UK League of Legends is looking strong as two UK organisations have topped the NLC Spring 2024 playoffs: Ruddy and Lionscreed.
They’ve reached the Division 1 final of the latest Northern League of Legends Championship (NLC), the EMEA Regional League (ERL) for the UK, Ireland and Nordic countries. And in doing so, they have secured their spots in the higher-tier EMEA Masters.
Lionscreed beat Nord Esports 3-2 in the upper bracket final last week to take one EMEA Masters spot, while Ruddy beat Nord 3-0 tonight to take the other. It’s the first time both UK orgs will play in the EMEA Masters.
While both teams have done well to reach the first EMEA Masters split of 2024, to face some of the best teams around EMEA, Ruddy’s run is particularly noteworthy.
Lionscreed came into the NLC Spring 2024 season with a lot of expectation, having signed well-known players like South Korean mid-laner Tempt and UK veteran support Kasing. They topped the regular season, with ten wins and four losses.
“We asked for a miracle, Ruddy asked for a miracle, and I think after this it’s not only been delivered, they’ve come forth and been gifted a whole pair of angels wings. What an insane story.”
Initialise, NLC caster, on Ruddy’s miracle run
Ruddy, on the other hand, built a team of relatively lesser-known players, and have unearthed some real gems, including players like Turkish mid-laner Alix, whom Ruddy co-owner DonJake has deemed ‘the chosen one’.
They also went on a bit of a miracle run. Ruddy turned around a string of losses to win the last four matches of the season in a row, just about pipping fellow UK org Verdant to the post, to make the top four with seven wins and seven losses. Then they won two matches in the playoffs to reach the EMEA Masters.
This means Ruddy won ten individual games in a row to pull off the miracle run.
“This team is unrecognisable from the bunch of talented but frankly ununited rookies to one of the most entertaining and interesting teams in the ERLs,” UK caster Initialise said after Ruddy’s win on the 2024 NLC Spring Division 1 Twitch broadcast tonight.
“Are they as good as some of the [Spanish] LVP teams and [French] LFL teams? Yes, I think they might well be! This is the trajectory they’re on, and how bloody extraordinary is that? We asked for a miracle, Ruddy asked for a miracle, and I think after this it’s not only been delivered, they’ve come forth and been gifted a whole pair of angels wings.
“Be not afraid, ERLs, your new lords and saviours are coming to offer something really magical. What an insane story.”
Ruddy Esports and Lionscreed react to EMEA Masters qualification
We hassled an exhausted Ruddy Esports co-owner DonJake for a quote after today’s win.
He said: “Everything that we went through last year – every week of anguish after elimination. Every anti-climactic end to a split after a mountain of work. I would experience it a million times over to feel what we have accomplished now.
“This is a run to create Culture and Legacy at Ruddy – we have aimed to do that since day one and we are just now bearing the fruits of our labour. Ruddy Up.”
He also told NLC host Archarom after the win: “What a run. It makes everything that happened last year so much more worth it. It’s all momentum for the slingshot. I was so depressed and sad last year doing this, every time it felt like no matter what we did, we’d be out in playoffs.
“Me and my boys, the family we’ve created, to be going to EMEA Masters for what is some of these boys’ first split ever, that’s why I said to them – you have the option to be good. Some players have been playing for nine years, talk a lot about us and have never made it. But we made it today, and I’m ecstatic.
“One player from Nord, Warszi, has been constantly barking at Natty and Alix’s games in solo queue, your keyboard has now been confiscated, don’t use it again, thank you.”
DonJake also complimented Ruddy head coach Wolverene, saying he ‘decimated every coach you’ve come up against’ and that other teams couldn’t figure them out.
Here’s some more reaction from the Ruddy boys:
Lionscreed also reacted to their qualification.
Lionscreed coach Baguette told Esports News UK: “Our focus remains on the final match ahead. We extend our best wishes to Ruddy and their team for a competitive game. We’re committed to giving our all and approaching the match with determination and respect for our opponents.
“Success will come from hard work and teamwork, and we’re ready to give it our best shot.”
There’s also this Twitter thread with more video reaction and clips from Esports News UK’s Dom Sacco here.
Nord co-owner Michel Klepper also said: “I think we had an amazing run this split, I’m super proud of my staff and players, and the work they’ve put in.
“It’s sad [we missed out on EMEA Masters] and hurts really hard, but it’s how competitive works sometimes.
“Huge shoutout to Ruddy, they didn’t only make amazing content, they also developed a roster out of five solo rookies to a very versatile team that’s super strong. They can play basically everything. That makes me excited for the finals. We have two teams that can do good at the EMEA Masters.”
Now Ruddy and Lionscreed will face one another on March 27th 2024 from 5pm GMT.
Update: There will be a live event known as ‘El Nashico’ at New Meta Gaming Arena in London covering the final on Wednesday March 27th:
The EMEA Masters 2024 Spring Split will run from April 15th to April 28th.
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
