View source for Cardiff Demons

{{short description|Defunct men's and active women's Welsh amateur rugby league club, based in Cardiff}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox rugby league club
| clubname     = Cardiff Demons
| image        = Cardiff Demons Womens RLFC 2021.jpeg
| fullname     = {{nowrap|''Cardiff Demons Rugby League Football Club''}}
| emblem       = 
| colours      = {{ubl|Black, red and white (Men)|Blue (Women)}}
| founded      = {{start date and age|1997}} (Men's)<br>{{start date and age|2021}} (Women's)
| league       = [[RFL Women's Championship]]
| ground       = St. Peters RFC, [[Cardiff]] (Men's team)<br>Cardiff University Sports Fields, [[Cardiff]] (Women's team)
| web          = [https://www.cardiffdemons.com/ Cardiff Demons (Ladies)]<br>
[https://web.archive.org/web/20111113151833/http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/cardiffdemonsrlfc/ Archived Mens website]
}}

The '''Cardiff Demons RLFC''' name has been used multiple times over the years. Firstly for a now-defunct men's [[rugby league]] side, and subsequently for a women's rugby league side who began in 2021.

The men's side played out of St. Peters RFC in the east of [[Cardiff]], Wales and played in the [[Rugby League Conference Welsh Premier|Welsh Premier]] of the [[Rugby League Conference]].

The women's team competed in the [[RFL Women's Super League South]] from its inaugural season in June 2021. In 2024 this was replaced by the [[RFL Women's Championship|Southern Championship]].

==History==
===Men's team: 1997–2014===
{{more citations needed section|date=November 2023}}
[[Image:Cardiff_Demons.png|thumb|150px|left|Men's Club Logo]]
''Cardiff Demons'' were formed in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/25113/first-ever-open-age-cardiff-derby-goes-to-spartans |title=First ever open age Cardiff derby goes to Spartans |publisher=RFL |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=8 November 2023}}</ref><ref name=ABCD/> In 2001, they joined the Central South Division of the [[Rugby League Conference]]. Playing at [[St. Peters RFC]], a two miles north of the city centre, the Demons succeeded in finishing in third place.

For the 2002 season the Demons moved to [[Old Penarthians RFC]] in [[Penarth]]. Again competing in the Central South Division, Cardiff secured the runners up spot.

In 2003, the Demons finished top of the South West Conference, but failed to progress in the play-offs.<ref name=SWCH>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-18 |title=South Wales Clubs History |website=Wales Rugby League |url=https://wrl.wales/mens-league-history |access-date=5 November 2024}}</ref>

In 2004, the Demons moved to [[Taff's Well]], joined the [[Welsh Conference]] and won two trophies. First was the Welsh Shield after beating [[Newport Titans]], then beating [[Moorends-Thorne Marauders RLFC|Thorne Moor Marauders]] in National Shield.<ref name=SWCH/>

The Demons moved back to St Peters RFC after one home match of 2006 and went on to win the East Division and reach the Welsh Conference Grand Final, only to lose 22–10 to [[Bridgend Blue Bulls]].<ref name=SWCH/> In 2009 they relocated to St Albans RFC in Tremorfa.

At the end of 2014, the two main Rugby League clubs in the city, Demons and the Cardiff Spartans decided to merge. The result was Cardiff City RL,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/25726/new-cardiff-club-to-launch-with-scorpions-friendly |title=New Cardiff club to launch with Scorpions friendly |publisher=RFL |date=9 December 2014 |access-date=8 November 2023}}</ref> which in 2017 was rebranded as Cardiff Blue Dragons RLFC (a resurrection of the name of the last professional RL side in Cardiff and kit colours).<ref name=ABCD>{{cite web|url=https://wrl.wales/about-cardiff-blue-dragons |title=About Cardiff Blue Dragons |publisher=Wales Rugby League |date=17 April 2020 |access-date=24 November 2023}}</ref>

