The
Rugby League Atlantic Cup is an annual rugby league football tournament held in
Jacksonville, FloridaJacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. Initiated in 2009, it is hosted by the
Jacksonville Axemen-Southeastern Rugby League Championship:In 2011 the Axemen launched a reserve grade competition, the Firehouse Subs Southeastern Rugby League Championship, which acts as a feeder club system for the Axemen to further develop players...
rugby league team at
Hodges StadiumHodges Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at the University of North Florida , and the home field for the North Florida Ospreys soccer, track and field, and cross country teams. It is located on the university's campus in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S...
on the
University of North FloridaThe University of North Florida is a public university located in Jacksonville, Florida. A member institution of the State University System of Florida, the university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master’s...
campus.
The 2009 and 2010 were co-sponsored by the
American National Rugby LeagueThe American National Rugby League is a rugby league football competition for semi-professional clubs in the United States. It is the country's first domestic rugby league competition...
(AMNRL), and pitted the
United States national rugby league team-2008 & 2013 Rugby League World Cup Qualifying:In October 2006, The Tomahawks were to participate in a four team Atlantic qualifying pool for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, but South Africa and the West Indies withdrew. As a result, The Atlantic qualifying pool was reduced to a single game...
against other developing rugby league nations in North America,
Jamaica-See also:* Rugby League in the West Indies* West Indies National Team-External links:*...
and
CanadaThe Canada national rugby league team represents Canada in international rugby league football tournaments.-1987-2000:Rugby league was re-introduced to Canada at an amateur level in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when a short-lived 4-team domestic competition, known as the Tri-Counties Rugby...
. In the 2011 edition, the Axemen will face the
Helensburgh TigersThe Helensburgh Tigers are an Australian rugby league football team based in Helensburgh, a country town of the Illawarra region. The club are apart of Country Rugby League and has competed in the Illawarra Rugby League premiership since its inception in 1911....
and British Police side.
History
The origins of the Atlantic Cup go back to 2006, when the
American National Rugby LeagueThe American National Rugby League is a rugby league football competition for semi-professional clubs in the United States. It is the country's first domestic rugby league competition...
(AMNRL) planned a tournament as part of an intended qualifying bracket for the
2008The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
Rugby League World CupThe Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
. However, this first contest, between the
United States-2008 & 2013 Rugby League World Cup Qualifying:In October 2006, The Tomahawks were to participate in a four team Atlantic qualifying pool for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, but South Africa and the West Indies withdrew. As a result, The Atlantic qualifying pool was reduced to a single game...
and
JapanThe Japan national rugby league team represents Japan in rugby league football. Japan has been playing international competition since 1994. A regular domestic amateur competition has been held in Japan for several years .-History:Rugby league was founded in Japan in 1993 by former Australian first...
national teams, did not go as planned.
In 2009 the AMNRL returned to the idea of an international game in the hopes of making it an annual event. Together with the Jamaican Rugby League Association (JRLA) and the
Jacksonville Axemen-Southeastern Rugby League Championship:In 2011 the Axemen launched a reserve grade competition, the Firehouse Subs Southeastern Rugby League Championship, which acts as a feeder club system for the Axemen to further develop players...
AMNRL franchise, they organized a single test match between the
United States-2008 & 2013 Rugby League World Cup Qualifying:In October 2006, The Tomahawks were to participate in a four team Atlantic qualifying pool for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, but South Africa and the West Indies withdrew. As a result, The Atlantic qualifying pool was reduced to a single game...
and
Jamaica-See also:* Rugby League in the West Indies* West Indies National Team-External links:*...
national teams, to be called the
2009 Atlantic Cup- Squads :- External links :* http://www.jaxaxe.com/Home/tabid/129/newsid540/326/Default.aspx* http://www.rlef.eu.com/news.php?id=1146* http://www.rugbyleague.com/rugby-league-news/317...
