RK 03 Berlin
Encyclopedia
The RK 03 Berlin is a German
rugby union
club from Berlin
, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga
.
The club was formed in 2003, when the rugby department of the Post SV Berlin left the club. Post SV Rugby itself had been formed in 1967 as BSG Post Berlin Rugby.
Post Rugby took part in the East German championship, the DDR Rugby-Oberliga. It celebrated its greatest success in this league in the last decade of its existence, finishing third from 1985 to 1988, followed by two runners-up finishes in 1989 and 1990. Throughout its history, the club also provided a number of East German rugby internationals.
In 2003, the clubs rugby department left Post SV to form its own club, the RK 03 Berlin.
A seventh place in the first division in 2004-05 proved not enough and RK was relegated immediately, having won only one out of its fourteen games and losing the relegation match to DSV 78/08 Ricklingen
12-14. The season after, in the 2nd Bundesliga, the club won the league once more but lost the championship final to SC 1880 Frankfurt
. In the following promotion match with now Bundesliga side DSV 78/08 another loss meant another year in the second tier.
In 2006-07
, RK only came second in the 2nd Bundesliga but the season after, 2007-08
, it won its division once more and a 22-6 win over ASV Köln Rugby
earned it a second Bundesliga promotion.
In 2008-09, the club was struggling against relegation, finishing in eight place, its rival for league survival being bottom of the table side DRC Hannover
. DRC accepted direct relegation at the end of the season, making the relegation final unnecessary, meaning, RK 03 will be playing in the Bundesliga for another season.
On 19 January 2009, the club received the long awaited approval from the city of Berlin to upgrade its facilities, allowing, among other things, the instalment of flood lights.
With the Australian Allan Nugent, RK 03 hired a new coach for the 2009-10 season, relieving player-coach and captain Christian Lill from some of his duties, as he is also in charge of the German under-18 team.
's 2006–08 European Nations Cup campaign
, no player from the club was called up for the national team, while, in the 2008–10 campaign
, Lukas Rosenthal
, Benjamin Ulrich
and Lukas Hinds-Johnson
were new additions to the German team, selected from the RK 03 squad.
In the 2010–012 European Nations Cup campaign
, Lukas Hinds-Johnson was again called up for Germany.
The club, under the name of BSG Post, also produced the following East German internationals:
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club from Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga
Rugby-Bundesliga
The Rugby-Bundesliga is the highest level of Germany's rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation.The league is predominantly amateur, with only two of the ten clubs in the league being professional outfits,the SC 1880 Frankfurt and Heidelberger RK.-History:The German rugby...
.
The club was formed in 2003, when the rugby department of the Post SV Berlin left the club. Post SV Rugby itself had been formed in 1967 as BSG Post Berlin Rugby.
Post SV Rugby
PSV's rugby department had been formed in 1967 in what was then East Germany, under the name of BSG Post Berlin Rugby.Post Rugby took part in the East German championship, the DDR Rugby-Oberliga. It celebrated its greatest success in this league in the last decade of its existence, finishing third from 1985 to 1988, followed by two runners-up finishes in 1989 and 1990. Throughout its history, the club also provided a number of East German rugby internationals.
In 2003, the clubs rugby department left Post SV to form its own club, the RK 03 Berlin.
RK 03
PSV had last been playing in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East in 2002-03 and RK took its place there, winning the league in its first attempt. After a 28-23 victory over South/West champion BSC Offenbach, the team earned promotion to the Bundesliga.A seventh place in the first division in 2004-05 proved not enough and RK was relegated immediately, having won only one out of its fourteen games and losing the relegation match to DSV 78/08 Ricklingen
DSV 78/08 Ricklingen
The DSV 78/08 Ricklingen was a German rugby union team from the Ricklingen suburb of Hannover, playing in the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East in 2008-09. The team was an on-the-field union of DSV 78 Hannover and SV 1908 Ricklingen, two successful clubs in themselves...
12-14. The season after, in the 2nd Bundesliga, the club won the league once more but lost the championship final to SC 1880 Frankfurt
SC 1880 Frankfurt
The SC 1880 Frankfurt is a German rugby union club from Frankfurt am Main, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga. Apart from rugby, the club also offers other sports like lacrosse, tennis and field hockey....
