Crociati Parma Rugby FC

Crociati Parma Rugby FC
Full name	Banca Monte Crociati Rugby Football Club
Union	Federazione Italiana Rugby
Founded	2010
Disbanded	2014
Location	Parma, Italy
Ground(s)	Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi (Capacity: 3,500)
League(s)	n/a
2012–13	11th (Excellence)
1st kit	2nd kit

Crociati Parma Rugby F.C. are an Italian rugby union club. They are based in Parma in Emilia-Romagna. They were founded in 2010 by the merger of Rugby Parma F.C. (Overmach Parma) and F.C. Rugby Noceto and disbanded in 2014.

Former logo of Rugby Parma F.C.

Rugby Parma

Rugby Parma was founded in 1931 by Gianni Penzi, Mario Pirazzoli and Peter Zini. In the following years the university organized friendly games, then began official competitions. In 1935 Parma joined the Italian first division. As a result of a break with the university in 1946, Rugby Parma was founded.

In the fifties Parma won three Italian championships (1949–50, 1954–55 and 1956–57). In the sixties they won two youth championships (1961–62 and 1966–67). In 1973–74 and 1987–88 the team were relegated only to return immediately to the top flight. From the 1993–94 to 1997–98 they played in Seria A2. In 1998–99 they were back in Seria A (renamed Super 10, now Top12).

On 2 June 2006, Parma defeated Newport Gwent Dragons of Wales 24-15 in the Heineken Cup 24th Place Play-off at Rodney Parade to claim the 24th and final spot in the 2006–07 Heineken Cup. In doing so they became the first Italian team to win the end of season Heineken Cup play-off (a match regularly contested between teams from the Celtic League and the Italian National Championship of Excellence), and ensured Italy would have three entrants in the competition, equal with Wales and Ireland, and one more than Scotland.

Crociati Rugby FC

Crociati Rugby FC were formed in June 2010 by the merger of Overmach Rugby Parma FC and Noceto Rugby FC.[1] The club ran a senior team that competed in the National Championship of Excellence and an under-20s team. They will be based at Stadio XX Aprile, Moletolo, Parma. In 2010/2011 the new club also competed in the Amlin Challenge Cup.

Each merging club maintained independent youth sections up to Under-20 level. The merger was made necessary by the formation of Aironi to compete in the Celtic League from 2010/2011. Both clubs were shareholders in Aironi. With the best players and sponsorship now being concentrated in Aironi the clubs could not financially field individual professional rugby teams.

Aironi struggled in the two season in the Magners League ran into financial difficulties and were replaced by Zebre.

Parma rugby honours

National Championship of Excellence:
- Champions: 1950, 1955, 1957
Coppa Italia:
- Champions: 2005-06, 2007–08, 2008–09

Notable former players

Statistics

European Challenge Cup

Season	Played	Won	Lost	For	Against
2000–01	6	0	6	92	262
2001–02	5	2	3	127	162
(Shield) 2002–03	4	2	2	88	90
2002–03	2	0	2	24	82
(Shield) 2003–04	6	3	3	150	128
2003–04	2	0	2	34	58
2004–05	4	2	2	73	116
2005–06	6	1	5	74	206
2007–08	6	1	5	104	157
2008–09	6	3	3	165	120
2009–10	6	2	4	78	145
2010–11	4	0	4	37	178

Heineken Cup

Season	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against
2006–07	6	1	0	5	79	271

References

"Super 10 - Sono nati i Crociati di Parma - Rugby 1823". Archived from the original on 2010-06-26.

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[1] "Super 10 - Sono nati i Crociati di Parma - Rugby 1823". Archived from the original on 2010-06-26.