RFL Wheelchair Championship

Wheelchair Championship
Current season, competition or edition:
2025 RFL Wheelchair Championship
SportWheelchair rugby league
Founded2020 (2020)
First season2021
No. of teams14
Country England
 Scotland
 Wales
Most recent
champion		 Castleford Tigers
(2025)
Most titles North Wales Crusaders (2 titles)
Level on pyramid2
Promotion toRFL Wheelchair Super League
Domestic cupWheelchair Challenge Cup
Official website[1]

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.

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.

POS CLUB P W L D PF PA DIFF PTS
1 Gravesend Dynamite 1 1 0 0 172 16 156 2
2 Celts 1 1 0 0 26 0 26 2
3 North Wales Crusaders A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 West Wales Raiders 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Ebbw Vale 1 0 1 0 0 26 -26 0
6 Argonauts 1 0 1 0 16 172 -156 0

2021 season

POS CLUB P W L D PF PA DIFF PTS
1 Hereford Harriers 9 9 0 0 603 46 557 18
2 Warrington Wolves (P) 9 9 0 0 374 39 335 18
3 West Wales Raiders 11 3 8 0 74 323 -249 6
4 North Wales Crusaders A 7 2 5 0 120 318 -198 4
5 Torfaen Tigers 10 2 8 0 96 367 -271 4
6 Celts 4 0 4 0 0 174 -174 0
Final
  • Hereford Harriers 75–32 Warrington Wolves[2][3]

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
POS CLUB P W L D PF PA DIFF PTS
1 Mersey Storm (M5) 5 5 0 0 406 51 355 10
2 Bradford Bulls (P2) 5 4 1 0 330 117 213 8
3 Dundee Dragons (P2) 5 3 2 0 234 174 60 6
4 North Wales Crusaders A (P2) 5 2 3 0 172 242 -70 4
5 Rochdale Hornets (P2) 5 1 4 0 71 233 -162 2
6 Sheffield Eagles (P2) 5 0 5 0 46 442 -396 0
Phase 2
POS CLUB P W L D PF PA DIFF PTS
1 Bradford Bulls 6 5 1 0 434 142 292 10
2 North Wales Crusaders A 6 5 1 0 246 150 96 10
3 Dundee Dragons 5 2 3 0 184 114 70 4
4 Rochdale Hornets 5 1 4 0 112 392 -280 2
5 Sheffield Eagles 4 0 4 0 50 228 -178 0
Final
  • Bradford Bulls 68–22 North Wales Crusaders A[5]

Championship South

Phase 1
POS CLUB P W L D PF PA DIFF PTS
1 Hereford Harriers (M5) 4 3 1 0 230 97 133 6
2 Woodlands Warriors (P2) 4 3 1 0 134 113 21 6
3 West Wales Raiders 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 2
4 Gravesend Dynamite (P2) 2 1 1 0 69 73 -4 2
5 Argonauts (P2) 3 0 2 1 54 112 -58 1
6 Torfaen Tigers 3 0 2 1 16 108 -92 1
Phase 2
POS CLUB P W L D PF PA DIFF PTS
1 Gravesend Dynamite 3 3 0 0 221 68 153 6
2 Argonauts 2 1 1 0 66 136 -70 2
3 Woodlands Warriors 3 0 3 0 86 169 -83 0
Final
  • Gravesend Dynamite 58–23 Woodlands Warriors[6]

Middle 5 (with Super League)

POS CLUB P W L D PF PA DIFF PTS
1 North Wales Crusaders 5 5 0 0 362 1115 247 10
2 Hull F.C. (P) 5 4 1 0 222 203 19 10
3 Hereford Harriers 5 2 3 0 127 126 1 4
4 Warrington Wolves (P) 5 1 4 0 68 230 -162 2
5 Mersey Storm 4 0 4 0 83 188 -105 0
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.

