{{short description|US rugby league club, based in Boston, Massachusetts}} {{Update|date=September 2020}} {{Use American English|date=December 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox rugby league club | clubname = Boston Bears | image = File:New_logo_for_american_rugby_league_team_Boston_Bears,_formerly_the_13s.png | fullname = Boston 13s<br />Rugby League Football Club, Inc. | nickname = 13s, Thirteens, B-13s, B-One-Three, Bears | colours = {{leagueicon|North Sydney|16}} Red & Black {{color box|Darkgreen}} British Racing Green {{color box|Gold}} Metallic Gold | founded = {{nowrap|Friday, {{start date and years ago|2009|2|13}}}} | ground = TBD | capacity = TBD | coach = Carrick Pell | captain = | league = USA Rugby League | season = 2024 | position = | homejersey = | awayjersey = | premierships = 1 (USARL) | premiershipyears = 2015 | runnerups = 1 (USARL) | runnerupyears = 2012 | minorpremierships = | minorpremiershipyears = | spoons = }} The '''Boston Bears''' (formerly known as '''Boston 13s RLFC''') are a rugby league football team based in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. The team plays in the USA Rugby League, and were founding members of the former North American Rugby League.
The Boston Thirteens were founded in 2009 as an expansion team of the American National Rugby League (AMNRL). The league had been attempting to form a rugby league team in Boston for several years, due to the comparatively strong presence of rugby union in the area. The Thirteens played in the AMNRL from 2009 & 2010, going to the league semi-finals in their inaugural season. In 2010 they became one of seven teams to depart from the AMNRL in order to found a new governing body: the USA Rugby League (USARL), before moving onto the North American Rugby League in 2021.
==History== ===1998–2008: Foundations===
The American National Rugby League had been attempting to establish a team in the Boston area for years, hoping to gain a foothold for rugby league in an area with a comparatively strong rugby union presence. The Boston Storm competed in the first season of American domestic competition in 1998, but folded after a single season.
In 2005 overtures by the AMNRL and rugby league supporters drew the interest of some local rugby union players, and a local union club, the Boston Irish Wolfhounds, fielded a rugby league side that joined the AMNRL on a trial basis. The Wolfhounds played an abbreviated two-game exhibition schedule to build interest in the sport in Boston, with the intention of playing a full schedule for the 2006 season.<ref name=Wolfhounds>{{cite web |url= http://www.amnrl.com/news/04192005BostonIrishwolfhounds.html|title= Boston Irish Wolfhounds Join AMNRL|year= 2005|work= American National Rugby League News|publisher= amnrl.com|access-date=January 20, 2011}}</ref> The next year the team ended its association with the Wolfhounds, adopting the name Boston Braves.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.amnrl.com/news/04252006braves.html|title= The Boston Braves announce sponsorship deal with Budweiser Select |year= 2006|work= American National Rugby League News|publisher= amnrl.com|access-date=January 20, 2011}}</ref> They played through the 2006 season, winning only one game; they suspended operations at the end of the year.
===2009–2011: Thirteens and entry to AMNRL=== In 2009 a new leadership group led by Mikhael Nizam Shammas established a new team, which was named the Boston Thirteens. The club was incorporated as a C corporation (under the name of the "Boston 13s RLFC, Inc.") on Friday, February 13, 2009, and began play in the 2009 AMNRL season.<ref name=history>{{cite web|url= http://www.boston13s.com/history.html|title= History|year= 2009|work= boston13s.com|access-date= January 20, 2011|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110226151635/http://www.boston13s.com/history.html|archive-date= February 26, 2011}}</ref> They went to the playoffs that year, advancing to the semifinals before being defeated by the Jacksonville Axemen.<ref>{{cite news |title= Jacksonville Axemen trying for bid to Rugby League title game|author= Francine King|url= http://jacksonville.com/sports/other_sports/2009-08-21/story/jacksonville_axemen_trying_for_bid_to_rugby_league_title_game_0|newspaper= The Florida Times-Union|date= August 20, 2009 |access-date=January 20, 2011}}</ref> They failed to qualify for the playoffs in the 2010 season.
