IT’S FAST, IT’S BRUTAL AND IT’S EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN A RUGBY LEAGUE MATCH... IT’S JUST DONE IN A WHEELCHAIR

Leeds to face Catalans in Wheelchair Challenge Cup final

IT’S fast, frenetic, skilful, and quickly becoming one of the sport’s big attractions.

And today wheelchair rugby league looks to showcase its growing appeal again when Leeds Rhinos face newcomers Catalans Dragons in the Challenge Cup final.

Many of those involved warmed up for the event when starring in last week’s epic international between England and reigning world champions France.

Leeds’ skilful Nathan Collins won plenty of admirers for his classy performance in helping England prosper 62-48 (he celebrates victory, right).

And now he is looking to back it up as Rhinos aim to retain the Cup they won as part of last year’s historic treble success.

“For me, Tom Halliwell and Josh Butler, it was a really good game to also get us going for this weekend with Leeds,” said Collins.

“It was a hard match against some of the Catalans players who’ll be playing in the Challenge Cup final as well. Hopefully we can do it again and I believe we can.”

Wheelchair rugby league is the most inclusive and accessible variant of the sport for all abilities.

It offers both disabled – like Collins

– and non-disabled players the chance to compete with and against each other.

No matter what gender or age, all players in the five-aside games compete on a level playing field. Each team includes three physically disabled players and two nondisabled players, all must play in a sports wheelchair and games last 80 minutes.

Conversions are scored by punching the ball over the mini-posts from a tee, and tackles are made in the same way as Tag Rugby, by pulling off an attached tag. But some of the collisions as players manoeuvre around the court are colossal.

Collins admitted: “It can be brutal but I’ve played this sport for close to 12 years now and kind of got used to the hits.

“They still get me now and again but, once you’re in the middle, you’re focused just on what’s ahead.

“I do love it. I could talk about it all day. It’s fast, skilful, there’s big hits and everything you’d want to see in rugby league, but it’s just done in a wheelchair.”

Collins, 21, had played rugby league from an early age but took up wheelchair rugby aged 10.

He added: “I really enjoyed it and kept coming back each week. It took me a couple of years to really get the hang of it and be able to push, catch the ball, move skilfully and get past players.

“You have to get used to the chair first. But once I got to about 15, I stopped playing the running game and decided to focus on wheelchair rugby league.

“Later that year I got picked to play for England in the World Cup at 16 years old. That was just amazing to be a part of.

“We didn’t win the final but to be there and be in the top 10 in the world at that age was great.”

He desperately hopes to lift more silverware with his club at Hull’s Allam Arena today.

And then set the World Cup record straight when that tournament kicks off against Australia in London on November 3.