As part of a double header with the Super League match-up between Leeds Rhinos and Wakefield Trinity on Sunday, Leeds Rhinos Foundation PDRL and the newly formed Wakefield Community Trust PDRL team took part in the first ever Yorkshire based Physical Disability Rugby League game at the Mobile Rocket Stadium.
PDRL, which provides opportunities for adults with varying forms of physical disability to take part in rugby league games under modified rules, first debuted in England in February when Leeds Rhinos Foundation took on Warrington Wolves Foundation in the UK’s first ever game.
Since the successful launch, a number of other community foundation’s including Castleford and Wakefield Trinity have set up teams to take part, providing more players from across the country to re-engage with the game or in some cases play for the first time.
The concept has been heavily endorsed by celebrities such as Adam Hills and Alex Brooker from Channel 4’s ‘The Last Leg’ as well as former Rugby League players Barrie McDermott, Shaun Briscoe and Wakefield legends Alan Hunte, Keith Mason and Nigel Wright, who added some spice to game against the Rhinos as designated ‘able bodied’ players.
Over 300 spectators who had filed through the gates at Mobile Rocket Stadium hours earlier for the Super League fixture stayed on for the game which saw the Rhinos field a team wholly of players with a disability, including one ‘touch’ player in Full Back Josh Butler.
Former Rhinos PDRL Captain Chris Hall, who helped set up the new side at his hometown club after engaging initially with the Rhinos team earlier in the year, kicked off the fixture which saw the visiting Rhinos team start strongly with a try from Tom Lockett followed by an outstanding kick from Nathan Collins to give Leeds a 6-0 lead.
A few minutes later, Trinity found their feet when Wright and Hunte combined to send Adam Fleming over from a few metres out for the first ever Wakefield Trinity PDRL try. Half Back Darren Dean goaled, levelling up the scores.
After the early exchange of scores, Dickinson and Nicholson then added tries for Trinity before a response from Chris Young to leave the scores 18-10 to Wakefield at half time.
The second half then saw Wakefield take control of proceedings as Darren Dean, Hall, Lynes followed by two more tries for Captain Hall took the game away from the Rhinos to finish 44-10.
Wakefield Trinity Community Trust PDRL;
1.Chris Hall©, 3.Alan Hunte, 6.Nigel Wright, 7.Darren Dean, 8.Ben Nicholson©, 9.Callum Parkinson, 10.Keith Mason, 12.Connor Lynes, 13.Adam Fleming, 15. Alex Dickinson, 17.Michael Greensmith
Tries: Fleming, Dickinson, Nicholson, Dean, Hall (3), Lynes
Goals: Dean (5), Hall (1)
Leeds Rhinos Foundation PDRL;
1.Josh Butler, 2.Chris Young, 3.Jordan Stott, 4.Dylan Hughes, 5.Tom Sheridan, 6.Owen Lockwood, 7.Tom Lockett, 8.Ash Lockwood, 10.Simon Brown, 11.Ben Rawlings, 12.Dan Roberts ©, 13.Tommy Pouncey, 14.Nathan Collins
Tries: Lockett, Young
Goals: Collins (1)
Men of the Match: Darren Dean (Wakefield), Chris Young (Leeds)
If you’re interested in taking part in PDRL for Leeds Rhinos Foundation, the charity are running open training sessions at South Leeds Stadium from 8-9pm on Monday evenings.
Contact Chris.Godfrey@leedsrhinosfoundation.org for more information.