By Gareth James
Wales Wheelchair head coach Alan Caron has named a nine-player squad to travel to the University of Galway to take on Scotland and Ireland in the Celtic Cup on Saturday 8 June.
The Celtic Cup is the most gruelling competition in Wheelchair Rugby League, with three teams playing three 80-minute matches over a period of six hours.
Wales have won the last seven Celtic Cup competitions and are currently unbeaten in the tournament, with just a draw against Ireland last year spoiling their 100 percent record in a tournament that they won on points difference.
Caron makes a few changes to the squad who played in the USA in February with a number of those players unavailable for this trip. Mark Williams, Lee Sargent and Richard Carver all make welcome returns to the side, whilst North Wales Crusaders duo Jess Booth and Martin Turner are set to make debuts.
Cadair Olwyn
As Wales prepare for their defence of the @WheelchairRL Celtic Cup in Galway in June, head coach Alan Caron talks about the preparations.
Wales are fundraising for their trip. Please help today by clicking the link below.https://t.co/CmTD01c2e1 @AllWalesSport pic.twitter.com/2AYxQFotpa
— Wales Rugby League (@WalesRugbyL) May 5, 2024
“We’ve had some players who want to step back and have a bit of a break from international duties after the USA tour,” Caron said. “So this gives us a chance to see some rested and next generation players compete in the event against Scotland and Ireland.
“We’ve brought in a couple of new players in Jess Booth and Martin Turner who have both been playing well with North Wales Crusaders over the last couple of years.
“The WRL Wheelchair Development League is really doing its job to help bring players through. The 2024 Celtic Cup will feature players from every Welsh wheelchair team and from every club who is participating in the League, which is a fantastic achievement by everyone involved.”
Williams, who played in the 2022 World Cup, was a Celtic Cup winner last year along with Sargent. Carver, a Celtic Cup winner in 2021, returns to international duty after a three-year hiatus.
Cadair Olwyn
Wales @WheelchairRL head coach Alan Caron has named his squad for the Celtic Cup in Galway next month.
We’ll defend our trophy against @Irelandrl and @scotlandrl as usual in this one-day three-game tournament.
More/Mwy: https://t.co/AAIPx49g6g pic.twitter.com/EAJ9cOKzo6
— Wales Rugby League (@WalesRugbyL) May 27, 2024
Booth makes their debut for Wales after performing well in the WRL Development League last year, and in the RFL Championship North where they were the league’s top try scorer as North Wales Crusaders won the title.
Turner, who plays for Crusaders Celts in the WRL Development League this year, has recently completed the London Marathon in a wheelchair as the first ever rhino-costumed participant, in partnership with the charity Save the Rhino.
Caron has named his co-captains for the two games in Scott Trigg-Turner and Mason Baker.
Trigg-Turner, who made his debut for Wales in 2013 World Cup, has won 26 Welsh caps, scoring 288 points (52 tries and 40 goals), the second-highest in WRL international history. Baker is a relative newcomer, having won eight caps since his debut in 2021, scoring one try and four goals in Wales colours.
Caron added: “We welcome our two new co-captains for the cup in Scott Trigg-Turner and Mason Baker. Scott has really stepped up in leadership and helped to develop younger players in both the Welsh camp and in the WRL Development League.
“Mason has a fantastic attitude to training, his communication work is brilliant, he’s a superstar when it comes to making decisions and shows a really good attitude in regards to leadership on and off the pitch.”
To support Wales in the Celtic Cup, please make a donation at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/waleswheelchairrugbyleague
WALES: Richard Carver (Argonauts), Lee Sargent (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Scott Trigg-Turner (Cardiff Blue Dragons/London Roosters), Phillip Davies (Hereford Harriers), Mason Baker, Jess Booth*, Martin Turner* (all North Wales Crusaders), Alex Powell (Torfaen Tigers), Mark Williams (Wigan Warriors).
*debutants
