Rugby League

League 1

Sunday 18th June 2023

Kick Off 14.30

North Wales Crusaders 62 Midlands Hurricanes 24, attendance 235

@ Nant Conwy R.U.F.C.

Pant Y Carw (B5106)

Llanrwst

LL26 0PW

£15 Admission

No Programme.

An overnight stay in the North West meant an easy drive into North Wales for this game. Crusaders normal home venue at Eirias Stadium in Colwyn Bay, which I have yet to visit, was unavailable due to delays in the laying of a new 3G pitch, so today’s game was moved to here in Llanrwst.

The game was 7th versus 8th in the league table and went very much the way of the hosts, as expected, as they made it four wins on the trot, having beaten the bottom three clubs in consecutive matches (London Skolars, Cornwall and today’s visitors in the reverse fixture) coming into this. It was never really a contest. Crusaders already led 30-0 before Hurricanes managed a try of their own. By halftime it was 34-6.

An early second half try made it 38-6, before Hurricanes ran in three unanswered tries, all converted, to pull it back to 38-24, but it was just too far a deficit to pull back. Crusaders stepped it up again from here and ran in four more tries to take a comfortable 62-24 win.

Luckily, the heavy rain and thunderstorms didn’t arrive until late in the game. The last ten minutes saw puddles start to form on the pitch, but no problem with getting the game finished. The stand offered protection from the rain, but not too sure how safe it was sitting in a metal stand with lightning flashing overhead.

The homeward journey was a 5 hour slog, via A470, A5, M54, M6, M42, M40 and M25. Crusaders are at home for the next two matches as well, with venue yet to be confirmed, so I could be doing it all again sooner than expected, if they play somewhere I’ve yet to see a game at….fingers crossed!