===Women's team: 2021–present===
After a number of years of dormancy, the Cardiff Demons name was resurrected in 2021 for a new women's rugby league team, set to compete in the inaugural season of the [[RFL Women's Super League South]] competition, starting in June 2021.<ref name=SuperLeague2021-1>{{cite web|date=28 May 2021|title=Cardiff Demons aim for Women's Super League franchise|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/cardiff-demons-aim-for-womens-super-league-franchise/|publisher=Wales Rugby League|access-date=9 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210529002003/https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/cardiff-demons-aim-for-womens-super-league-franchise/|archive-date=29 May 2021|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=SuperLeague2021-2>{{cite web|date=28 May 2021|title=Cardiff Demons returns as the new name for the Welsh Women's Super League side|url=https://wrl.wales/cardiff-demons-returns-as-the-new-name-for-the-welsh-womens-super-league-side|publisher=Wales Rugby League|access-date=9 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210529002847/https://wrl.wales/cardiff-demons-returns-as-the-new-name-for-the-welsh-womens-super-league-side|archive-date=29 May 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> The club won the inaugural season beating the {{Rlw team|army}} team 30-26<ref name=2021GF/> and retained the title the following season with a Grand Final win over {{Rlw team|london broncos}}.<ref name=2022GF/>

In 2023, Cardiff made their first appearance in the [[RFL Women's Challenge Cup|Challenge Cup]] and reached the quarter-finals due to wins over {{Rlw team|featherstone}} and {{Rlw team|salford}} in the group stage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/61750/cardiff-demons-join-big-guns-in-cup-quarter-final-draw |title=Cardiff Demons join big guns in Cup Quarter-Final draw |publisher=RFL |date=22 May 2023 |access-date=2 October 2023}}</ref> They also took part in the [[RFL Women's Nines]] where they earned a wildcard place in the finals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/61739/cardiff-demons-continue-to-make-history-in-womens-rugby-league |title=Cardiff Demons continue to make history in Women's Rugby League |publisher=RFL |date=18 May 2023 |access-date=2 October 2023}}</ref> In the league the Demons went undefeated in the regular season, but lost 22–10 to London Broncos in the Grand Final.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.rugby-league.com/uploads/docs/BFWSL%20Programme%202023.pdf |title=Betfred Women's Super League Grand Final 2023: Official Programme |section=Looking back… Women's Super League South |page=13 |access-date=24 November 2023}}</ref>

In 2024, Cardiff reached the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup and the semi-finals of the Women's Nines, before losing to {{Rlw team|wigan}} in both competitions.<ref name=RL62647/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/62994/wigan-warriors-lift-womens-rugby-league-nines-trophy- |title=Wigan Warriors lift Women's Rugby League Nines trophy |website=www.rugby-league.com |date=29 July 2024 |access-date=8 September 2024}}</ref> The Super League South became the Southern Championship, a second-tier competition, in which Cardiff finished top of the table, but lost 28–8 to London Broncos in the final.<ref name=WRL2024/> In December 2024, the [[Rugby Football League]] announced a further restructuring of the league system which would see the club transferred to an expanded Northern Championship in the 2025 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/63321/northern-womens-championship-expands-for-2025 |title=Northern Women's Championship expands for 2025 |publisher=RFL |date=13 December 2024 |access-date=14 December 2024}}</ref>

