Adam Hills can’t wait to take part in the first ever Physical Disability Rugby League (PDRL) World Cup this year and raise the profile of that version of the sport.
Popular broadcaster and comedian Hills could line up for either Australia or hosts England, two of the four teams who will compete alongside New Zealand and Wales.
And it will be extra special for him because the entire tournament – held as a showcase event alongside the full World Cup, of which Hills is an ambassador – will be held in Warrington.
He helped set up the Warrington Wolves PDRL team, featuring in the first match ever played in the UK in 2018, and has been a keen advocate for the game ever since, driving a surge in interest and the establishment of a league.
A first World Cup is the next stage of that progress, and will feature a round-robin group stage with matches between the four competing teams on October 23, 25 and 28 at Victoria Park.
The draw for the group stage will be made next Friday (July 29), live on Hills’ Channel 4 show, The Last Leg.
The final will then be held between the top two sides in the group at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on October 30, following a men’s World Cup game between Samoa and France.
“I’ve been looking forward to playing in the PDRL World Cup for a long time, and now the nations and fixture dates have been confirmed it’s feeling very real,” said Hills, who was born with one leg and wears a prosthetic limb.
“To have the tournament in this country and as part of the RLWC2021 is a brilliant opportunity to really raise the profile of this fantastic game, and hopefully encourage more people with a physical disability to get involved.”
Although it is not an official part of this autumn’s World Cup, PDRL’s presence could potentially lead to bigger things in the same way as the wheelchair game.
World Cup chief Jon Dutton said: “We are proud to provide the platform for a PDRL World Cup showcase event, and we hope that the sport may follow Wheelchair Rugby League, which featured in the RLWC2017 as a showcase event and is now a cemented feature within the RLWC2021 tournament.”
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