The first RFL domestic trophy of the season was competed for last Saturday with Castleford Tigers winning the Wheelchair Challenge Trophy, beating North Wales Crusaders 4-0 in the final. The sides had already drawn 0-0 in the group stages. Pic: TSME Photography.
It was an all-day event where 52 10-minute matches were played by 15 sides where no conversions were attempted. Crusaders raced to the final unbeaten starting with a 4-0 win against Torfaen Tigers where Jess Booth scored the winning try. She later grounded against York in a 16-0 win where Matthew Turner recorded a hat-trick. It was a 12-0 win against Brogan Evans‘ Salford Red Devils with Wyatt Jones and Jonny Gill among the scorers. A Turner hat-trick gave them a 12-9 victory over Halifax Panthers. Harry Jones recorded a try in the 8-0 win over Mark Williams‘ Wigan Warriors ‘A’. Torfaen fielded Wales squad members Jason Reynolds and Jamie Reynolds, with Jamie kicking a drop goal against Castleford. In the 12-8 semi-final win over Hereford Harriers, Stuart Williams got his first tries of the day in a dramatic game where the match went to extra extra time and the sides were reduced to four players each for a winner to be scored. Mason Baker was also in action. Hereford Harriers fielded Gary Preece, Lee Sargent and Alex Powell, all of whom scoring during the day,
In the men’s Super League, Billy Glover made his second full appearance for Salford Red Devils in their home defeat to Leeds Rhinos. Fin Yates was Salford’s 18th man and didn’t get a game. Their reserves side, featuring Joe Coope-Franklin fared a lot better as they beat Huddersfield Gianrs 42-32. Elsewhere in Super League Reserves, Luke Thomas was in action for Warrington Wolves as they beat Denive Balmforth‘s Hull FC. Oliver Garmston came off the bench for St Helens as they won at home to Wakefield Trinity. Sam Grice‘s Castleford Tigers and Lewis Owen‘s Bradford Bulls each lost at home to Leigh Leopard and Leeds Rhinos respectively.
There were a few Welsh players in action in the Championship. Gil Dudson helped Oldham to a 30-28 home win over Caleb Aekins‘ Featherstone Rovers. Owen Restall and Connor Davies helped Halifax Panthers to a win at Hunslet. However Curtis Davies, Huw Worthington and Matt Ross suffered a close defeat with London Broncos as they lost at home to Batley Bulldogs. Mike Butt scored a try for Widnes Vikings, but he, Matty Fozard, Rhodri Lloyd and Gavin Bennion couldn’t get a home win over Barrow Raiders.
The Women’s Challenge Cup entered its second week and Bethan Dainton scored the fourth try for Leeds Rhinos, coming in just the tenth minute, in their 104-0 win over Sheffield Eagles, who fielded Georgia Taylor. In what is believed to be a first-class running rugby record half-time score of 80-0, the match was stopped on 60 minutes after Sheffield picked up their eighth injury of the game. Carys Marsh was in action for Wigan Warriors, helping them to victory at London Broncos, who fielded Kathryn Salter and Emily Hughes.
