RFL Wheelchair Championship

Wheelchair Championship

Current season, competition or edition: 2024 RFL Wheelchair Championship
Sport	Wheelchair rugby league
Founded	2020;5 years ago (2020)
First season	2021
No. of teams	14
Country	England   Scotland   Wales
Most recent champion(s)	Sheffield Eagles (2024)
Most titles	North Wales Crusaders (2 titles)
Level on pyramid	2
Promotion to	RFL Wheelchair Super League
Domestic cup(s)	Wheelchair Challenge Cup
Official website

The RFL Wheelchair Championship is the second highest level of wheelchair rugby league in England and Wales, with teams promoted to the RFL Wheelchair Super League providing certain criteria is met.

The Wheelchair Championship was founded in 2020, one year after the Super League, following attempts to better organise the higher levels of the sport.

Format

Like the Super League, the league operates a round robin system to determine the Championship Leaders' Shield before a playoff series leading to a grand final.

Results

The following is a summary of Wheelchair Championship seasons: ^[1]

Key

  Promoted to next season's Super League
  Withdrew from Championship

2020 season

The inaugural 2020 season ended up being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic after one round of matches.

POS	CLUB	P	W	L	D	PF	PA	DIFF	PTS
1	Gravesend Dynamite	1	1	0	0	172	16	156	2
2	Celts	1	1	0	0	26	0	26	2
3	North Wales Crusaders A	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	West Wales Raiders	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Ebbw Vale	1	0	1	0	0	26	-26	0
6	Argonauts	1	0	1	0	16	172	-156	0

2021 season

POS	CLUB	P	W	L	D	PF	PA	DIFF	PTS
1	Hereford Harriers	9	9	0	0	603	46	557	18
2	Warrington Wolves (P)	9	9	0	0	374	39	335	18
3	West Wales Raiders	11	3	8	0	74	323	-249	6
4	North Wales Crusaders A	7	2	5	0	120	318	-198	4
5	Torfaen Tigers	10	2	8	0	96	367	-271	4
6	Celts	4	0	4	0	0	174	-174	0

Final

• Hereford Harriers 75–32 Warrington Wolves ^{[2] [3]}

2022 season

Like the Super League, the 2022 season was split into two phases. In addition, the championship was also split into a North and South division, and thus featured more teams. The top team in each division at the time of the split entered a Middle 5 division with the bottom three sides in the Super League. ^[4]

Championship North

Phase 1

POS	CLUB	P	W	L	D	PF	PA	DIFF	PTS
1	Mersey Storm (M5)	5	5	0	0	406	51	355	10
2	Bradford Bulls (P2)	5	4	1	0	330	117	213	8
3	Dundee Dragons (P2)	5	3	2	0	234	174	60	6
4	North Wales Crusaders A (P2)	5	2	3	0	172	242	-70	4
5	Rochdale Hornets (P2)	5	1	4	0	71	233	-162	2
6	Sheffield Eagles (P2)	5	0	5	0	46	442	-396	0

Phase 2

POS	CLUB	P	W	L	D	PF	PA	DIFF	PTS
1	Bradford Bulls	6	5	1	0	434	142	292	10
2	North Wales Crusaders A	6	5	1	0	246	150	96	10
3	Dundee Dragons	5	2	3	0	184	114	70	4
4	Rochdale Hornets	5	1	4	0	112	392	-280	2
5	Sheffield Eagles	4	0	4	0	50	228	-178	0

Final

• Bradford Bulls 68–22 North Wales Crusaders A ^[5]

Championship South

Phase 1

POS	CLUB	P	W	L	D	PF	PA	DIFF	PTS
1	Hereford Harriers (M5)	4	3	1	0	230	97	133	6
2	Woodlands Warriors (P2)	4	3	1	0	134	113	21	6
3	West Wales Raiders	2	0	0	2	0	0	0	2
4	Gravesend Dynamite (P2)	2	1	1	0	69	73	-4	2
5	Argonauts (P2)	3	0	2	1	54	112	-58	1
6	Torfaen Tigers	3	0	2	1	16	108	-92	1

Phase 2

POS	CLUB	P	W	L	D	PF	PA	DIFF	PTS
1	Gravesend Dynamite	3	3	0	0	221	68	153	6
2	Argonauts	2	1	1	0	66	136	-70	2
3	Woodlands Warriors	3	0	3	0	86	169	-83	0

Final

• Gravesend Dynamite 58–23 Woodlands Warriors ^[6]

Middle 5 (with Super League)

POS	CLUB	P	W	L	D	PF	PA	DIFF	PTS
1	North Wales Crusaders	5	5	0	0	362	1115	247	10
2	Hull F.C. (P)	5	4	1	0	222	203	19	10
3	Hereford Harriers	5	2	3	0	127	126	1	4
4	Warrington Wolves (P)	5	1	4	0	68	230	-162	2
5	Mersey Storm	4	0	4	0	83	188	-105	0

Final

• North Wales Crusaders 102–46 Hull F.C. ^[5]

2023 season

The 2023 season saw North Wales Crusaders join after being relegated from the Super League.

