Pardubice-Chrudim Rabbitohs won the annual Czech rugby league pre-season 9s tournament after they defeated Slavia Hradec Kralove in the final. Neighbouring Pardubice and Chrudim have combined their resources and will field sides in divisions one and two this season with backing from NRL giants South Sydney. The joint venture beat Lokomotiva Beroun 24-8 in their opening game, Beroun’s first defeat in any form of rugby league since they were defeated by the Pardubice Jets in the 2011 CZRLA Grand Final. 

Pardubice-Chrudim and Beroun subsequently recorded close victories over Havlickuv Brod Eagles to complete the Pool A games. In Pool B, host club Slavia Hradec Kralove defeated Mikulov Roosters and local rivals Vrchlabi Mad Squirrels. In the decider, Marek Pluhar, Vit Rejda, Jiri Novak, Vit Caslavka and emerging star Patrik Koliska engineered a two tries to nil victory for the Rabbitohs in front of an enthusiastic crowd of several hundred.

The 2014 Czech First Division Championship season kicks-off this weekend with Teplice Dragons making the CZRLA’s longest away trek to play Mikulov Roosters and Pardubice-Chrudim facing Lokomotiva Beroun at home. Seven clubs will compete in the extended format, with home and away fixtures played before the high summer shutdown, followed by an extended eight team play-off series which will include the leading second division club, culminating in a Grand Final to be played on the first weekend of November.

Pictured: The victorious Bunnies.