Ian Golden and Harry Jones round up last weekend’s action from our Welsh internationals and hopefuls. Pic: Karen Booth.
The Wales men’s squad for the three matches this autumn, starting with the friendly against Jamaica in Neath, was released yesterday, and many of those players were in action in Super League and the Championship play-offs last weekend.
Charlie Glover, alongside his older brother Billy Glover, both made their Super League debuts, playing in Salford Red Devils’ defeat at league leaders Wigan Warriors. Luis Roberts played his final game for Leeds Rhinos last weekend in their defeat to Hull Kingston Rovers that eliminated them from Super League play-off contention.
It was the final round of matches in the Championship regular season and Wales captain Elliot Kear helped Batley Bulldogs beat Whitehaven. Will Evans and Huw Worthington were both in action for the visitors. Ant Walker and Rhys Williams played for Swinton Lions in their close home defeat to Doncaster, Mike Butt, Rhodri Lloyd and Matty Fozard were in the Widnes Vikings side who lost at home to Toulouse Olympique XIII, whilst Max Clarke‘s Barrow Raiders lost at Wakefield Trinity.
In League 1, Billy Walkley helped Keighley Cougars to a 26-22 win over Rochdale Hornets. Keighley go straight through to the play-off final on October 6, whilst Rochdale take on Hunslet this Sunday. Jude Ferreira scored a try for Hunslet in their elimination play-off win over Sam Bowring‘s Midlands Hurricanes side.
There was also action in the Wheelchair leagues as the end of the season is also near. Jodie Boyd-Ward scored a try for Leeds Rhinos in the Wheelchair Super League as they beat Wigan Warriors to cement their 100 percent record at the end of the regular season.
North Wales Crusaders had one of their best weekends of the season in the wheelchair game after qualifying for the semi-finals of the RFL Championship and the Grand Final of the WRL Wheelchair Invitational League.
On Saturday, fielding four Welsh internationals, they hammered York 126-0. The visitors had only conceded 162 points in the whole of the regular season, making this victory even more emphatic. The Crusaders had started the game in red hot fashion as Stuart Williams regathered a short kick-off and just two phases later was on the receiving end of a Harry Jones pass to cross in the corner for his first try of the game within the opening 30 seconds. He started and finished the scoring in the afternoon as he went over for seven of the Crusaders’ 22 tries, and also kicked a goal, as they secured a semi-final place at Sheffield Eagles this Saturday. Jones went over for four tries, Martin Turner with two, plus 17 goals, with Jess Booth also assisting in the emphatic victory where they were 64-0 up at half-time.
Then on Sunday, they beat both Hereford Harriers and Cardiff Blue Dragons in Trefforest to secure their Welsh final place. These sides put up more of a challenge than York, so the Crusaders only registered 38-6 and 48-20 wins respectively. Williams scored one try against both Hereford with Booth registering a try against Cardiff. Mason Baker scored one goal against Hereford and four against Cardiff. Hereford, whose only points against Crusaders came from former Wales international Seb Groves, beat Cardiff in the earlier game. Against the hosts, Groves went over for four tries and Phillip Davies got two. Alan Caron was also in action for Hereford. Wales international Lee Sargent, who played alongside both of his parents and his sister for Cardiff, scored a try and a goal in each game.
In the Women’s Super League, both of our Welsh internationals still in the competition suffered semi-final defeat, Bethan Dainton with Leeds Rhinos at home to York Valkyrie and Carys Marsh with Wigan Warriors at St Helens. In the Championship North Final, Georgia Taylor and Agnes Wood were in the Sheffield Eagles side who lost to Leigh Leopards.
