Wales Wheelchair win fourth successive Celtic Cup

Wales Wheelchair claimed their fourth Rugby League Celtic Cup title in as many years after easily seeing off Scotland and Ireland in Halifax on Saturday.

Like in previous years, it was a three-game one-day tournament, all 80-minute matches.

Wales’ two victories means that they still have a 100% record in the competition with eight wins.

The first game saw the Scots come back from a 38-18 deficit at half-time to beat Ireland 52-42.

With half an hour gone, Ireland were 38-8 up and cruising. Seb Groves scored four of their tries with Stuart Walker, Steve Argent and Ben Hope adding one each. Tony Godward converted five of them.

Calum Young and Rob Hawkins each scored two first half tries for Scotland with Calum Young converting just once.

Scotland pulled it back to 38-32, then Ireland scored again through a Godward try, before Scotland scored a further 20 unanswered points to claim a dramatic win.

Hawkins added five second half tries to take his total game tally to seven, whilst Jay Anderson and Gavin Dobson each claimed one. Young added two further conversions and Hawkins one.

Wales then cruised to 102-10 win over Scotland after being 54-4 up at the break.

Stuart Williams scored five first half tries and kicked seven conversions with Harry Jones grabbing a hat-trick of touchdowns and Scotty Trig-Turner with two.

Scotland had the last score of the half through a Rob Hawkins try, but couldn’t make another comeback.

Wales continued to run riot in the second half as Alan Caron picked up a hat-trick, Jones and Trig-Turner, who also punched four conversions, each added two tries with Williams and Gary Taylor each scoring one. Taylor and Phil Davies punched one conversion each.

Scotland’s lone second half try came from John Williams that Hawkins converted.

Wales, needing to avoid a 55-point defeat in the final game to win the title, were 66-8 at half-time against Ireland, eventually winning 109-8.

Three Welsh players scored first half hat-tricks alone with Stuart Williams, who punched seven first half conversions, Harry Jones and Phil Davies all crossing three times before the break. Lucie Roberts added two tries and Scotty Trig-Turner, who also added two conversions, with one try.

Ireland could only reply with a brace of Steve Argent tries in the first half and didn’t even get over the line after the interval.

It was all Wales in the tournament’s final 40 minutes. Trig-Turner added two more tries and five more goals. Gary Taylor also scored another couple, with Stuart Williams and John Doyle each adding one. Harry Jones rounded off the day by punching a drop-goal.

To view all games in full, go to https://www.facebook.com/pg/WalesWhRL/videos/

SQUADS

IRELAND: Peter Johnston (Arganauts), Stuart Walker (Bradford Bulls), Tony Godward (Halifax), Ben Hope, Nev Hope (both Gravesend Dynamite), Seb Groves, Aaron Thomas (both Medway Dragons), Ste Argent (St Helens).

SCOTLAND: Mac McLaren (British Army), Jay Anderson, David Birtles, John Williams (both Dundee Dragons), Robert Hawkins (Halifax), Callum Young (Leyland Warriors), Gavin Dobson (Rochdale Hornets), Alex Howe (St Helens).

WALES : Alan Caron, Philip Davies, Scotty Trig-Turner (all Hereford Harriers), John Doyle, Harry Jones, Lucie Roberts, Gary Taylor, Stuart Williams (all North Wales Crusaders).

SCOTLAND 10 WALES 102

Scotland – Tries: Rob Hawkins, John Williams. Conversions: Rob Hawkins.

Wales – Tries: Stuart Williams (6), Harry Jones (5), Scotty Trig-Turner (4), Alan Caron (3), Gary Taylor. Conversions: Stuart Williams (7), Scotty Trig-Turner (4), Gary Taylor, Phil Davies.

IRELAND 42 SCOTLAND 52

Ireland – Tries – Seb Groves (4), Stuart Walker, Steve Argent, Ben Hope, Tony Godward. Conversions: Tony Godward (2)

Scotland – Calum Young (2), Rob Hawkins (7), Jay Anderson (1), Gavin Dobson (1). Conversions: Calum Young (3), Rob Hawkins

IRELAND 8 WALES 109

Ireland – Tries: Steve Argent (2)

Wales – Tries: Stuart Williams (4), Harry Jones (3), Phil Davies (5), Lucie Roberts (2), Scotty Trig-Turner (3), Gary Taylor, John Doyle. Conversions: Stuart Williams (2), Scotty Trig-Turner (12). Drop-goal: Harry Jones.