The Limassol Crusaders are an independent rugby union club based in Limassol, Cyprus. They were the 2nd independent rugby club to be formed in Cyprus, after the Paphos Tigers. They were established in late 2003.^[1]

The club was formed, 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 has a higher capacity, better drainage and conforms better to IRB safety regulations. In 2016, the club moved back to the historical stadium next to Katholiki Technical School after closing the contract with the previous venue.

2015/16 Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

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Player Position Union Michael Quain Hooker England Gregoire Pilorge Hooker France Artemis Papageorgiou Hooker Cyprus Antonio Fiorillo Prop Italy Ilie Lucian Prop Romania Lee Gilmour Prop England Fraser Nelson Lock Scotland Andrew Spring Lock Cyprus Panayiotis Jacovides Lock Cyprus Scott Lennox Lock Cyprus Neofytos Christou Lock Cyprus Dan McFarlane Flanker Cyprus Laurent Rabiega Flanker France Constantinos Constantinides Number 8 Cyprus

Player Position Union Jonathan Davies Scrum-half Wales Conor O'Driscoll Fly-half Ireland Solomone Tuipulotu Centre Cyprus Alexi Toufexis Centre Switzerland Marc-antoine Fallet Centre France Patrice Malraux Wing Cameroon George Savvides Wing Cyprus Reginald Sherekete Centre Zimbabwe

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As well as the senior team, the Crusaders also encourage youth rugby. The Crusader Colts is open to boys and girls aged 13 and older^[4] and the Minicru is open to children aged 6 and older.^[5]

In November 2016 the Limassol Crusaders for the first time fulfil a Veterans squad as opposition for the Camberley Rugby Vets on tour in Cyprus. The team has been unofficially called "the Commandarias".