Words: Ian Golden, Pic: Adam Tate
The Women’s Championship season kicked off last weekend with Cardiff Demons and London Broncos playing in the main competition for the first time after a few years in the south. London won last year’s southern competition after beating Cardiff in the final, and the two sides met in round one this year, fighting out a 22-all draw after London were leading 22-6 at the break.
Zoe Heeley was on the scoresheet with two tries for Cardiff, whilst Charlie Mundy, Kaitlin Hubbert and Olivia Williams followed her over. Amberley Ruck, making her comeback from injury, kicked the lone goal. For London, Welsh international Kathryn Salter kicked a goal with Emily Hughes also in their side. Other Welsh internationals in the Cardiff side were Leanne Burnell, Meg Whittaker, Sara Jones, Jasmine Gibbons, Ffion Jenkins, Bridget Jones, Ffion Jones, Rhi Parker andKatie Carr.
Elsewhere in the competition, Ashlea Prescott scored a try for Featherstone Rovers as they beat Hull FC, whilst Georgia Taylor and Agnes Wood were in the Sheffield Eagles side that lost at Salford Red Devils.
London Broncos’ men’s side, featuring Curtis Davies and Huw Worthington, didn’t do as well, losing away at Gil Dudson‘s Oldham in the men’s Championship. Connor Davies was more successful than his twin, helping Halifax Panthers to a win over Caleb Aekins‘ Featherston Rovers. Also in the Championship, Rhys Williams was on the scoresheet with another try for Widnes Vikings, as he, Matty Fozard, Rhodri Lloyd and Gavin Bennion helped them to a win at Doncaster.
In League 1, Billy Walkley went over a four-try haul at home to Midlands Hurricanes but his Keighley Cougars side still lost 26-24. Scoring for the visitors was Welsh international Luis Roberts. North Wales Crusaders earned a good 28-6 win at Goole Vikings, with Paddy Jones and Ant Walker coming off the bench for Crusaders. Brad Llewellyn ran in a try for Cornwall as they won for the first time this season, beating Newcastle Thunder, who completed the longest away trip in English rugby league, a 930-mile round trip from ground to ground that would have taken them around 10 hours each way. They fielded former Wales U19 international George Birch, whilst Matt Ross, Harry Boots and Jamie Jenkins were also in the Cornwall side.
Wales Women’s international Brogan Evans scored her first match try in the Wheelchair game going over for Salford Red Devils against Castleford Tigers last weekend.
There were also Welsh try scorers in the Salford and Castleford male academy sides. Finlay Walker scored a try on his debut for Salford Red Devils with Ralf Roberts going over for one of their other tries in a defeat to Huddersfield Giants. Travis Robinson was a try scorer for Castleford Tigers in their large win over Bradford Bulls, with Sam Grice also starring. Junior Westwood helped Warrington Wolves to a win at St Helens, Sam Dickenson was in the Wigan Warriors side that lost at Leeds Rhinos whilst Robbie Brook played for Wakefield in their defeat to Hull FC.
Finally for the men’s game, in Australia, Harry Hayes helped Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs to a win over Parramatta Eels in the NRL.
