A FORMER Women’s Super League player could become a wheelchair international after switching games following an injury.
Brogan Evans has been named in Wales’ 14-player squad ahead of the Celtic Cup, which will be contested with Ireland and Scotland in Cardiff on Saturday, May 24.
Head coach Alan Caron will trim the party back to ten players for the tournament itself, but history will be made if Evans is selected for her debut.
In that event, she will become the first person to represent Wales wheelchair in addition to a Wales RL running side, having featured for the women in 2023 against England.
Evans played in Super League for Salford Red Devils that year, then moved to Wigan Warriors ahead of the 2024 season.
But in her second game for Wigan, against Barrow Raiders in the Challenge Cup, she suffered a serious knee injury, rupturing her ACL and MCL.
Wales media manager Ian Golden said: “Injury has forced Evans to, hopefully temporarily, give up the running game, so she’s switched to wheelchair and is playing with Salford Red Devils in the Wheelchair Championship.
Caron added: “Brogan is new to the sport but obviously played Rugby League in a running format. I think she’s been fantastic, dynamic, very bubbly and she’s fitted so well into the group.”
Evans is one of three uncapped players named in the Welsh squad.
Golden continued: “The other two newcomers are Jonathan Gill and Jakub Wasieczko, both of whom have played a starring role for North Wales Crusaders in both the WRL Wheelchair Development League and the RFL Championship.
“Five players return after missing last year’s Celtic Cup, with last year’s Super League-winning captain, Jodie Boyd-Ward of Leeds Rhinos, heading the list after co-captaining Wales on tour to USA over a year ago.
“North Wales Crusaders duo Lucie Roberts and Stuart Williams, the latter captaining Wales in the World Cup in 2022, are also both back in the squad for the first time in two years, whilst Torfaen Tigers’ father-and-son stars, Jason and Jamie Reynolds, return for the first time since 2021.
“The remaining squad members, Jess Booth, Richard Carver, Alex Powell, Lee Sargent, Scott Trigg-Turner and Mark Williams, all played for Wales in last year’s Celtic Cup.”
Caron said: “We’re looking ahead to Wales going to the World Cup in 2026. We’ve a very talented group of players and it’s not just about this year, it’s about what can do going into the next Celtic Cup and into the World Cup.
“It’s great to have Stuart back. He brings a dynamic of his own. He’s always been in the background supporting us even when he wasn’t available at all last year, plus Jodie is another influence. She’s still playing at the highest level with Leeds Rhinos and having her back in the squad gives us another dynamic.
“We’ve had a few players who have pulled out of the squad for personal reasons so that’s given us the opportunity for others to come in and to be seen. I’m a big believer that when opportunity comes, you need to take it.
“Jonathan has been on the radar as a Crusaders player and could have been selected last season but wasn’t available.
“Jakub, who turned 16 just last year, has been absolutely one to watch for a while and it will be lovely to get him into the squad and see what he can produce.
The train-on squad is: Lee Sargent (Cardiff Blue Dragons), Richard Carver (Hereford Harriers), Jodie Boyd-Ward (Leeds Rhinos), Jess Booth, Jonathan Gill, Lucie Roberts, Jakub Wasieczko, Stuart Williams (all North Wales Crusaders), Brogan Evans (Salford Red Devils), Alex Powell, Jamie Reynolds, Jason Reynolds (all Torfaen Tigers), Scott Trigg-Turner, Mark Williams (both Wigan Warriors/Torfaen Tigers).
The schedule at Cardiff Metropolitan University on Saturday, May 24 is: 11.00am: Wales v Scotland; 1.00pm: Scotland v Ireland; 3.00pm: Wales v Ireland. Admission is £6 (under 16s free).
