Club de Rugby El Salvador, known for sponsorship reasons as SilverStorm El Salvador on the men's category and as Crealia El Salvador on the women's, is a Spanish rugby union club. The club was established in 1960 and currently competes in the men's División de Honor de Rugby and in the women's División de Honor Femenina de Rugby competitions, the highest levels of Spanish club rugby. The club is based in Valladolid in central Spain, playing their matches at the Estadio Pepe Rojo. The club's colours are black and white.
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| Full name | Club de Rugby El Salvador | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Chamizos | ||
| Founded | 1960 | ||
| Location | Valladolid, Spain | ||
| Ground(s) | Estadio Pepe Rojo (Capacity: 2,500) | ||
| Chairman | Santiago Toca | ||
| Coach(es) | Juan Carlos Pérez | ||
| League(s) | División de Honor | ||
| 2022–23 | División de Honor, 6th | ||
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| Official website | |||
| www | |||
El Salvador is one of the most successful Spanish rugby union clubs, having won División de Honor in seven times, Copa del Rey in six times and Supercopa de España in five times.
Recent history edit
El Salvador were relegated to the second-tier Primera Division, in 1995/96 season, spending one season in the second-tier Primera División, but immediately returned to the División de Honor after topping the table in the 1996/97 season. That success was followed by the side's winning the División de Honor in the 1997/98, becoming the first newly-promoted team to win the title. The following season led to two more titles: the Ibero Cup and another Copa del Rey, adding to the club's distinguished history.
Two more titles followed in the 1999/2000 and 2001/02 seasons. In 2004/05 and 2005/06 the club finished as runners up in the league, but won the Copa del Rey twice, along with a new Ibero Cup and two Spanish Super Cups.
In the 2003/04 season, CR El Salvador participated in a European competition for the first time, debuting against Harlequins in London, before going out in the second round - a first for a Spanish club - to the Italian team Rovigo.
In the 2006/07 season, they won all three titles at senior level: División de Honor, the Copa del Rey and the Super Cup title.
In the 2007/08 season, it was yet another excellent year for the team, as they won the Division de Honor and the Super Cup title.
In the Amlin Challenge cup in 2010/2011, they won Petrarca Padova rugby in Pepe Rojo stadium (37-16)
Honors edit
- Spanish League: 8
- 1990–91, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2015–16
- Copa del Rey: 8
- 1993, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2016, 2022
- Supercopa: 6
- 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2018
- Copa Ibérica: 5
- 1992, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2016
Season by season edit
- 38 seasons in División de Honor
International honours edit
Other notable players edit
Sam Katz (England Students International)
Gillies Kaka capped by New Zealand 7s)- Jacob Kennedy (signs from Hawke's Bay, capped by New Zealand Under 19)
- Andy Long (England international)
- Charlie O'Connell (signs from Canterbury, capped by New Zealand Under 19)
- Joe McDonnell (New Zealand international)
David Palu (Tonga international)
Regardt Van Eyk (former player from Mighty Elephants in the Currie Cup)- Justin Wilson (former player from Auckland Blues, Hurricanes and Chiefs in Super12/14. Capped by New Zealand Māoris and New Zealand 7s)
●Hansie Graff (signed from SWD Eagles, also played for Bayonne and the Sharks.)
Notable Signings edit
- Sam Katz - England Students national rugby union team whose previous club was Loughborough Students RUFC. Highest scorer of 328 points in the División de Honor for 2014/15 season and 388 points for 2015/16 season.
- Uale Mai – Manu Samoa and Samoa Sevens international, 2006 IRB International Sevens Player of the Year, signed for 2010–11.
- Joe McDonnell - New Zealand international signed from Newcastle Falcons as player coach for 2009/10 season.
- Andy Long - England national rugby union team international signed from Newcastle Falcons as player for 2009/10 season. He signed for Northampton Saints in half of the season.