RFL Wheelchair Championship

Last updated
Wheelchair Championship
Current season, competition or edition:
Sports current event.svg 2024 RFL Wheelchair Championship
Sport Wheelchair rugby league
Founded2020;4 years ago (2020)
First season2021
No. of teams14
CountryFlag of England.svg  England
Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales
Most recent
champion(s)		 Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles
(2024)
Most titles NWCrucolours.png North Wales Crusaders (2 titles)
Level on pyramid2
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.

Contents

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.

POSCLUBPWLDPFPADIFFPTS
1Gravesend Dynamite1100172161562
2Celts1100260262
3 NWCrucolours.png North Wales Crusaders A00000000
4 Canberra colours.svg West Wales Raiders00000000
5Ebbw Vale1010026-260
6Argonauts101016172-1560

2021 season

POSCLUBPWLDPFPADIFFPTS
1Hereford Harriers99006034655718
2 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves (P)99003743933518
3 Canberra colours.svg West Wales Raiders1138074323-2496
4 NWCrucolours.png North Wales Crusaders A7250120318-1984
5Torfaen Tigers1028096367-2714
6Celts40400174-1740
Final

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
POSCLUBPWLDPFPADIFFPTS
1Mersey Storm (M5)55004065135510
2 Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls (P2)54103301172138
3Dundee Dragons (P2)5320234174606
4 NWCrucolours.png North Wales Crusaders A (P2)5230172242-704
5 Rochdale colours.svg Rochdale Hornets (P2)514071233-1622
6 Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles (P2)505046442-3960
Phase 2
POSCLUBPWLDPFPADIFFPTS
1 Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls651043414229210
2 NWCrucolours.png North Wales Crusaders A65102461509610
3Dundee Dragons5230184114704
4 Rochdale colours.svg Rochdale Hornets5140112392-2802
5 Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles404050228-1780
Final
  • Bradford Bulls 68–22 North Wales Crusaders A [5]

Championship South

Phase 1
POSCLUBPWLDPFPADIFFPTS
1Hereford Harriers (M5)4310230971336
2Woodlands Warriors (P2)4310134113216
3 Canberra colours.svg West Wales Raiders20020002
4Gravesend Dynamite (P2)21106973-42
5Argonauts (P2)302154112-581
6Torfaen Tigers302116108-921
Phase 2
POSCLUBPWLDPFPADIFFPTS
1Gravesend Dynamite3300221681536
2Argonauts211066136-702
3Woodlands Warriors303086169-830
Final
  • Gravesend Dynamite 58–23 Woodlands Warriors [6]

Middle 5 (with Super League)

POSCLUBPWLDPFPADIFFPTS
1 NWCrucolours.png North Wales Crusaders5500362111524710
2 Hullcolours.svg Hull F.C. (P)54102222031910
3Hereford Harriers523012712614
4 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves (P)514068230-1622
5Mersey Storm404083188-1050
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.

POSCLUBPWLDPFPADIFFPTS
1 NWCrucolours.png North Wales Crusaders10100076613862820
2 Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors A1082051635016616
3 Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles10550364500-13610
4 Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls10550328476-14810
5 Rochdale colours.svg Rochdale Hornets10280256532-2764
6Mersey Storm10010024258-234-9
Final

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

POSCLUBPWLDPFPADIFFPTS
1 Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles (P)88007568846516
2 YorkRLFCcolours.png York Knights1062039816223612
3 Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls10440170276-1068
4 HKRcolours.svg Hull KR10260231468-2374
5 Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity10080108466-3580

Championship West

POSCLUBPWLDPFPADIFFPTS
1Hereford Harriers871051417434013
2 NWCrucolours.png North Wales Crusaders862048825123712
3 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves8440430348828
4 Rochdale colours.svg Rochdale Hornets8260275527-2524
5 Widnes colours.svg Widnes Vikings8170200607-4071

Championship South

POSCLUBPWLDPFPADIFFPTS
1Gravesend Dynamite66005149242212
2Woodlands Warriors6420214204108
3Brentwood Eels6240158344-1864
4 Bedfordtigerscolours.png Bedford Tigers6060140386-2460

Playoffs

East v West Qualification match
21 September 2024
North Wales Crusaders NWCrucolours.png 126-0 YorkRLFCcolours.png York Knights
Playoff Semi Final
28 September 2024
11:45
Sheffield Eagles Sheffeagles colours.svg 48-38 NWCrucolours.png 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 Institue of Sport, Sheffield
Attendance: 63
Playoff Semi Final
28 September 2024
12:30
Hereford Harriers16-40Gravesend Dynamite
Championship Grand Final
13 October 2024
14:30
Sheffield Eagles Sheffeagles colours.svg 38-36 AETGravesend 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]

Titles

SeasonChampionsScoreRunners-upLeague Leaders' Shield
2020 Tournament abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Hereford Harriers75-32 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington WolvesHereford Harriers
2022 NWCrucolours.png North Wales Crusaders102-46 Hullcolours.svg Hull FC NWCrucolours.png North Wales Crusaders
2023 NWCrucolours.png North Wales Crusaders46-40 Wigancolours.svg Wigan Warriors NWCrucolours.png North Wales Crusaders
2024 Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles38-36Gravesend Dynamite Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles, Hereford Harriers, Gravesend Dynamite

Grand Finals

TeamWinnersRunners-up
NWCrucolours.png North Wales Crusaders2 (2022, 2023)
Hereford Harriers1 (2021)
Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles1 (2024)
Gravesend Dynamite1 (2024)
Hullcolours.svg Hull1 (2022)
Wolvescolours.svg Warrington Wolves1 (2021)
Wigan Warriors 'A'1 (2023)

Championship Leaders' Shield

ClubNo.Years
Hereford Harriers22021, 2024
North Wales Crusaders22022, 2023
Gravesend Dynamite12024
Sheffield Eagles12024

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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. 1 2 "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. 1 2 "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.
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