbian U18 national team will play an international in Italy, then the Serbian U18 and U16 players will participate at the Belgrade International Youth Festival in August.”
The Second and Third divisions will kick-off at the end of April. The Serbian student championship is expected to field four student teams.
Pictured: Action from the Dorcol-Podbara match.