Halifax Wheelchair Rugby League Club

Halifax Panthers suffered their first defeat of the season, going down at home to London Roosters, 40-30, who consolidated a top four slot.

The visitors overcame a six point half time deficit to record a landmark win in their inaugural season, Lewis King again leading the way for them with four tries. Halifax played their first game at Sedbergh Sports Centre in Low Moor, coming up against a Roosters team growing in confidence.

The sides traded tries in the first period with Halifax just edging in front at the break, two try and five goal Rob Hawkins dominant. King struck early in the second period to make it a two point game, but the Panthers extended their lead to ten points, Tom Martin with two tries and player/coach Wayne Boardman one.

Joe Coyd led the Roosters comeback with his second try and the game changed with a couple of key plays from Jack Linden, who also crossed twice, King wrapping up the win to seal a milestone victory; Joe Coyd with one goal and Jason Owen three for the visitors.

Full report on www.rugby-league.com

As anticipation grows for the biggest and best Rugby League World Cup, there’s a RLWC2021 Groups Evening on Tuesday 14th June at 7pm. The event, hosted by Alex Simmons, will give you the opportunity to learn about Group Sales and how they can bring your team to any of the 61 fixtures this Autumn. What’s more, the Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair trophies will be on display and available for you to take pictures with. Attendees will also be joined by RLWC2021 Ambassadors and stars of the Jamaican side.

Tuesday 14 June 7pm – 9pm Leeds Irish Centre, York Road, Leeds LS9 9NT To confirm your attendance please email shaun.tennant@rfl.uk.com

Halifax Panthers Wheelchair rugby league team travel to Hull on Saturday 7 May as league leaders. However they are without 3 internationals , Tom Martin on Irish duty as the Celtic Cup between Wales, Ireland and Scotland takes place in Wrexham.

Their two French signings are unavailable. However its an opportunity for the younger players who haven’t had much game time, Thomas Green, Jordon Holt and Coral Batty to impress coaches Wayne Boardman and Nathan Mulhall.”

BBC Sport will provide another huge boost to Wheelchair Rugby League in this World Cup year by covering the Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final in June – and Catalans Dragons are hoping to be there, having entered the competition for the first time.

The Final will be played at Hull’s Allam Arena on Saturday June 25, kicking off at 230pm – completing a hat-trick of Challenge Cup Finals for the BBC in 2022, as it follows the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final between St Helens and Leeds Rhinos at Elland Road this Saturday (May 7), and the Betfred Challenge Cup Final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in May 28.

Leeds Rhinos are the holders of the Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup, having beaten the Argonauts Skeleton Army from Kent in last year’s Final in Sheffield.

But this year they will face fresh challenges from three new names for the competition: Wigan Warriors, who have replaced the 2021 Super League Grand Finalists Leyland; London Roosters, who have been formed as a south-east super club; and Catalans Dragons, who will be keen to underline France’s status as favourites for the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup this autumn.

They will all join the Rhinos and four other clubs from the Wheelchair Super League – Hull FC, North Wales Crusaders, Warrington Wolves and the three-times Cup winners Halifax Panthers – in a Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup Festival on Saturday May 14, also at the Allam Arena, from which the two finalists will emerge.

Martin Coyd OBE, the General Manager of England Wheelchair Rugby League, said: “We are thrilled that the BBC will again cover the Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup Final – more fantastic exposure for the Wheelchair game as we prepare for the World Cup later this year.

“The Betfred Wheelchair Super League has gone to another level this season with the involvement of the Wigan Warriors, a new focus for the game in the south in London Roosters, and Halifax Panthers claiming some notable results.

“We are also delighted to welcome Catalans Dragons to the competition for the first time. France’s leading role in the development of Wheelchair Rugby League is a wonderful story for our sport to celebrate, and we saw with the performances of the France national team against England at Medway last autumn that they remain a formidable force, underpinned by a strong and genuinely national domestic competition.

“We are also pleased to be taking two major events in the Betfred Wheelchair Rugby League Challenge Cup to the great Rugby League city of Kingston-upon-Hull for the first time.”

