Jodie Boyd-Ward will write her name into Wheelchair Rugby League history on Monday when she becomes the first player to reach 50 international caps. The Wales captain leads her side against New Zealand in the fifth-place play-off semi-final in Wollongong (00:00 GMT), a match that will also be the first between the two nations in the wheelchair form of the sport.
Boyd-Ward’s milestone cap is her 21st for Wales. She has also represented England 22 times and Ireland seven times, bringing her to the half-century. The Leeds Rhinos skipper will wear the Wales armband for the occasion.
A landmark achievement
Wales head coach Alan Caron described Boyd-Ward’s feat as extraordinary, noting that she is the first player in the world to reach the mark in Wheelchair Rugby League and the first woman to do so. He said she deserves considerable praise for her contribution to the sport.
The match carries additional significance for the Wales squad. Andrew Higgins, the team’s leading goal-scorer, will look to add to his total of 158 goals as he earns his 40th Wales cap. He joins Stuart Williams, who has scored 77 tries for Wales, in reaching that appearance milestone.
Father and son make Wales history
Martin and Matthew Turner will play together for Wales for the first time, a landmark moment for the national side at a World Cup. Caron welcomed the opportunity for the pair to finally line up alongside each other, calling it a particularly pleasing development for the team.
Wales go into the New Zealand fixture on the back of a 92-18 victory over the United States, their first win of the tournament. Sid Ramsey and Mark Williams have been recalled to the side following that result.
The Wales line-up for the match is: Sid Ramsey, Fionn McCabe, Andrew Higgins, Jodie Boyd-Ward, Stuart Williams, Matthew Turner, Mark Williams and Martin Turner. Jonathan Gill and John Berriman are named as reserves.
New Zealand first and Scotland fixture
The meeting with New Zealand is a new chapter for Wales in the wheelchair game, with the two countries having never previously faced each other in the sport. The fixture is one of two fifth-place play-off semi-finals scheduled for Monday, with Scotland taking on the United States in the later match (02:30 GMT).
The Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup runs from 30 October to 13 November in Wollongong, Australia. Wales will hope the occasion brings both a historic personal milestone and a first victory over their trans-Tasman opponents.