==Women's team seasons==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Season
!colspan=9|League
!rowspan=2|Play-offs
!rowspan=2|[[Women's Challenge Cup|Challenge Cup]]
!rowspan=2|{{abbr|Ref|References}}
|-
! Division !! P !! W !! D !! L !! F !! A !! Pts !! Pos
|-
!scope="row"|2021
|[[2021 RFL Women's Super League South|Super League South: Western Conference]]
|4||4||0||0||314||6||8
|{{won|place=1st|'''1st'''}}
|style="background-color:#FE2" |'''Won in Grand Final'''
|{{N/A}}
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wrl.wales/cardiff-demons?season=2021 |title=Cardiff Demons Women's Super League 2021 |publisher=Wales Rugby League |access-date=8 September 2024}}</ref><ref name=2021GF>{{cite web|url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/35941/cardiff-demons-clinch-first-betfred-super-league-south-title |title=Cardiff Demons clinch first Betfred Super League South title |publisher=RFL |date=29 August 2021 |access-date=18 June 2023}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row"|2022
|[[2022 RFL Women's Super League South|Super League South]]
|5||4||0||1||298||32||8
|{{won|place=2nd}}
|style="background-color:#FE2" |'''Won in Grand Final'''
|{{N/A}}
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wrl.wales/cardiff-demons?season=2022 |title=Cardiff Demons Women's Super League 2022 |publisher=Wales Rugby League |access-date=8 September 2024}}</ref><ref name=2022GF>{{cite web|url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/60815/cardiff-demons-deliver-grand-final-masterclass---- |title=Cardiff Demons deliver Grand Final masterclass |publisher=RFL |date=28 August 2022 |access-date=18 June 2023}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row"|2023
|[[2023 RFL Women's Super League South|Super League South]]
|5||5||0||0||168||22||10
|{{won|place=1st|'''1st'''}}
|style="background-color:#DDD" |Lost in Grand Final
|QF
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rugby-league.com/match-centre |title=Match Centre |publisher=RFL |access-date=28 August 2023}}<!-- note: source also includes play-off results --></ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/65943873 |title=Women's Challenge Cup: Holders St Helens, Wigan Warriors and York Valkyrie seal quarter-final wins |publisher=BBC Sport |date=18 June 2023 |access-date=18 June 2023}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row"|2024
|[[2024 RFL Women's Championship#Southern Championship|Southern Championship]]
|6||5||0||1||246||66||10
|'''1st'''
|style="background-color:#DDD" |Lost in Southern Final
|QF
|<ref name=RL62647>{{cite web|url=https://www.rugby-league.com/article/62647/mens-and-womens-quarter-finals-review-&-semi-finals-confirmed-%7C-betfred-challenge-cup- |title=Men's and Women's Quarter-Finals Review & Semi-Finals confirmed {{!}} Betfred Challenge Cup |publisher=RFL |date=14 April 2024 |access-date=15 April 2024}}</ref><ref name=WRL2024>{{cite web|url=https://wrl.wales/cardiff-demons?season=2024 |title=Cardiff Demons Women's Super League 2024 |publisher=Wales Rugby League |access-date=8 September 2024}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row"|2025
|[[2025 RFL Women's Championship|Championship]]
|colspan=9 |{{abbr|TBD|To be determined}}
|QF
|<ref>{{cite news |title=Women's Challenge Cup – Quarter Finals |work=[[Rugby Leaguer & League Express]] |pages=24–25 |issue=3478 |date=28 April 2025}}</ref>
|}

==Honours==
===Men's honours===
* RLC South West Division: 2003
* Welsh Shield: 2004<ref name=SWCH/>
* RLC Shield: 2004<ref name=SWCH/>
* Welsh Nines Winners: 2006,<ref name=readyforKO>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueconference.co.uk/article/wales-ready-for-ko.html |title=Wales Ready For KO |website=Rugby League Conference |date=6 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605164254/http://www.rugbyleagueconference.co.uk:80/article/wales-ready-for-ko.html |archive-date=5 June 2011 }}</ref> 2008<ref name=readyforKO/>
* Welsh Premier (East): 2006

===Women's honours===
*[[RFL Women's Super League South|Super League South]]: 2021,<ref name=2021GF/> 2022<ref name=2022GF/>

==See also==
{{Portal|Sports|Wales}}
*[[Sport in Cardiff]] 
*[[Rugby league in Wales]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20111113151833/http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/cardiffdemonsrlfc/ Cardiff Demons website]
* [https://wrl.wales/ Official Wales Rugby League website]

{{RFL Women's Championship}}
{{Rugby_League_Wales_links}}
{{Sport in Cardiff}}

[[Category:1997 establishments in Wales]]
[[Category:Rugby clubs established in 1997]]
[[Category:Rugby league teams in Wales]]
[[Category:Rugby League Conference teams]]
[[Category:Sport in Cardiff|Demons]]
[[Category:Cardiff Metropolitan University]]
[[Category:University and college rugby league clubs]]