. In the following promotion match with now Bundesliga side DSV 78/08 another loss meant another year in the second tier.
In 2006-07
Rugby-Bundesliga 2006-07
The Rugby-Bundesliga 2006-07 was the 36th edition of this competition and the 87th edition of the German rugby union championship. The season went from 26 August 2006 to 12 May 2007, ending with the championship final.-Overview:...
, RK only came second in the 2nd Bundesliga but the season after, 2007-08
Rugby-Bundesliga 2007-08
The Rugby-Bundesliga 2007-08 was the 37th edition of this competition and the 88th edition of the German rugby union championship. The season went from 25 August 2007 to 31 May 2008, ending with the relegation final.-Overview:...
, it won its division once more and a 22-6 win over ASV Köln Rugby
ASV Köln Rugby
The ASV Köln Rugby is a German rugby union club from Cologne, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga. It is part of the multi-sports club ASV Köln, which also offers other sports like athletics, triathlon and karate.-Sports club:...
earned it a second Bundesliga promotion.
In 2008-09, the club was struggling against relegation, finishing in eight place, its rival for league survival being bottom of the table side DRC Hannover
DRC Hannover
The DRC Hannover is a German rugby union club from Hannover, currently playing in the Rugby-Bundesliga. The club should not be confused with the DRC 1884 Hannover, a rowing club and a separate entity.-History:...
. DRC accepted direct relegation at the end of the season, making the relegation final unnecessary, meaning, RK 03 will be playing in the Bundesliga for another season.
On 19 January 2009, the club received the long awaited approval from the city of Berlin to upgrade its facilities, allowing, among other things, the instalment of flood lights.
With the Australian Allan Nugent, RK 03 hired a new coach for the 2009-10 season, relieving player-coach and captain Christian Lill from some of his duties, as he is also in charge of the German under-18 team.
Men
- 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga2nd Rugby-BundesligaThe 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga is the second-highest level of Germany's Rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation. Its set below the Rugby-Bundesliga, the top-tier of German rugby, and above the Rugby-Regionalliga, the third tier.-History:...
- Champions: 2004, 2008
- Runners up: 2002, 2006
- East German rugby union championshipEast German rugby union championshipThe East German rugby union championship was a rugby union competition in the German Democratic Republic, commonly referred to as East Germany. The competition was first held in 1952 and had its last edition in 1990, being terminated by the events of the German reunion.-Competition:The competition...
- Runners up: 1989, 1990
- East German rugby union cup
- Runners up: 1980, 1982, 1987, 1988
Post SV
| Year | Division | Position |
| 1998-99 | ||
| 2nd Bundesliga North/East qualification round | 2nd — Promoted | |
| 1999–2000 | 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East (II) | 4th |
| 2nd Bundesliga North/East qualification round | 1st | |
| 2000-01 | 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East | 2nd |
| Bundesliga qualification round | 3rd | |
| 2001-02 | 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East | 1st |
| 2002-03 | 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East | 2nd |
RK 03
| Year | Division | Position |
| 2003-04 | 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East (II) | 1st — Promoted |
| 2004-05 | Rugby-Bundesliga Rugby-Bundesliga The Rugby-Bundesliga is the highest level of Germany's rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation.The league is predominantly amateur, with only two of the ten clubs in the league being professional outfits,the SC 1880 Frankfurt and Heidelberger RK.-History:The German rugby... (I) |
7th — Relegated |
| 2005-06 | 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East (II) | 1st |
| 2006-07 Rugby-Bundesliga 2006-07 The Rugby-Bundesliga 2006-07 was the 36th edition of this competition and the 87th edition of the German rugby union championship. The season went from 26 August 2006 to 12 May 2007, ending with the championship final.-Overview:... |
2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East | 2nd |
