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
2023 European Club Challenge
| 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 | Jérémy 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 | ||
2024 European Club Challenge
| 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 | Jérémy 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
| Club | No. | Years | 
|---|---|---|
|  Catalans Dragons | 2 | 2023, 2024 | 
|  Halifax Panthers | 1 | 2023 | 
Italics indicates shared title
References
- ^ "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.