Crusaders Welsh Pirates’ Wheelchair Rugby
By admin
Issued on behalf of Celtic Crusaders Rugby League Club
Promotion-chasing Celtic Crusaders rugby league club are preparing to tackle one of their toughest challenges to date – taking on the Welsh Pirates wheelchair rugby team.
The match will be a boost for the Welsh Pirates and the profile of the sport in Wales and will take place at Bridgend Recreation Centre at 2.30pm on Wednesday, August 22.
Welsh Pirates club secretary Richard Vowles said: “It’s an intriguing fixture as both teams will have their strengths and their weaknesses. We’re used to using chairs which the Crusaders won’t be – our arms are our legs in a way.
“But while I’m paralysed from the chest down and can’t use my hands that much, they’ll be able to throw the ball from one end of the court to the other. I hope it will be quite competitive but we’ll be going out to enjoy ourselves.”
Richard boxed for Wales for 11 years then turned pro before a breaking his neck in a rugby match.
“I needed to take up a physical sport after my injury. A lot of our players did competitive sports before their injuries but we have people from all walks of life – men and women – and with different degrees of mobility. Hopefully this sort of high-profile match will help get other wheelchair users interested in playing.”
Celtic Crusaders’ community manager Dave McNally said the players know they would be up against it but are keen to try a new version of rugby.
“The Crusaders have made building partnerships in the community one of their top priorities off the pitch. It will be a very tough physical challenge against experienced wheelchair rugby players.
“The players are very keen to have a go at something new and they’ll enjoy the challenge. They’re usually in Bridgend Recreation Centre on Wednesday afternoons working with local kids, so hopefully there’ll be a bit of a crowd.”
The match is just the latest positive action by the Crusaders to get disabled people in involved in rugby league. In April they opened a purpose-built stand for disabled spectators at their Brewery Field home ground.
And earlier this summer they appointed solicitor Eleanor Williams, a disability and employment specialist at Cardiff law firm Darwin Gray, as their equality and diversity officer. It was Eleanor that brought the two sides together for the fixture.
“The Crusaders hold the sportsmanship of the Welsh Pirates in high esteem and are keen to forge links with them. It’s part of the club’s overall strategy of opening up the game of rugby league to everyone in South Wales,” she said.
The match will be played on the basketball court at Bridgend Recreation Centre in Angel Street, Bridgend. Admission for spectators will be free.
Back on the rugby pitch, the Crusaders face Keighley Cougars at the Brewery Field at 5.30pm on Saturday August 18 as they close in on promotion from Co-operative National League Two.
