WALES host the Wheelchair Celtic Cup this Saturday with one of their players on the brink of history.
If she takes to the pitch at the Archers Arena, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Brogan Evans will become the first person in the world to earn a senior international cap in more than one of the three major international Rugby League disciplines (men, women and wheelchair).
Wales head coach Alan Caron said: “Brogan’s workrate in the build-up to this tournament has been second to none.
“Her ball skills are already there of course, and the fact she won multiple awards in the women’s game a couple of years ago just proves what she can accomplish. I know she’ll grip this opportunity with both hands.”
Evans, who also plays for North Wales Crusaders in the Welsh League, is joined by 39-year-old Jonathan Gill and 16-year-old Jakub Wasieczko (both, similarly, of North Wales) as potential debutants in the ten-player squad.
The party also includes last season’s Super League-winning captain, Jodie Boyd-Ward of Leeds Rhinos, who was co-captain on Wales’ tour to USA last year, together with Stuart Williams, who captained Wales in the 2022 World Cup. Both missed the Celtic Cup in 2024.
Jess Booth (North Wales), Alex Powell (Torfaen Tigers/Hereford Harriers), Lee Sargent (Cardiff Blue Dragons/Hereford), Scott Trigg-Turner and Mark Williams (both Torfaen/Wigan) remain in the line-up from last year’s competition.
Ireland have selected a very experienced squad, with just the one newcomer in Leinster’s Jack Shannon Cole, who was introduced to wheelchair Rugby League in late 2024 and has featured in all seven matches for Leinster so far in 2025.
Tom Martin makes his first appearance since RL World Cup 2022, having first debuted in 2015. The remaining eight all played in Ireland’s Celtic Cup win last year.
Newly-appointed captain Joe Calcott leads the team – the first Rugby League Ireland squad to include players representing all four provinces – for the first time.
Scotland could award their 50th cap on Saturday after naming the uncapped Edinburgh Giants trio of Sarah Devlin, Hamish Douglas and Mark Robertson, all of whom were born in Scotland, in their ten-player squad. The Bravehearts have fielded 48 players so far in their 13-year history.
Five players remain from last year’s Celtic Cup, whilst Olivia Fulton, along with former Newsround presenter Martin Dougan, both return after last playing in 2023.
The Scotland squad is: Connor Blackmore, Calum Davidson, Sarah Devlin, Hamish Douglas, Olivia Fulton, David Hill, Mark Robertson, John Willans (Edinburgh), Martin Dougan (Rochdale Hornets), Calum Japes (Castleford Tigers).
Ireland’s squad, meanwhile, is Toby Burton Carter, Mel Griffith (Leinster/Wigan), Joseph Calcott (Connacht/Halifax Panthers), Cian Horgan, James McCarthy (Munster), Peter Johnston (Argonauts), Tom Martin (Ulster/Halifax), Phil Roberts (Connacht/Wigan), Jack Shannon Cole, Oran Spain (Leinster).
Schedule: 11.00am: Wales v Scotland, 1.00pm: Scotland v Ireland, 3.00pm: Wales v Ireland.
Admission can be paid at the gate, but the Wales RL will only accept card payments.
