WHEELCHAIR INTERNATIONAL
WALES 42
UK ARMED FORCES 24
Ian Golden at Wrexham University
Wales started their preparations for the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup in style, with a 42-24 win over UK Armed Forces at Wrexham University on Saturday.
With the Celtic Cup in Edinburgh also on the horizon, Wales coach Alan Caron will be delighted with what he saw in the first half, where he primarily played his potential first choice side, as Wales showed a massive improvement from their close victory against the same opposition last November.
That match last year ended 24-22, but on this occasion, Wales had equalled that points total after just 12 minutes.
It took just over a minute for Wales to take the lead against a side of Super League players. A good set of passes resulted in Matthew Turner scoring in the corner. Gary Preece converted.
Stuart Williams soon went in under the sticks for try number two, before Turner added the third.
Another piece of brilliance came on 11 minutes when Jodie Boyd-Ward created a try for Stuart Williams. Gary Preece converted all four and Wales were currently scoring two points a minute.
Williams was on fire. The Wales vice-captain scored the next three tries, with Preece converting them all, to make the score 42-0 at half-time.
However, unlike in the A match earlier in the day, Wales failed to build on their first half lead, as their visitors tried to stage a dramatic comeback, but the damage had already been done.
Their first try back was against the run of play after Wales attacked well for the first ten minutes. Former England World Cup winner James Simpson-Hill reached over to finally get them on the board and Steven Sampher converted.
Simpson-Hill created the next try, setting up Justin Wells to score in the corner. Sampher converted.
And as the Armed Forces continued their comeback, Wells again went over for their third try with Sampher again converting.
Then with seven minutes remaining, Simpson-Hill scored under the sticks with Sampher adding the goal and the visitors were just three tries behind.
Wales did stages attacks regularly during the second half, but just couldn’t take advantage of their possession.
Wales: 5. Jodie Boyd-Ward (Leeds Rhinos, capt), 7. Stuart Williams (North Wales Crusaders/Edinburgh Giants), 9. Matthew Turner (North Wales Crusaders), 12. Gary Preece (Midlands Hurricanes), 3. Lee Sargent (Cardiff Blue Dragons/Midlands Hurricanes). Subs: 8. Brogan Evans (South Wales Jets/Wigan Warriors), 11. Jonathan Gill (North Wales Crusaders), 10. Mark Williams (South Wales Jets/Wigan Warriors), 2. Jamie Reynolds (South Wales Jets/Midlands Hurricanes), 6. Lucie Roberts (North Wales Crusaders).
Tries: Turner (2, 8), Williams (6, 10, 14, 21, 26)
Goals: Preece 7/7
UK Armed Forces: 9. James Simpson-Hill (Leeds Rhinos), 2. Steven Sampher (Hull FC), 9. Tom Oates (Leeds Rhinos), 10. Martin Lane (Edinburgh Giants), 1. Karl Shepherd (Hull FC). Subs: 11. Justin Wells (Castleford Tigers), 4. Ash Lockwood (Castleford Tigers).
Tries: Simpson-Hill (52, 73), Wells (58, 64)
Goals: Sampher 4/4
Half-time: 42-0
Referees: Kim Abel, Ewan Clibbens
