Wales captain Jodie Boyd-Ward is set to make history as the first player in wheelchair rugby league to win 50 international caps. The Leeds Rhinos skipper will lead her national side in the World Cup fifth-place play-off semi-final against New Zealand in Wollongong on Monday.
Historic Milestones for Wales
Boyd-Ward reaches the milestone with 21 caps for Wales, alongside 22 appearances for England and seven for Ireland. Teammates Andrew Higgins and Stuart Williams will each earn their 40th Wales cap during the fixture. Higgins enters the match as Wales’ top goal-scorer with 158 goals, while Williams leads the try-scoring statistics with 77 tries.
The fixture in Australia also marks a historic moment for a father and son, as Martin and Matthew Turner take the court to play together for the first time in a World Cup landmark for Wales. Additionally, the match represents the first-ever meeting between Wales and New Zealand in the wheelchair code of the sport. Scotland and the United States are scheduled to meet in the subsequent fifth-place play-off semi-final later on Monday.
Squad Updates and Head Coach Reaction
Head coach Alan Caron made adjustments to the squad following a 92-18 victory over the United States, which marked the team’s first win of the tournament, recalling Sid Ramsey and Mark Williams. Caron praised the historic achievement of his captain to BBC Sport, calling it an absolutely incredible milestone.
To be the first player in the world to reach that milestone in Wheelchair Rugby League, and the first female to do so, is something very special, according to Caron, who added that she deserves enormous credit for her contributions to the sport. He also expressed satisfaction at seeing Martin and Matthew Turner finally get the chance to play alongside each other for Wales.
The complete Wales line-up for the match features Sid Ramsey, Fionn McCabe, Andrew Higgins, Jodie Boyd-Ward, Stuart Williams, Matthew Turner, Mark Williams, and Martin Turner, with Jonathan Gill and John Berriman named as reserves.
