European Club Challenge
Current season, competition or edition: 2024 European Club Challenge | |
| Sport | Wheelchair rugby league |
|---|---|
| Founded | 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
[edit]| 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
|
| Catalans Dragons | Position | Halifax Panthers | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Number | Number | Name | |
| Gilles Clausells | 1 | Starter |
1 | Wayne Boardman |
| Joel Lacombe | 2 | Starter |
2 | Jeremy 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 | ||
| 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) |
| Wigan Warriors | Position | Catalans Dragons | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Number | Number | Name | |
| Chris Greenhalgh | 1 | Starter |
10 | Seb Bechara (c) |
| Nathan Roberts | 4 | Starter |
12 | Jeremy 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
[edit]| Club | No. | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Catalans Dragons |
2 | 2023, 2024 |
 Halifax Panthers |
1 | 2023 |
Italics indicates shared title
Running Game
[edit]The 1989 European Club Challenge was a match between Widnes Vikings (1988–89 British rugby league champions) and Saint-Estève (1988–89 French rugby league champions) in an attempted expansion of the World Club Challenge. Widnes won the game 60–6 earning the right to play Canberra Raiders (1989 Australian rugby league champions) who they beat 30–18. This was the only time French clubs were given change to qualify.
References
[edit]- ^ "Halifax Panthers to represent England in inaugural European Wheelchair Rugby League Club Championship". www.rugby-league.com. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ "New Wheelchair Rugby League structure unveiled". www.sportfocus.com. 28 February 2011. Archived from the original on 17 May 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ "XIII Fauteuil – F. PLAZA : "Faire participer tout le monde à la fête!"". FFRXIII (in French). 4 March 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ "Dragons wheelchair team champions". Catalans Dragons. 23 May 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ "Catalans beat Wigan to become European champions". 6 April 2024.
- ^ "European Championship : les Handi Dragons visent un quatrième titre". FFRXIII (in French). 24 August 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ "European Wheelchair Rugby League Club Championship: Wigan bid for glory against Catalans". BBC Sport. 5 April 2024.
