The Malta Rugby League and the Malta Rugby Union both have contributed significantly to the development and promotion of rugby in Malta. They have achieved remarkable progress and recognition on an international level despite the challenges. They continue to foster the growth of rugby at all levels, from junior to senior, and across both genders.
Rugby league is an emerging full-contact team sport in Malta. The first game played at Marsa in 2005 by a largely Australian-Maltese touring team from the East-coast of Australia. The Maltese team opened with a successful 36–6 victory over England Lionhearts and featured one local Maltese player, Robert Bonavia.
Photo: 22 October 2005 - First game of Rugby League played on Maltese Soil.
The Maltese Rugby League Association (MRLA) was formed in April 2004 at the Russian Club in Strathfield, Australia.
Malta made their international debut on 25 September 2004 when they defeated British Defence Forces at Melita Stadium, Sydney, Australia.
Score: Malta won 78-0
Crowd: 120
Malta's first rugby league international played on home soil was on Saturday October 2005 against England Lionhearts at Marsa Sports Complex, Marsa.
Score: Malta won 36-6
Crowd: 500
The first domestic rugby league match in Malta was on Saturday 13 October 2007 between San Giljan Dragons and Birkirkara Warriors at Floriana Stadium. (Match played in nines format).
Score: Draw 10-10
Crowd: about 100
Photo: Malta lining up for a match against Italy ahead of the 2017 World Cup
The Malta Rugby League (MRL) is the official governing body of rugby league in Malta. The MRL is an Affiliate Member of the Rugby League European Federation (RLEF) and recognised by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF). The MRL is also a member of the Kunsill Malti ghall-iSport (KMS) - the national organisation responsible for supporting, developing and promoting sport throughout Malta and Gozo.
The organisation was formed in 2008 following the merger of the now defunct Maltese Rugby League Association (formed 2004 in Australia) and the local Kumitat Nazzjonali ta Rugby League f’Malta (2006), in a move that was designed to homogenise Maltese rugby league’s structure and further its European dimension.
Full European integration occurred in 2011 when the remaining Australian-based Directors resigned, paving the way for locals to take their place. A nine-person Board oversees MRL policy, with an operations manager from each club responsible for the day-to-day running of the sport.
In October 2007 the first domestic rugby league competition, the Malta Rugby League Nines, was contested with fixtures at Floriana Stadium, Floriana. Participating teams were the San Giljan Dragons, Mosta Titans, Sliema Broncos, Qormi Sharks, Birkirkara Warriors and the Siggiewi Storm along with the British Royal Logistics Corps. A Malta selection were crowned champions after defeating the Royal Logistics Corps in the final.
Between 2009 and 2010, the MRL Championship took place with only four games played between "North" and "South". There is also a Wheelchair rugby league championship and an MRL Academy.
Photo: MRL Dames and MRL Pathways girls work on their preparation ahead of October’s Internationals and Harmony 9s in 2017.
The match against England Lionhearts was partly the catalyst for continued rugby league development on the Maltese Islands and has helped set up a domestic competition within Malta.
A crowd of approximately 750 were in attendance for the first rugby league match in Malta played at Matthew Micallef St John Athletic Stadium, Marsa.
The MRL's Australian links lie in the form of Maltese Heritage Rugby League that enables the foundation to promote the legacy across Australia, promoting and developing rugby league within the Maltese community. Maltese Heritage RL has teams catering for 12-year-olds through to seniors, via Academy, U16s, U18s and the Open Age Maltese Heritage RL team.
Photo: Maltese Heritage Junior Rugby League Academy
The Malta national rugby league team is made up of local rugby league players from Malta and Heritage players from England and Australia. The team is nicknamed the Knights.
Malta XIII is a national representative team for the Republic of Malta. Players must satisfy international eligibility criteria or be a resident of Malta or Gozo. Eligible players of Malta XIII can be selected for Malta Knights.
Photo: Malta in action against Chile in 2015
Rugby union in Malta is a small but growing sport. The national senior men's team are ranked 46th by the World Rugby.
The governing body is the Malta Rugby Football Union. Since 2000, the MRFU has been a full member of World Rugby.
Photo: Malta Rugby Football Union Logo
Rugby was first brought into Malta by the British, who ruled the island for nearly 200 years. The first matches appear to have been played by British sailors during the late 19th century.
In 1946, the Overseas Rugby Club was established, becoming the first proper rugby club on the island, which consisted mainly of British servicemen.
However, the game only started becoming properly organised at the end of the 20th century. During the 1970s, St. Edwards College and Tal-Handaq College started teaching the game, but it also received a blow, in 1979, with the withdrawal of Malta from NATO, which deprived it of the military teams which had formerly played there. In 1983 a set of enthusiasts met at the Marsa sports ground, mainly ex-students of St Edwards College(who had previously played against the British forces based in Malta) and a few others, attracted by an advertisement in the "Times of Malta" and held an informal 10 a-side match which was the beginning of the re-introduction of Rugby to Malta. Saturday games continued in a sort of mix & match style, dividing the numbers into two teams. As the numbers grew the Phoenician's Rugby Club was formed and that team played against teams visiting the island and the Navy ships which sporadically visited the island. Phoenicians also traveled several times to play Clubs in Sicily. A decision was made to create another Club for competition's sake and the Overseas Rugby Club was re-formed. At this time around 1986 a group of students who had studied at various schools in the UK returned to Malta to attend University and so the University Rugby Club was formed. By 1990 a mini-league had been established of Overseas RC, Phoenicians and the University of Malta, which also saw a Cup and 7s competition, both initially won by Overseas RC. Matches were also played against visiting navy vessels and touring sides from the UK and Italy The Kavallieri Rugby Club was formed in 1991 with many players coming from Water Polo and even some players from wrestling. Kavallieri entered Rugby as the Overseas "B" team, so they could learn the game under their tutelage. For a period of two years the International Tourism School(ITS) formed under the guidance of a South African teacher, but due to the students having to engage in international work experience, they struggled for players and eventually disbanded. In 1996 the Stompers Rugby Club was formed.
In 2006, women's rugby began in Malta, now boasting five active clubs and a strong national 7s program.
During the 2008 national election, the Nationalist Party, or PN, included the construction of a national rugby stadium as an element in its platform. The PN was victorious in the 2008 election, and formed government. In 2010, it announced the beginning of the fulfillment of this promise through a plan for the construction of such a stadium, connected to a larger sporting, recreational and residential complex with at least one rugby pitch beyond that of the stadium.
Due to its mild Mediterranean climate, Malta is a popular destination for rugby tours.
Photo: Men's 7s National Team 2023
As of the 2009–2010 season (the Maltese domestic rugby season traditionally runs through the Northern Hemisphere winter), there were four primary domestic competitions for senior men, two for senior women, and three age-grade competitions for junior boys.
Photo: Women's National Team 2023
The Malta national rugby union team (men's) competes in the European Nations Cup (ENC). They have done well, when compared to the size and playing population of the country. They completed the 2008-2010 competition in Division 2B of the ENC. They finished 3rd in the two-year competition, meaning that they are playing in the same division (renamed "2A") for the 2010-2012 competition. A number of players come from the Maltese diaspora in the UK and Australia. However, the number of locally based players is increasing.
The Maltese national women's rugby 7s team have been very successful in European competitions, earning promotion in 2009 to the "A" division of these tournaments (the middle of three European divisions).
