Celtic Challenge 2024-2025 Season to Begin with Welsh Derbies

The 2024-2025 Celtic Challenge tournament is scheduled to commence with two consecutive Welsh derby matches. This competition has previously served as a platform for the international careers of players such as Wales hooker Molly Reardon. Gwalia Lightning is set to host Brython Thunder at Ystrad Mynach on Saturday, 21 December, with kick-off at 14:30 GMT. The return fixture between these two teams will take place one week later, on Saturday, 28 December, at Parc y Scarlets, also at 14:30. This cross-border competition comprises six participating teams. Ireland will be represented by Wolfhounds and Clovers, while Edinburgh and Glasgow will be the two Scottish teams. For the current season, the tournament’s structure has been expanded, requiring teams to compete against each other in both home and away fixtures. The Welsh squads are slated for announcement in December and are expected to feature a mix of established international players and promising new talent, as in previous seasons. Last season’s tournament saw participation from Wales’ Alex Callender, Sioned Harries, Natalia John, Meg Webb, and Nel Metcalfe. Additionally, Gwennan Hopkins, Catherine Richards, Sian Jones, and Molly Reardon leveraged the competition to achieve international recognition in this year’s Six Nations and WXV2. Catrina Nicholas-Mclaughlin, coach for Gwalia Lightning, stated: “To have a Welsh derby to kick off the new Celtic Challenge campaign will focus the minds of both sets of players and coaches on the first weekend.“Both teams have one win each from last season and there is always an extra edge when you play against another Welsh team.” Ashley Beck, coach of Brython Thunder, commented: “We all know each other, and these are the games that you always look for when the fixtures are announced.“Gwalia caught us cold in the first fixture last season, but we were deserved winners in the return game at Parc y Scarlets in the final game of the campaign.”” Details of the full Celtic Challenge fixtures are accessible via an external link.