===2011–2020: USARL===
On January 12, 2011, the Thirteens became one of seven teams to depart from the AMNRL to found the new USA Rugby League.<ref name=Mascord>{{cite web |url=http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=38212 |title=Discord 2011: Edition 2 |last1=Mascord |first1=Steve |date=January 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110222174256/http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=38212 |archive-date=2011-02-22 |publisher=rleague.com |access-date=January 13, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rugbymag.com/news/clubs/mensclubs/new-rugby-league-competition-announced.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122061503/http://www.rugbymag.com/news/clubs/mensclubs/new-rugby-league-competition-announced.aspx |archive-date=2011-01-22 |title=New Rugby League Competition Announced |date=January 12, 2011 |work=rugbymag.com |publisher=Rugby Magazine |access-date=January 13, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=Code13>{{cite web |url=http://www.code13rugbyleague.com/2011/01/12/breakaway-league-launched-in-the-us/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110116021032/http://www.code13rugbyleague.com/2011/01/12/breakaway-league-launched-in-the-us/ |archive-date=2011-01-16 |title=Breakaway league launched in the US |date=January 12, 2011 |work=code13rugbyleague.com |access-date=January 13, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The new league began in 2011.
The Thirteens finished their first season in 6th place, not qualifying for the playoffs. They only achieved two victories, both over their Boston rivals Oneida FC. Boston made the Grand Finals in 2012 before falling in a close contest to the Jacksonville Axemen. In 2015, Boston won their first national championship defeating the South Conference champion Atlanta Rhinos 44–12.
===2021–2023: North American Rugby League=== In March 2021 the Thirteens resigned from the USARL to become one of the founding teams of the new professional North American Rugby League.
=== 2024–present: North Sydney partnership and Boston Bears rebrand === In 2024, the Boston Thirteens and North Sydney Bears formed a partnership with plans to enter a team in USARL under the Boston Bears name and to provide player exchange and study opportunities.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-05-03 |title=North Sydney Bears partner with Boston in revamped USARL competition |url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2024/05/03/north-sydney-bears-partner-with-boston-in-revamped-usarl-competition/ |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=National Rugby League |language=en}}</ref>
==USARL season summaries== {| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="font-size:90%" |+ C=Champions, R=Runners-ups, F=Finished first, P=Playoff Appearance, L=Finished Last<br /> (Brackets Represent Playoff Games) ! Competition !! Games<br />Played !! Games<br />Won !! Games<br />Drawn !! Games<br />Lost !! Ladder<br />Position !! width="2%"|C !! width="2%"|R !! width="2%"|F !! width="2%"|P !! width="2%"|L !! Coach!! Captain!! Notes |- | {{center|2011 USARL season}} ||8 (0)||2 ||0||6 ||6/8|| || || || || || rowspan="1" | {{center|Mikhael N. Shammas}} || rowspan="1" | {{center|Clark Hoopes}} ||{{center|''' '''}} |- | {{center|2012 USARL season}} ||8 (2)||6 (1)||0||2 (1)||3/8|| || {{center|R}} || || {{center|P}} || || rowspan="1" | {{center|Mikhael N. Shammas}} || rowspan="1" | {{center|Dustin Cooper}} ||{{center|''' '''}} |- | {{center|2013 USARL season}} ||8 (0)||3 ||0||5 ||5/6|| || || || {{center|P}} || || rowspan="1" | {{center|Dustin Cooper}} || rowspan="1" | {{center|Dustin Cooper}} ||{{center|''' '''}} |- | {{center|2014 USARL season}} ||7 (2)||3 (1)||1 ||3 (1)||5/11|| || || || {{center|P}} || || rowspan="1" | {{center|Robin Peers}} || rowspan="1" | {{center|Marcos Flegmann}} ||{{center|''' '''}} |- | {{center|2015 USARL season}} ||10 (3)||9 (3)||0||1 ||1/14|| {{center|C}} || ||{{center|F}} || {{center|P}} || || rowspan="1" | {{center|Robin Peers}} || rowspan="1" | {{center|Marcos Flegmann}} ||{{center|''' '''}} |- | {{center|2016 USARL season}} ||11 (3)||7 (2)||0||3 (1)||3/14|| || || || {{center|P}} || || rowspan="1" | {{center|Robin Peers}} || rowspan="1" | ||{{center|''' '''}} |- | {{center|2017 USARL season}} ||8 (0)||3 ||0||5 ||6/14|| || || || || || rowspan="1" | {{center|Robin Peers}} || rowspan="1" | ||{{center|''' '''}} |- | {{center|2018 USARL season}} ||8 (2)||3 (1)||0||5 (1)||6/10|| || || || {{center|P}} || || rowspan="1" | {{center|Robin Peers}} || rowspan="1" | ||{{center|''' '''}} |- | {{center|2019 USARL season}} ||8 (2)||6 (1)||0||2 (1)|| || || || || {{center|P}} || || rowspan="1" | {{center|James Smart}} || rowspan="1" | ||{{center|''' '''}} |}
==Logo and colors== The team was named the 13s reflecting the 13 original colonies of America, the thirteen players on the field in rugby league, plus the fact that the club is the thirteenth RLFC to be founded in the United States. For their inaugural season they adopted the colors of black and gold, and white and gold, with a logo incorporating the number 13 and a stylized Metatron's cube in the shape of a rugby football.
