Malta national rugby league team Information & Malta national rugby league team Links at HealthHaven.com

Malta
Nickname(s)	The Knights
Association	Maltese Rugby League Association
Region	Europe
Head coach	Joseph Grima
Most caps	Steven Azzopardi (20)
RLIF ranking	27th
	National Uniform
	National Uniform
First international
	Malta 78-0 British Defense Forces 25 September 2004
Biggest win
	Malta 82-0 Japan 25 January 2007
Biggest defeat
	Malta 10-36 Lebanon 8 October 2006

The Malta national rugby league team played its first international fixture in 2004. The team is composed of players with Maltese heritage from Australia, the United Kingdom and Malta.

The Maltese Rugby League Association was formed to introduce the game of Rugby league to Malta. Malta played its first game in Malta on October 22, 2005 when they defeated England Lionhearts 36-6 at Marsa Stadium.

Malta has participated in the Orara Valley Sevens competition in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

[edit] Results

Malta def. Royal Logistics Corps 34-24 (19 October 2007)
Malta def. Portugal 56-12 (6 October 2007)
Malta def. Japan Samurais 82-0 (25 January 2007)
Lebanon Cedars def. Malta 36-10 (8 October 2006)
Malta def. England "Lionhearts" 36-6 (22 October 2005)
Malta def. Greece 24-22 (8 October 2005)
Fiji A def. Malta 40-24 (16 October 2004)
Malta def. British Defence Forces 78-0 (25 September 2004)

[edit] Players

There are many Maltese Australians that have made it into the NRL, most notably Parramatta Eels and former Australian representative Michael Vella, Wests Tigers pair Ben Galea and Danny Galea and Sydney Roosters prop Shane Shackleton. Vella and Shackleton have represented Malta in Rugby League. Also Jarrod Sammut from the Penrith Panthers has played for Malta at international level.

[edit] Aus-Med Cup

Malta-based - 13

Malcolm Attard
Roderick Attard
Peter Bradley
Calvin Briffa
Mark Cortis
Tyson Freeman
Daniel Grima
Chris Mallia
John Micallef Moreno
Sergio Pisani
Chris Sammut
Mark Seychell
Samuel Zammit

Australia-based – 18

Steven Azzopardi
Ryan Borg (Thirroul)
Scott Borg (Thirroul)
Guy Borgas (Gold Coast Titans)
Ian Catania (Shellharbour City)
Brad Clews (Blacktown City RL- Captain)
Matt Desira (Asqiuth)
Pat Galea (Mt Prichard Mounties)
Aaron Grech (Mt Prichard)
Paul Harris (unattached)
Simon Micallef (Collegeians)
Tyson Muscat (Ipswich Jets)
Brendan Russell (Mackay Cutters)
Jarrod Sammut (Penrith Panthers)
Daniel Sansone (Berkley)
Dane Snelson (Cronulla Sharks)
Luke Vella (Emu Plains)
Zack Williams (Brisbane Easts)

UK-based - 5

Paul Bartlett
Shaun Bartlett
Paul Borg
Chris Parker (rugby league) (Gateshead Thunder)
Luke Sant

Malta named 36 man squad for the 2009 Aus-Med Cup.

[edit] Fixtures

Date	Match	Venue
25 January 2007	vs Japan	Coffs Harbour International Stadium
27-28 January 2007	Orara Valley Sevens	Coffs Harbour, Australia
6 October 2007	vs Portugal	Sydney, Australia
19 October 2007	vs Royal Logistics Corps	Floriana, Malta
2008	Orara Valley Sevens	Coffs Harbour, Australia
2008	International Cup	Australia

[edit] See also

Rugby league in Malta

[edit] External links