 Crusaders' Mark Dalle Cort celebrates his try with Luke Dyer |
"Everyone wants to beat us," one Wigan fan grumbled after seeing the Cherry & Whites suffer a shock 22-16 defeat by Super League's newest franchise, Celtic Crusaders. His thoughts were backed up by Wigan head coach Brian Noble who described the performance as "embarrassing". A decade ago, it would have been an unconceivable thought that the great Wigan could lose to a Super League side from south Wales. Granted, Wigan are no longer the powerhouse they once were, but while many will concentrate on their failings, what should not be overlooked is the significance of the Crusaders' win. Not only have the Welsh side avoided the tag of the worst side in Super League history - that remains with Halifax who ended Super League VIII with just the single win - but the sporting map of Bridgend and the surrounding area is also being redrawn. There has been plenty of discussion of the future of both rugby codes in the area following the demise of the Celtic Warriors rugby union side. And it is this void that the Crusaders are hoping to fill by paying attention to all rungs of the sporting ladder. Schools in Bridgend now run rugby league teams with Brynteg, whose alumni include Robert Howley and Gavin Henson, winning the Powergen Schools Championship. Last month the Crusaders Under-18s side lifted the Gillette National Youth League after a 32-0 victory over Leigh Miners Rangers. Amazingly, most of that team have been playing rugby league for a matter of months, while man-of-the-match Alex Webber only made his league debut on St David's day this year.  | 606: DEBATE |
Webber and three other members of the academy team will also tour Australia with the Great Britain Under-18s squad. And head coach John Dixon is confident that a number of young Welshmen will eventually play Super League rugby. But Dixon knows that for the short-term that the likes of Webber will have no bearing on the Crusaders success. A significant proportion of the 5,000-plus crowd who witnessed the first Super League victory at the Brewery Field on Saturday were there out of curiosity. Many will undoubtedly return after such an inspired performance. Compare this with the 2,000-odd who suffered the humiliating 50-6 defeat to Wakefield a fortnight earlier - a result and performance that did very little to enhance the club's reputation within the region. It is a difficult task to attract supporters when the team is not doing the job on the pitch. And the Crusaders know that with rugby league being played in the summer, there is huge potential for drawing sizeable crowds. Last year Crusaders prop Mark Bryant won the NRL Grand Final with his previous club Manly and admits that life with a team who have only won two from 16 is very different. But he said with a smile on his face: "Wigan and Bradford, they're not bad scalps."
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