In 2010, and in conjunction with the re-branding of the American National Rugby League logo and those of all affiliated clubs, the Thirteens adopted a new logo which depicted the numeric symbols of "1" and "3" merged to form the letter "B" for Boston. Additionally, the color of British racing green was added to the existing colors of white and gold, reflecting the Boston area's strong Irish heritage.
==2022 squad== * * * *
==Staff== *Scott Rosner, D.C *Peter Lupton <ref>{{cite web |url=http://boston13s.com/13s-dominate-season-opener/ |title=13s Dominate Season Opener – |website=boston13s.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150625193839/http://boston13s.com/13s-dominate-season-opener/ |archive-date=2015-06-25}} </ref>
==Honors== *AMNRL Championship titles: 0 *USARL: ::'''Winners (1)''': 2015, ::'''Runners up (1)''': 2012,
==International representation== ===USA Hawks=== *{{flagicon|USA}} Shane Begin (2014) *{{flagicon|USA}} Mike Elias (2017) *{{flagicon|USA}} Marcos Flegmann (2015-2016) *{{flagicon|USA}} Lance Gaines (2009) *{{flagicon|USA}} Curtis Goddard (2015) *{{flagicon|USA}} Tyler Ierardi (2016) *{{flagicon|USA}} Urban Iyo (2016) *{{flagicon|USA}} Matt Shipway (2013, 2017) *{{flagicon|USA}} Peter Lupton (2022)
'''Coaching Staff''' *{{flagicon|ENG}} Robin Peers (2016)
===Other Nations=== *{{flagicon|Wales}} Peter Lupton (WAL) *{{flagicon|Lebanon}} George Aroyan (LEB) *{{flagicon|France}} Kane Bentley (FRA) *{{flagicon|Lebanon}} Mike Elias (LEB) *{{flagicon|Mexico }} Marcos Flegmann (MEX) *{{flagicon|Lebanon}} Mikhael Shammas (LEB) *{{flagicon|Italy}} Ronny Palumbo (ITA) *{{flagicon|Indonesia}} Kyle Winter (IDN)
==See also== {{Portal|Sports|Massachusetts}} *Rugby league in the United States *List of sports clubs inspired by others
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== ;Official websites * [http://www.boston13s.com Official website] * [https://twitter.com/Boston13s Boston 13s Twitter] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110729020924/http://www.usarugbyleague.com/clubs/boston-thirteens/ Boston Thirteens] at usarugbyleague.com
{{Rugby League in the USA}} {{Massachusetts Sports}} {{North Sydney Bears}}
Category:Boston Bears (rugby league) Category:American National Rugby League teams Category:Rugby league teams in the United States Category:Sports clubs and teams in Boston Category:USA Rugby League teams Category:Rugby clubs established in 2009 Category:Irish-American culture in Boston Category:Irish-American culture in sports Category:2009 establishments in Massachusetts Category:Rugby league in Massachusetts Category:North Sydney Bears