| 2007-08 Rugby-Bundesliga 2007-08 The Rugby-Bundesliga 2007-08 was the 37th edition of this competition and the 88th edition of the German rugby union championship. The season went from 25 August 2007 to 31 May 2008, ending with the relegation final.-Overview:... |
2nd Rugby-Bundesliga North/East | 1st — Promoted |
| 2008-09 Rugby-Bundesliga 2008-09 -Overview:The 2008-09 modus was somewhat different from the previous season. The competition had been expanded from eight to nine teams. The final, which used to be determined by the top-two teams of the regular season was now played by the two winners of the semi-finals which pair the first placed... |
Rugby-Bundesliga Rugby-Bundesliga The Rugby-Bundesliga is the highest level of Germany's rugby union league system, organised by the German Rugby Federation.The league is predominantly amateur, with only two of the ten clubs in the league being professional outfits,the SC 1880 Frankfurt and Heidelberger RK.-History:The German rugby... (I) |
8th |
| 2009–10 Rugby-Bundesliga 2009–10 -Overview:The 2009-10 modus was somewhat different from the previous season. The competition had been expanded from nine to ten teams. It marks the first time since introduction of the single-division Bundesliga in 2001, that ten teams competed in the league. This change of modus was decided upon... |
Rugby-Bundesliga | 7th |
| 2010–11 Rugby-Bundesliga 2010–11 -Overview:The 2009-10 modus is identical to the previous season. However, the competition had been reduced from ten to nine teams, after the withdrawal of the ASV Köln Rugby during last season and no team from the 2nd Bundesliga accepting promotion. Like in 2008-09, the top four teams qualify for... |
Rugby-Bundesliga | 8th |
| 2011–12 | Rugby-Bundesliga |
Women
| Year | Division | Position |
| 2004-05 | ||
| 2005-06 | Regionalliga East (III) | 1st |
| 2006–07 | Regionalliga East | 1st |
| 2007–08 | Regionalliga East | 1st |
| 2008–09 | Regionalliga East | 1st |
| 2009–10 | Regionalliga East | 1st |
| 2008–09 | Women's 2nd Rugby Bundesliga (II) | 4th |
| 2009–10 | Women's 2nd Rugby Bundesliga | 7th |
Rugby internationals
In GermanyGermany national rugby union team
Germany is a third-tier Rugby Union playing nation. Germany currently plays at the second level of European rugby but has never managed to qualify for the Rugby World Cup...
's 2006–08 European Nations Cup campaign
Germany at the 2006–08 European Nations Cup
Germany at the 2006–08 European Nations Cup was the first time since 1981 that the German national rugby union team reached highest level of FIRA rugby, the European Nations Cup, by winning its group, the Division 2A in 2006–08....
, no player from the club was called up for the national team, while, in the 2008–10 campaign
Germany at the 2008–10 European Nations Cup
Germany at the 2008–10 European Nations Cup was the first time since 1981 that the German national rugby union team competed at the highest level of FIRA rugby, the European Nations Cup, during 2008-10....
, Lukas Rosenthal
Lukas Rosenthal
Lukas Rosenthal is a German international rugby union player, playing for the TSV Handschuhsheim in the Rugby-Bundesliga and the German national rugby union team.He has played rugby since 2000....
, Benjamin Ulrich
Benjamin Ulrich
Benjamin Ulrich is a German international rugby union player, playing for the RK 03 Berlin in the Rugby-Bundesliga and the German national rugby union team.He is playing rugby since 1999....
and Lukas Hinds-Johnson
Lukas Hinds-Johnson
Lukas Hinds-Johnson is a German international rugby union player, playing for the RK 03 Berlin in the Rugby-Bundesliga and the German national rugby union team.-Career:...
were new additions to the German team, selected from the RK 03 squad.
In the 2010–012 European Nations Cup campaign
Germany at the 2010–12 European Nations Cup
Germany at the 2010–12 European Nations Cup sees a return of the German national rugby union team to the ENC Second Division, having been relegated without a win from the First Division in 2008–10...
, Lukas Hinds-Johnson was again called up for Germany.
The club, under the name of BSG Post, also produced the following East German internationals:
- Harald Lorenz
- Burt Weiß
- Christian Demuth
- Willi Ebel
- Wolfgang Michaelis
- Peter Wieczorek
- Frank Bittermann
- Frank Drenkow
- Thomas Boeck
- Andreas Rakoczy
- Roland Stutz
- Oliver Woeller
- Gert Lieck
- Jörg Pachmann
- Thomas Führer
Coaches
Recent coaches of the club:| Name | Period |
| Christian Lill | - 2009 |
 Allan Nugent |
2009–2010 |
| Lofty Stevenson | 2010-11 |
| Allan Nugent |
2011– |