By Barry Andrews
North Wales Crusaders Physical Disability Rugby League have announced that they have entered into a partnership with England PDRL founding club, the Warrington Wolves Charitable Foundation.
The partnership will allow the coaches at Crusaders to develop their skills and knowledge of the sport within their debut year. It will also see both sides host joint training sessions throughout the year and to help with Crusaders’ player development.
Mark Andrew Jones, chairman of the North Wales Crusaders Wheelchair RL and Disability Sports Association, said: “We are please to be working in partnership with Warrington Wolves Foundation. We already have a great relationship with them and worked with them when Wolves were forming their Wheelchair Rugby League team. Now they’ve offered reciprocal help with the formation of the North Wales Crusaders Physical Disability RL team.
“The Wolves Foundation are one of the original PDRL teams to establish and have become well known through the Australian comedian Adam Hills being one of their players. We are looking forward to setting up our team once we are able to play rugby league again and working with Warrington Wolves Foundation is going to be a tremendous help.”
Warrington hosted the first ever RFL sanctioned PDRL fixture where they hosted Leeds Rhinos at Victoria Park, Warrington, where they fell 22-10 in front of near 2000 spectators.
Warrington went on to become 2019 PDRL Champions where they defeated Leeds Rhinos at the Grand Final following a successful domestic campaign which saw them collect the League Leaders Shield.
For more information on Warrington and their journey to launching their team and also their journey to being crowned the first ever World Club Challenge Champions following a victory away at South Sydney Rabbitohs, watch their ‘Take His Legs’ documentary on More 4.
Warrington Wolves Charitable Foundation Disability Manager, Craig Thomason said: “We are excited to be supporting North Wales Crusaders in the development of their new PDRL team.
“Having such a close working relationship with the Crusaders already, we are sure we can offer the guidance to make PDRL as big a success in Wales as it has been in England.
“New clubs are vital to the ongoing growth of the sport and all of us at Warrington Wolves PDRL and excited to welcome and support North Wales in their journey.”
Warrington PDRL founding player, PDRL steering group member and TV personality Adam Hills said: “My involvement with PDRL has been one of the best experiences of my life.
“I have seen first hand how much the players get out of it, both physically and mentally.
“I am very excited that North Wales have joined the PDRL family and I look forward to helping them develop and facing them on the field.”
For more information on PDRL and if you would like to be apart of the team as either a player, sponsor or volunteer, please contact the charity at: info@crusadersdisabilitysportsclub.co.uk.