POS CLUB P W L D PF PA DIFF PTS
1 North Wales Crusaders 10 10 0 0 766 138 628 20
2 Wigan Warriors A 10 8 2 0 516 350 166 16
3 Sheffield Eagles 10 5 5 0 364 500 -136 10
4 Bradford Bulls 10 5 5 0 328 476 -148 10
5 Rochdale Hornets 10 2 8 0 256 532 -276 4
6 Mersey Storm 10 0 10 0 24 258 -234 -9
Final
  • North Wales Crusaders 46–40 Wigan Warriors A[7]

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

POS CLUB P W L D PF PA DIFF PTS
1 Sheffield Eagles (P) 8 8 0 0 756 88 465 16
2 York Knights 10 6 2 0 398 162 236 12
3 Bradford Bulls 10 4 4 0 170 276 -106 8
4 Hull KR 10 2 6 0 231 468 -237 4
5 Wakefield Trinity 10 0 8 0 108 466 -358 0

Championship West

POS CLUB P W L D PF PA DIFF PTS
1 Hereford Harriers 8 7 1 0 514 174 340 13
2 North Wales Crusaders 8 6 2 0 488 251 237 12
3 Warrington Wolves 8 4 4 0 430 348 82 8
4 Rochdale Hornets 8 2 6 0 275 527 -252 4
5 Widnes Vikings 8 1 7 0 200 607 -407 1

Championship South

POS CLUB P W L D PF PA DIFF PTS
1 Gravesend Dynamite 6 6 0 0 514 92 422 12
2 Woodlands Warriors 6 4 2 0 214 204 10 8
3 Brentwood Eels 6 2 4 0 158 344 -186 4
4 Bedford Tigers 6 0 6 0 140 386 -246 0

Playoffs

East v West Qualification match
21 September 2024
North Wales Crusaders 126–0 York Knights
Playoff Semi Final
28 September 2024
11:45
Sheffield Eagles 48–38 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 Institute of Sport, Sheffield
Attendance: 63
Playoff Semi Final
28 September 2024
12:30
Hereford Harriers 16–40 Gravesend Dynamite
Championship Grand Final
13 October 2024
14:30
Sheffield Eagles 38–36 AET Gravesend 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

In the 2025 Championship Final, Castleford Tigers won 58–46 against Rochdale Hornets.[10] Before the start of the season it was announced that Warrington Wolves would be promoted to the Super League for the 2026 season.[11] However, after the 2025 season Warrington withdrew their application and following a new application process Bradford Bulls were invited to become the eighth Super League team for 2026.[12]

Teams for 2025 season:[9]

  • Championship East
    Batley Bulldogs
    Bradford Bulls
    Castleford Tigers
    Hull KR
    Wakefield Trinity
    York Knights
  • Championship West
    Hereford Harriers
    North Wales Crusaders
    Rochdale Hornets
    Salford Red Devils
    Warrington Wolves
    Widnes Vikings

2026 season

The Championship was restructured into a single eight-team competition for the 2026 season.

Teams for 2026 Championship season:[12]

Batley Bulldogs
Castleford Tigers
Gravesend Dynamite
Hereford Harriers
North Wales Crusaders
Rochdale Hornets
Wakefield Trinity
York Knights

Titles

Season Champions Score Runners-up League Leaders' Shield
2020 Tournament abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Hereford Harriers 75–32 Warrington Wolves Hereford Harriers
2022 North Wales Crusaders 102–46 Hull FC North Wales Crusaders
2023 North Wales Crusaders 46–40 Wigan Warriors North Wales Crusaders
2024 Sheffield Eagles 38–36 Gravesend Dynamite Sheffield Eagles, Hereford Harriers, Gravesend Dynamite
2025 Castleford Tigers 58–46 Rochdale Hornets

Grand Finals

Team Winners Runners-up
North Wales Crusaders 2 (2022, 2023)
Castleford Tigers 1 (2025)
Hereford Harriers 1 (2021)
Sheffield Eagles 1 (2024)
Gravesend Dynamite 1 (2024)
Hull 1 (2022)
Rochdale Hornets 1 (2025)
Warrington Wolves 1 (2021)
Wigan Warriors 'A' 1 (2023)

Championship Leaders' Shield

Club No. Years
Hereford Harriers 2 2021, 2024
North Wales Crusaders 2 2022, 2023
Gravesend Dynamite 1 2024
Sheffield Eagles 1 2024

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. ^ a b "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. ^ a b "Leeds face Edinburgh in Wheelchair Super League opener". BBC Sport. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  10. ^ "Wheelchair Championship". Rugby Leaguer & League Express. No. 3500. 29 September 2025. p. 18.
  11. ^ "Betfred Wheelchair Super League fixtures confirmed as competition expands for 2025". RFL. 18 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Bulls to join Betfred Wheelchair Super League". RFL. 18 November 2025. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
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