European Club Challenge

This article is about the wheelchair rugby league competition. For the challenge match between Widnes Vikings and Saint-Estève, see 1989 European Club Challenge.

Wheelchair Super League

Current season, competition or edition: 2024 European Club Challenge
Sport	Wheelchair rugby league
Founded	2023;2 years ago (2023)
No. of teams	2
Country	England   France   Wales
Most recent champion(s)	Catalans Dragons
Most titles	Catalans Dragons (2 titles)

The European Club Challenge is a single match wheelchair rugby league competition played between the previous season's British Super League and French Elite 1 champions. The competition was established in 2023 and is similar in concept to the World Club Challenge in the running game. ^[1]

The competition was originally proposed in 2011. ^[2] In 2015, a European Cup competition took place between Catalans Dragons and Leyland Warriors. It was played over two legs with both being won by the French team; 40–30 in England and 54–20 in France. ^{[3] [4]}

Catalans Dragons are the most successful club in the competition, winning two out of two titles, one shared and one outright. ^[5]

Results

2023 European Club Challenge

25 August 2023 19:30 CEST (UTC+02:00) [6]

Catalans Dragons	32–32	Halifax Panthers
Tries: G. Clausells, N. Clausells (4), Dore Goals: N. Clausells (4/6)	report	Tries: Bourson (2), Hawkins (2), Holt Goals: Boardman (6)

Sports Complex Germanor, Cabestany

Team details

Catalans Dragons		Position	Halifax Panthers
Name	Number		Number	Name
Gilles Clausells	1	Starter	1	Wayne Boardman
Joel Lacombe	2	Starter	2	Jérémy Bourson
Nicolas Clausells	3	Starter	3	Seb Bechara
Arno Vargas	4	Starter	4	Nathan Holmes
Damien Dore	5	Starter	5	Rob Hawkins
Victor Puly	6	Interchange	6	Jordan Holt
Fabian Plaza	7	Interchange	7	Thomas Martin
Joel Gelade Panzo	8	Interchange	8	Kieron Johnston
Gilles Clausells		Coach		Wayne Boardman

---

2024 European Club Challenge

6 April 2024 18:00 BST (UTC+01:00) [7]

Wigan Warriors	28–68	Catalans Dragons
Tries: D. Roberts (3), Rigby (2) Goals: D. Roberts (4/5)	report	Tries: Dore (5), Bourson (5), Bechara, Vargas Goals: Bechara (10/13)

Robin Park Arena, Wigan Referees: David Butler, Djamel Merzouk Player of the Match: Arno Vargas

Team details

Wigan Warriors		Position	Catalans Dragons
Name	Number		Number	Name
Chris Greenhalgh	1	Starter	10	Seb Bechara (c)
Nathan Roberts	4	Starter	12	Jérémy Bourson
Declan Roberts (c)	7	Starter	28	Damien Dore
Adam Rigby	8	Starter	8	Victor Puly
Phil Roberts	9	Starter	10	Arno Vargas
Martin Lane	3	Interchange	1	Gilles Clausells
Mark Williams	10	Interchange	2	Joel Lacombe
Matt Wooloff	15	Interchange	9	Joel Gelade Panzo
		Interchange	13	Cyril Torres
Chris Greenhalgh		Coach		Gilles Clausells

Titles

Club	No.	Years
Catalans Dragons	2	2023, 2024
Halifax Panthers	1	2023

Italics indicates shared title

References

1. "Halifax Panthers to represent England in inaugural European Wheelchair Rugby League Club Championship". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
2. "New Wheelchair Rugby League structure unveiled". www.sportfocus.com. 28 February 2011. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
3. "XIII Fauteuil – F. PLAZA : "Faire participer tout le monde à la fête!"". FFRXIII (in French). 4 March 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
4. "Dragons wheelchair team champions". Catalans Dragons. 23 May 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
5. "Catalans beat Wigan to become European champions". 6 April 2024.
6. "European Championship : les Handi Dragons visent un quatrième titre". FFRXIII (in French). 24 August 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
7. "European Wheelchair Rugby League Club Championship: Wigan bid for glory against Catalans". BBC Sport. 5 April 2024.