POS	CLUB	P	W	L	D	PF	PA	DIFF	PTS
1	North Wales Crusaders	10	10	0	0	766	138	628	20
2	Wigan Warriors A	10	8	2	0	516	350	166	16
3	Sheffield Eagles	10	5	5	0	364	500	-136	10
4	Bradford Bulls	10	5	5	0	328	476	-148	10
5	Rochdale Hornets	10	2	8	0	256	532	-276	4
6	Mersey Storm	10	0	10	0	24	258	-234	-9

Final

• North Wales Crusaders 46–40 Wigan Warriors A ^[7]

2024 season

The 2024 season saw the Championship split into 3 regions. ^[8] Sheffield Eagles, who won the Grand Final, were accepted into the Super League for the 2025 season. ^[9]

Championship East

POS	CLUB	P	W	L	D	PF	PA	DIFF	PTS
1	Sheffield Eagles (P)	8	8	0	0	756	88	465	16
2	York Knights	10	6	2	0	398	162	236	12
3	Bradford Bulls	10	4	4	0	170	276	-106	8
4	Hull KR	10	2	6	0	231	468	-237	4
5	Wakefield Trinity	10	0	8	0	108	466	-358	0

Championship West

POS	CLUB	P	W	L	D	PF	PA	DIFF	PTS
1	Hereford Harriers	8	7	1	0	514	174	340	13
2	North Wales Crusaders	8	6	2	0	488	251	237	12
3	Warrington Wolves	8	4	4	0	430	348	82	8
4	Rochdale Hornets	8	2	6	0	275	527	-252	4
5	Widnes Vikings	8	1	7	0	200	607	-407	1

Championship South

POS	CLUB	P	W	L	D	PF	PA	DIFF	PTS
1	Gravesend Dynamite	6	6	0	0	514	92	422	12
2	Woodlands Warriors	6	4	2	0	214	204	10	8
3	Brentwood Eels	6	2	4	0	158	344	-186	4
4	Bedford Tigers	6	0	6	0	140	386	-246	0

Playoffs

East v West Qualification match

21 September 2024

North Wales Crusaders	126–0	York Knights

Playoff Semi Final

28 September 2024 11:45

Sheffield Eagles	48–38	North Wales Crusaders
Tries: Ben Simpson (13), Stephen Reilly (18, 46, 51, 63), Joe Wink-Simmonds (27, 55), Will Brooks (47), Chris Haynes (61) Goals: Joe Wink-Simmonds (5/6), Ben Simpson (1/2), Will Brooks (0/1)		Tries: Jonathan Gill (4, 44), Matthew Turner (33, 42, 78), Stuart Williams (37), Harry Jones (58), Martin Turner (67) Goals: Martin Turner (2/5), Harry Jones (1/3)

English Institute of Sport, Sheffield Attendance: 63

Playoff Semi Final

28 September 2024 12:30

Hereford Harriers	16–40	Gravesend Dynamite

Championship Grand Final

13 October 2024 14:30

Sheffield Eagles	38–36 AET	Gravesend Dynamite
Tries: Will Brooks (2, 32, 60, 67), Stephen Reilly (28, 63), Joe-Wink-Simmonds (74) Goals: Joe-Wink-Simmonds (5/7), Ben Simpson (0/1)	1st: 16–12 2nd: 36–36	Tries: Dan Grant (13, 76), Max Owen (20, 46), Reuben Bunning (43, 69) Goals: Dan Grant (6/6) Drop goals: Dan Grant (0/1)

Allam Arena, Hull Player of the Match: Stephen Reilly

2025 season

Before the start of the season it was announced that Warrington Wolves would be promoted to the Super League for the 2026 season. ^[10]

Teams for 2025 season: ^[9]

• Championship East

  Batley Bulldogs

  Bradford Bulls

  Castleford Tigers

  Hull KR

  Wakefield Trinity

  York Knights

• Championship West

  Hereford Harriers

  North Wales Crusaders

  Rochdale Hornets

  Salford Red Devils

  Warrington Wolves

  Widnes Vikings

Titles

Season	Champions	Score	Runners-up	League Leaders' Shield
2020	Tournament abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021	Hereford Harriers	75–32	Warrington Wolves	Hereford Harriers
2022	North Wales Crusaders	102–46	Hull FC	North Wales Crusaders
2023	North Wales Crusaders	46–40	Wigan Warriors	North Wales Crusaders
2024	Sheffield Eagles	38–36	Gravesend Dynamite	Sheffield Eagles, Hereford Harriers, Gravesend Dynamite

Grand Finals

Team	Winners	Runners-up
North Wales Crusaders	2 (2022, 2023)
Hereford Harriers	1 (2021)
Sheffield Eagles	1 (2024)
Gravesend Dynamite		1 (2024)
Hull		1 (2022)
Warrington Wolves		1 (2021)
Wigan Warriors 'A'		1 (2023)

Championship Leaders' Shield

Club	No.	Years
Hereford Harriers	2	2021, 2024
North Wales Crusaders	2	2022, 2023
Gravesend Dynamite	1	2024
Sheffield Eagles	1	2024

References

1. "Match Centre". Rugby-League.com.
2. "Wheelchair Championship Final". Rugby Leaguer & League Express . No. 3295. 10 September 2021. p. 27.
3. "Betfred Wheelchair Super League Grand Final – a War of the Roses". RFL. 14 September 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
4. "Wheelchair Season Phase 2 starts". Sheffield Eagles. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
5. "Crusaders celebrate winning RFL Wheelchair Middle 5s Final". Wales Rugby League. 28 September 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
6. "Gravesend Dynamite beat Woodlands Warriors 58-23 to win RFL Wheelchair Rugby League South Championship". Kent Online. 11 October 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
7. "Betfred Wheelchair Super League Grand Final – Leeds Rhinos 42 Wigan Warriors 50". RFL. 15 October 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
8. "Leeds Rhinos and Sheffield Eagles enjoy deserved wheelchair title successes". Total Rugby League. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
9. "Leeds face Edinburgh in Wheelchair Super League opener". BBC Sport . 18 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
10. "Betfred Wheelchair Super League fixtures confirmed as competition expands for 2025". RFL. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.