Greece women's national rugby league team

The Greece women's national rugby league team represents Greece in women's rugby league football. Founded in 2019 by the Greek Rugby League Association, the team played its first game in September 2019 in a friendly match against Turkey.

Greece
Team information
Governing bodyGreek Rugby League Association
RegionEurope
Head coachJim Minadakis
CaptainOurania Koutsikou
Top try-scorerVelissaria Koutsioumpa (3)
Top point-scorerVelissaria Koutsioumpa (12)
IRL ranking9th
Team results
First game
Turkey  40 - 4  Greece
(14 September 2019)
Biggest win
Greece  28 - 0  Serbia
(2 October 2022)
Biggest defeat
Turkey  40 - 4  Greece
(14 September 2019)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the politics surrounding the governance of rugby league in Greece the team did not play its first full (as opposed to a friendly) international match until September 2022, when they entered the Southern group of the 2022 Rugby League Women's European Championship B.[1] The first home international match took place at Gorytsa Park field, Aspropyrgos on 2 October 2022.[2]

In January 2023, a team of Australian-based players of Greek heritage played an international match in Sydney against the Philippines, under national coach Stuart McLennan.[3][4]

Head to head records

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Opponent FM MR M W D L Win% PF PA Share
  Turkey 2019 2022 2 1 0 1 50.0% 12 44 21.43%
  Serbia 2022 2024 3 3 0 0 100.00% 68 8 89.47%
  Philippines 2023 2023 1 0 0 1 0.00% 0 38 0.00%
  Netherlands 2023 2023 1 0 0 1 0.00% 0 14 0.00%
  France 2024 2024 1 0 0 1 0.00% 0 58 0.00%
  Ireland 2024 2024 1 0 0 1 0.00% 6 42 12.50%
Totals 2019 2024 9 4 0 5 44.44% 86 204 29.66%

Table last updated: 13 October 2024

Current squad

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Greece based

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The following players were named in a squad to play in the European qualification play-off match against Ireland:[5]

Player Position Club Debut Matches Tries Goals Points
Maria-Eleni Gkirlemi Prop, Second-row   Aris Eagles 2022 4 0 0 0
Maria-Anna Lamprou Prop   Aris Eagles 2022 6 2 0 8
Georgia Kalomenopoulou interchange   Aris Eagles 0 0 0 0
Sofia-Margarita Kitsaneli Scrum-half, Prop   Aris Eagles 2019 6 0 1 2
Asimina Mastoraki Scrum-half, Hooker   Aris Eagles 2019 7 0 0 0
Myrsini Pappa Second-row, Prop   Aris Eagles 2023 3 0 2 4
Efstathia Skoroliakou interchange   Aris Eagles 0 0 0 0
Sotiria Skouroliakou interchange   Aris Eagles 2024 1 0 0 0
Kleopatra Velmachou Fullback, Stand-off, Centre   Aris Eagles 2022 4 1 1 6
Sofia Anagnostopoulou Wing, Fullback   Athens City Raiders 2023 4 0 0 0
Eleftheria Angeli interchange   Athens City Raiders 2023 2 0 0 0
Chrysi Lymperidi Hooker   Athens City Raiders 2019 5 0 0 0
Magdelini Stavrianou Fullback, Scrum-half   Athens City Raiders 2022 6 0 0 0
Isaia Maragkou Centre   Attica Rhinos 2023 2 0 0 0
Dimitra Papoutsi Centre, Wing   Attica Rhinos 2019 7 2 0 8
Ourania Koutsikou Loose forward, Centre   Cardiff Demons 2019 6 3 0 12
Anais Dragoumis  Unattached 0 0 0 0
Aimilia Kozari Lock  Unattached 2019 1 0 0 0
Triantafyllia Vasilogianni  Unattached 0 0 0 0

Australian based

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The following Australian-based players of Greek heritage represented Greece in the January 2023 international match against the Philippines.[4]

Alexia Foster Papanicolau, Antonia Karias, Taliah Mafi, Angelina Ballas, Ebony Tsoukas, Lavinia Taukamo, Maria Posantzis, Cherish Tseros, Jonaya Bent, Mikayla Tuliatu, Christine Tsougranis, Stella Lellis, Meleanna Waters. Interchange: Jasmin Testa, Lisa Poulakis, Simone Stephen, Stephanie Glumac

Results

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Full internationals

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Date Opponent Score Tournament Venue Video Report(s)
14 Sep 2019   Turkey
4–40
Test Match   Trakya University
Ayşekadın Stadium, Edirne
Highlights [6]
25 Sep 2022   Turkey
8–4
2022 Euro B   Technical Uni, Istanbul Full game [7][8][9]
2 Oct 2022   Serbia
28–0
  Gorytsa Park Field, Aspropyrgos 1st half

2nd half

[10][11]
28 Jan 2023   Philippines
0–38
Test Match[3]   Lidcombe Oval, Sydney [4]
11 Nov 2023   Serbia
8–4
Balkan Cup   FC Pusta Reka, Bojnik
9 Dec 2023   Netherlands
0–14
Test Match   Municipal Stadium Dimitris Nikolaidis, Athens [12]
13 Apr 2024   France
0–58
WCQ Euro B   Stade Georges Dartiailh, Marmande [13]
18 May 2024   Serbia
32–4
  A.G. Dimitrios Stadium, Athens Full game
12 Oct 2024   Ireland
6–42
WC Qualifier (Euro Playoff)   Gkorytsa Stadium, Aspropygos, Athens Full game [14]

Upcoming fixtures

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "EUROPEAN RUGBY LEAGUE LAUNCHES WOMEN'S EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS B". europeanrugbyleague.com. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  2. ^ "Greece to host Women's Euro B clash in first fixture since ban lifted". Rugby League International Federation. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  3. ^ a b "Greek Women's Rugby League team to play Sydney International". Neos Kosmos. 16 Jan 2023. Retrieved 18 Feb 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "Greece 0 v 38 Philippines - Match report". European Rugby League. 28 Jan 2023. Retrieved 16 Feb 2023.
  5. ^ "Greece and Ireland name women's squads for World Cup qualifier". European Rugby League. 10 Oct 2024. Retrieved 11 Oct 2024.
  6. ^ Güler, Olgay (14 Sep 2019). "Türkiye Ragbi Kadın Milli Takımı, Yunanistan'ı farklı yendi: 44-4". Demiroren Haber Ajansi. Retrieved 27 Sep 2022.
  7. ^ Whitelock, Adam (2022-09-27). "Greece women and Turkey men triumph in Istanbul". Everything Rugby League. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  8. ^ "Turkiye 4 v 8 Greece - Match Report". European Rugby League. 25 Sep 2022. Retrieved 27 Sep 2022.
  9. ^ Skolarikis, Tom (25 Sep 2022). "Greek women beat Turkey in Rugby League Test". Greek City Times. Retrieved 27 Sep 2022.
  10. ^ "Greece 28 v 0 Serbia". europeanrugbyleague.com. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  11. ^ "Women's Greek Rugby League smash Serbia to claim championship". Greek City Times. 3 Oct 2022. Retrieved 3 Oct 2022.
  12. ^ "Netherlands women to make international debut in Greece". International Rugby League. 8 December 2023.
  13. ^ "France 58 v 0 Greece - Match report". European Rugby League. 13 Apr 2024. Retrieved 14 Apr 2024.
  14. ^ "Greece 6 v 42 Ireland - Match Report". European Rugby League. 12 October 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  15. ^ "USA to follow up SA tour with Vegas double-header against Greece". International Rugby League. 6 Aug 2024. Retrieved 7 Aug 2024.