The format of the Festival will see each of the eight teams play four matches, with the top four teams then qualifying for semi finals which will produce the Betfred Wheelchair Challenge Cup finalists for 2022.

A Trophy competition will also be staged on the day with five teams from outside the Super League – Dundee Dragons, Gravesend Dynamite, Mersey Storm, Sheffield Eagles and Woodland Warriors.

*England’s Wheelchair squad have another squad session this weekend as they continue preparations for the Mid-Season International against France in Manchester on June 19, and for the World Cup this autumn.

Betfred Wheelchair Rugby League Challenge Cup 2022

Festival (May 14, Allam Arena, Hull)

Challenge Cup: Catalans Dragons, Halifax Panthers, Hull FC, Leeds Rhinos, London Roosters, North Wales Crusaders, Warrington Wolves, Wigan Warriors.

Trophy: Dundee Dragons, Gravesend Dynamite, Mersey Storm, Sheffield Eagles, Woodland Warriors

Final – Sunday June 25, Allam Arena, Hull (230pm kick-off) – live on BBC Sport

#PanthersAreInTown #ChooseFax #MoreThanAGame

Halifax Wheelchair Rugby League carried on their unbeaten run against North Wales Crusaders yesterday, coming out as 86 to 52 winners, despite having a slightly reduced playing squad.

The win leaves them Top of super league as both their nearest rivals , Leeds and Wigan drew against each other. Their next league game is away to Hull on Saturday 7^th May.”

Halifax Wheelchair Rugby League Club is one of twenty-eight community groups from across West Yorkshire nominated for the Queens Award for Volunteer Services 2022.

We will know in June whether we have been successful.

Match Report – Halifax v Wigan, Sunday 27 March 2022

An eagerly awaited fixture from the day the fixtures were issued didn’t fail to deliver. Halifax started the game well and as Leeds struggled to get their hands on the ball with the Panthers racing into a 16 point lead.

Leeds Rhinos were not 2021 triple trophy winners for nothing, and showed their skills and turn the momentum in their favor as Halifax’s momentum dropped.

Somewhat of a turning point was when Leeds lost Ewan Clibbens due to shoulder injury with Halifax gaining a upper hand temporarily and went in at half time 40-32 up.

Whilst Clibbens came back on in the second half temporality he wasn’t as effective. However the Leeds attack kept Halifax honest in their defense and whilst Halifax rotated their squad they needed to put their stating 5 on to keep Leeds at bay.

At 52 -44 to the Halifax Panthers Leeds sustained another serious injury to Jodie Boyd- Ward to add to the now retired Ewan Clibbens which resulted in the game being forfeited. Robert Hawins was the ‘Fax standout player with Jeremy Bourson running him close. Nathan Collins and Tom Helliwell were always a handful from the Leeds Rhinos ranks.

Next game AWAY to Warrington Wolves Saturday 2^nd April

Match Report – Halifax v Leeds, Saturday 26 March 2022

An eagerly awaited fixture from the day the fixtures were issued didn’t fail to deliver. Halifax started the game well and as Leeds struggled to get their hands on the ball with the Panthers racing into a 16 point lead.

Leeds Rhinos were not 2021 triple trophy winners for nothing, and showed their skills and turn the momentum in their favor as Halifax’s momentum dropped.

Somewhat of a turning point was when Leeds lost Ewan Clibbens due to shoulder injury with Halifax gaining a upper hand temporarily and went in at half time 40-32 up.

Whilst Clibbens came back on in the second half temporality he wasn’t as effective. However the Leeds attack kept Halifax honest in their defense and whilst Halifax rotated their squad they needed to put their stating 5 on to keep Leeds at bay.

At 52 -44 to the Halifax Panthers Leeds sustained another serious injury to Jodie Boyd- Ward to add to the now retired Ewan Clibbens which resulted in the game being forfeited. Robert Hawins was the ‘Fax standout player with Jeremy Bourson running him close. Nathan Collins and Tom Helliwell were always a handful from the Leeds Rhinos ranks.