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Eagles Wheelchair play host to Rochdale

25/03/2022

Sheffield Eagles will be looking to reverse their fortunes from last year’s friendly against Rochdale Hornets as the pair clash in Sunday’s Championship North Wheelchair Rugby League fixture.

The game will be the first to be held at Sheffield College’s Hillsborough campus, with a 2pm kick off. Spectators are welcome although there is limited provision for spectators.

The Eagles have suffered two defeats so far in the league and will be looking to put their season on track and a win would move them off the bottom of the table.

Chris Haynes is unavailable owing to injury, but otherwise head coach Greg Brown has a full squad to select his final team of ten from with Stephen Scott and David Butler hoping to make their competitive debuts.  

 Rochdale meanwhile will be making their League debut having delayed the start of their campaign as they refurbished their Wheelchairs.

The Eagles will be familiar with some of the faces with Sophie Bamford, Joshua Hart, Michael Hart and Debbie Johnson-Brown all having played in the friendly against the Eagles as well as Hornets danger man Kyran Holt who scored three of Rochdale’s tries in the encounter.

“We know a little bit more about Rochdale from our previous game,” explained Greg Brown.

“We’ve improved since we played them in that first end, but I am sure that they have also used their time over the winter wisely and will provide us with some solid opposition.

"It’ll be a new venue to us too, so we’ll need to adapt to that early on, but I am sure if we stick to our game plan and structure we can put in a positive performance.”

Eagles: Vicky Brooks, Will Brooks, David Butler, Lottie Davis-Browne, Jack Johnson, Shaun Orton, Stephen Palin-Campbell, Emma Pearson, Jenny Pearson, Stacey Roulson, Stephen Scott

Rochdale: Sophie Bamford, Gavin Dobson, Joshua Hart, Michael Hart, Kyran Holt, Bradley Johnson-Brown, Debbie Johnson-Brown