WRL GRAND FINAL MATCH PREVIEW: North Wales Crusaders vs Argonauts 

Reigning WRL Wheelchair Invitational League champions The Argonauts, will defend their title this Saturday, when they face North Wales Crusaders at The Fit Zone, University of South Wales, Treforest Campus (kick-off 11.15am). Admission is free of charge.

For those who have not seen the sport live before, this Saturday’s final will be the perfect time. It’s free entry and the match will highlight some top-class international talent as well as the sport’s up-and-coming players.

The captains of Wales and Ireland from the last World Cup, Stuart Williams and Peter Johnston will come up against each other.

Williams has scored a record 66 tries in 32 games for Wales and led Wales to the semi-finals of the last World Cup and returned to the Crusaders in June this year.

Johnston is the second highest points scorer in the two year history of the WRL Wheelchair Invitational League and third highest scorer this season, with his team-mate Fred Nye leading both charts.

Welsh international Richard Carver, playing for Argonauts, will face three of his international team-mates.

However, it’s the try-scoring which the up-and-coming young players on both sides have dominated.

Ellie Cockerton, who only turned 16 years old midway through this season, leads the way for both Argonauts and the league itself, with 35 tries to her name this season. She’s followed by the experienced Nye on 31 tries, but the Crusaders have 14-year-old Matthew Turner and 16-year-old Jakub Wasieczko as their joint top try scorers with 24 each in the league this season.

Stephen Jones, the head of Wheelchair Rugby League in Wales, says: “It’s a massive win for the Welsh League, and our sport in general, that young and upcoming players can compete on an even playing field with some of our more senior players.

“It also shows the future of Wheelchair Rugby League is looking bright with three of the league’s top four try scorers are junior players. This just goes to show how inclusive our sport is and that no matter your age, gender or ability, you can play Wheelchair Rugby League, and who knows where it can lead?

“You never know, we might be seeing these youngsters in future World Cups alongside players like Stuart Williams and Peter Johnston, and these are two players who lead the way in the game. For example, it’s not uncommon for Stuart to be giving his opposition side advise when they’ve conceded a try – you’re unlikely to see that in any other sport.”

This year’s league featured six sides, each of whom had 12 fixtures. The Argonauts, based in Dartford, Kent, were one of two English sides in the league. They were first to qualify for this year’s final, their route confirmed after beating both Cardiff Blue Dragons and Torfaen Tigers on August 3rd. They remained unbeaten in the regular season.

North Wales Crusaders only lost matches to The Argonauts during the regular season. Both were close affairs – they went down 42-18 in their first match in May, before losing 36-28 in a thriller, where the Crusaders led for most of the game, only to concede two tries in the last three minutes.

“It’s going to be a really good final,” Jones adds. “With the mixture of youth and experience on both sides and looking at the scores earlier in the season, the result could go either way.”

Venue:

The Fit Zone, University of South Wales, Treforest Campus

Pre-Match:

Supporters of both teams will be able to access the venue from 10:45am ahead of the scheduled 11:15am kick-off.

Match Squads:

Match Officials:

Kim Abel, Patrick Martin, Alan Caron, Alana Sargent