. The game, which was organized by the Jacksonville Axemen, was held on November 14, 2009 in
Jacksonville, FloridaJacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, at the Axemen's home field,
Hodges StadiumHodges Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at the University of North Florida , and the home field for the North Florida Ospreys soccer, track and field, and cross country teams. It is located on the university's campus in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S...
at the
University of North FloridaThe University of North Florida is a public university located in Jacksonville, Florida. A member institution of the State University System of Florida, the university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master’s...
. The game was Jamaica's international debut, and ended in a 37-22 victory for the United States. The game drew around 3,500 spectators, and was deemed a success, and the organizers made plans to expand the tournament the following year.
The
2010 Atlantic Cup-Canada vs Jamaica:-United States vs Canada:...
was also organized by the Axemen at the University of North Florida.
CanadaThe Canada national rugby league team represents Canada in international rugby league football tournaments.-1987-2000:Rugby league was re-introduced to Canada at an amateur level in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when a short-lived 4-team domestic competition, known as the Tri-Counties Rugby...
joined the competition, and the Cup was expanded from a single match into a three-game round robin tournament.
Super LeagueSuper League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
referee
Phil BenthamPhil Bentham is an English professional rugby league referee.- First games :His first pro game was Sheffield Eagles V London Skolars on 22 February 2004....
refereed all three matches, which were held on November 16, 18, and 20. The United States won both of its matches, and was declared champion for a second year. Several thousand spectators attended the tournament, with the final match between Canada and the United States drawing 2,800.
2011
The Atlantic Cup was an attempt to attract the
qualifying bracketOf the fourteen teams that will participate in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, only two are not automatic inclusions, so must win qualifying matches to enter the tournament, which is to be held in Wales and England...
for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup to the United States. When the U.S. won the bid to host the qualifiers, it was rumored that the tournament would be played in Jacksonville. AMNRL president
David NiuDavid Niumataiwalu, better known as David Niu , is an Australian-American rugby league and rugby union administrator, coach, and former player...
has expressed hope that the annual tournament will be continued beyond the World Cup. However, the AMNRL decided instead to submit a bid for the tournament to be played in the Philadelphia area.
In 2011 the Axemen left the AMNRL to join the newly formed
USA Rugby LeagueThe USA Rugby League is a semi-professional rugby league football competition based in the United States. The league was founded in 2011 by clubs that had broken with the established American National Rugby League , plus expansion franchises...
, taking with them the Atlantic Cup. As a result, the 2011 tournament will no longer feature the United States national team, which is administered by the AMNRL. The 2011 Cup will feature the Axemen in a round-robin tournament against two invitational teams, the
Helensburgh TigersThe Helensburgh Tigers are an Australian rugby league football team based in Helensburgh, a country town of the Illawarra region. The club are apart of Country Rugby League and has competed in the Illawarra Rugby League premiership since its inception in 1911....
from
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the UK Police Rugby League Team.
Results
| Year |
Host nation |
Participating nations |
Winner |
Runner-Up |
Venue |
Total attendance |
| 2009 - Squads :- External links :* http://www.jaxaxe.com/Home/tabid/129/newsid540/326/Default.aspx* http://www.rlef.eu.com/news.php?id=1146* http://www.rugbyleague.com/rugby-league-news/317...
|
|
|
|
|
Hodges Stadium Hodges Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at the University of North Florida , and the home field for the North Florida Ospreys soccer, track and field, and cross country teams. It is located on the university's campus in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S...
, Jacksonville |
3,500 |
| 2010 -Canada vs Jamaica:-United States vs Canada:...
|
|
|
|
|
Hodges Stadium Hodges Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at the University of North Florida , and the home field for the North Florida Ospreys soccer, track and field, and cross country teams. It is located on the university's campus in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S...
, Jacksonville |
|
| 2011 |
|
|
|
|
Hodges Stadium Hodges Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at the University of North Florida , and the home field for the North Florida Ospreys soccer, track and field, and cross country teams. It is located on the university's campus in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S...
, Jacksonville |
|