Dylan’s Wales World Cup call

A local lad will be pulling on the Welsh jersey this Sunday to compete at the first Physical Disability Rugby League (PDRL) World Cup, which is running alongside the Rugby League World Cup that got underway last Saturday.

Dylan Hughes (left) has been named in the 15-man Welsh set-up, and is a mainstay in the successful Leeds Rhinos physical disability side that is regarded as one of Britain’s best.

The 24-year-old was born with right sided hemiplegia cerebral palsy, and at that time his parents David and Claire were told that he would never walk and talk.

But the determined youngster went on to graduate from university with a degree in Sports Science, and is currently working at Morrisons Welshpool. 

“I’m so excited to be able to represent Wales in the World Cup,” said Dylan, who lives in Llanrhaeadr-Ym-Mochnant. “It’s a chance that I never thought I would be able to achieve, and for anyone with a disability, never accept that you cannot achieve your goals.

“It might not be how you initially envisaged, but the opportunities are out there and may lead you to places that you never thought you would go.”

This is the first physical disability World Cup with England, Australia and New Zealand making up the four-team competition, and TV celebrity Adam Hills is a part of the Australian side.

Dylan started playing Rugby League in January 2018, when Leeds Rhinos started up their PDRL team – his local club as the family was living in Yorkshire at the time.

He had previously played able bodied Rugby Union for Cleckheaton up to Under 19 level, but didn’t see himself continuing into open age rugby due to his disability.

Dylan played in the first-ever game of PDRL in the northern hemisphere on February 4, 2018 when his Leeds Rhinos beat hosts Warrington Wolves. Hills, host of Channel 4’s The Last Leg, was in the Warrington line-up and is named in the Australia squad at the World Cup.

The Wales PDRL team started up earlier this year, with the majority based in south Wales supported by several from the Rhinos set-up.

Wales, viewed as tournament underdogs, will kick-off their campaign against New Zealand at the Victoria Park Arena, Warrington, on Sunday.