AEL Limassol Rugby

AEL Limassol Rugby are the rugby union department of AEL Limassol, Cyprus. They were the second independent (not affiliated to the British or UN Military) rugby club to be formed in Cyprus, after the Paphos Tigers. They were established in late 2003 as Limassol Crusaders^[1] and joined AEL in September 2025.

The club was formed, as Limassol Crusaders, and initial membership recruited, by word of mouth after the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Temporary training facilities were used initially, including a spell at the Elias Beach Resort Hotel, until the club finally leased the AEK Achileas Stadium in 2004, with the club joining the Joint Services Rugby Football Union and competing formally starting with the 2004/05 season. When the Cyprus Rugby Federation formed its own league, Limassol Crusaders joined it.

When, in 2006, Cyprus formed a national squad, five Crusaders were members of the team that won their inaugural game against Greece.^[2]

In 2013, the Crusaders moved to a new stadium in the Mesa Geitonia area of Limassol. The new stadium had a higher capacity, better drainage and conformed better to IRB safety regulations. In 2016, the club moved back to the historical stadium of AEK Achileas after closing the contract with the previous venue.

In 2025, Limassol Crusaders were officially dissolved as the club was integrated into AEL Limassol to become their Rugby department.^[3]

(Note: All results before 2025 were by the legacy club, Limassol Crusaders)

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

• 2004/06 Zeno Nicolaou
• 2006/08 Andrew Spring
• 2008/09 Darryl Davies
• 2009/10 Greg Loucaides
• 2010/11 Andrew Spring - Marko Mladenovic
• 2011/13 Fraser Nelson
• 2013/19 Constantinos Constantinides
• 2019/20 Robert Field
• 2021/25 Devon Van Der Merwe

The ladies section of AEL Limassol Rugby are known as The Sirens. They currently compete in the Women's Cyprus Rugby Federation League, predominantly with the minimal contact version of Touch Rugby; according to the Federation of International Touch (F.I.T) rules. They played their first competitive match, against a team from the visiting HMS Queen Elizabeth, in 2021.

There is also training for the contact versions of rugby union, and smaller local competitions held in the 7's, 10's, and XV's format, numbers permitting.

As of 2025, the Sirens are the title holders of the Women's CRF League.

• 2023/25 Lotte Pollack

• 2024/25 Panayiotis Karasavvas
• 2025 Steve Wrigglesworth

As well as the senior teams, AEL Limassol Rugby also encourages youth rugby. The Colts is open to boys and girls aged 13 and older^[5] and the Minicru is open to children aged 6 and older.^[6]

In November 2016 the Limassol Crusaders for the first time fulfil a Veterans squad as opposition for the Camberley Rugby Vets [13] on tour in Cyprus. The team has been unofficially called "the Commandarias". AEL Limassol Rugby now have a fully viable veterans team who train regularly.

• Cyprus Rugby Federation