Newly formed rugby league wheelchair team in Batley already have hands on World Cup!

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Batley Bulldogs’ rugby league wheelchair team has only been established for a couple of months - but its players have already had their hands on the World Cup.

Founded through the Batley Sporting Foundation, the charity arm of the Bulldogs, the wheelchair team held their first training session in July ahead of hopefully competing in Championship East for 2025.

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Wheelchair rugby league is a wheelchair, five-a-side version of the sport and people without disabilities are allowed to compete, with teams incorporating both men and women.

Andy Walker, who is the general manager of the wheelchair team as well as the community engagement officer at the foundation, said:

Batley Bulldogs now has a wheelchair rugby league league team.Batley Bulldogs now has a wheelchair rugby league league team.
Batley Bulldogs now has a wheelchair rugby league league team.

“The original idea for getting started at Batley came after the World Cup (2022) as it became very popular, especially with England winning it, it saw the popularity grow.

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“We applied for some grants so we could buy some wheelchairs and looked at where we could train and play. It was a long drawn-out affair, as we waited a long time for our wheelchairs to be made for us but it got to the stage where we could start training at the back end of July.

“And 16 players have come to us. Numbers are better than some well-established squads so we’re quite happy with that. We have had a lot of interest, including two people with a lot of experience. One is a Super League player which I am hoping we have signed.

“We also have a couple of Learning Disability Rugby League (LDRL) players from another team in West Yorkshire and a few more players who have found us from being Bulldogs supporters. 16 is not bad for a five-a-side sport.”

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Andy Walker, general manager of the Batley Bulldogs wheelchair team and community engagement officer at the Batley Sporting Foundation, right, with Martin Coyd, England Wheelchair Rugby League Manager, with the wheelchair world cup.Andy Walker, general manager of the Batley Bulldogs wheelchair team and community engagement officer at the Batley Sporting Foundation, right, with Martin Coyd, England Wheelchair Rugby League Manager, with the wheelchair world cup.
Andy Walker, general manager of the Batley Bulldogs wheelchair team and community engagement officer at the Batley Sporting Foundation, right, with Martin Coyd, England Wheelchair Rugby League Manager, with the wheelchair world cup.

And despite its infancy, the team was treated to the wheelchair world cup paying a visit to one of its training sessions.

“Just two weeks into the job and I already had my hands on the world cup,” Andy revealed. “We have had great support from the England wheelchair team and have had messages from the World Cup winning coach and Super League clubs have welcomed us too.

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“It is a friendly sport.”

Encouraging people to get involved, Andy added:

“Come and have a go. It’s fantastic. It is physical and it is tiring, especially if you are not used to pushing a wheelchair around at 100mph. There are a few collisions but you don’t really feel the impact.

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“It really is so much fun. Come and have a go and jump in at the deep end.”

Club wheelchair rugby league rolls towards its summit on Sunday, October 13 with the Super League grand final between Halifax Panthers and Leeds Rhinos.

To get involved with Batley Bulldogs’ wheelchair team, visit one of their training sessions at Batley Grammar School, on Carlinghow Hill, any Wednesday evening, 6.30pm to 8pm.

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