Crusaders admitted into Championship 1

North Wales Crusaders have been successfully admitted into Championship 1 for next season.

It brings to a close a four month campaign in order to keep rugby league in Wales after Crusaders withdrew their Super League licence application due to a lack of financial funding.

The club have also confirmed they will play at the renamed Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium, the Crusaders home for the last two seasons.

Over 5,000 supporters and 300 local businesses supported the ‘Save the Cru’ campaign to keep rugby league in the area and preserve the only professional rugby team of either code in North Wales.

Acting chief executive Jamie Thomas said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have managed to rescue the club from the brink of extinction and it’s a testament to the fans for the unwavering supporting throughout what has been a really tough time.

“So much hard work has been put in to develop the game in the community it would have been a travesty if all of that had gone to waste. North Wales has embraced Rugby League and the fans have really taken it to their hearts. This is the dawn of a real solid future for the game in the region.”

“The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium clearly a fantastic facility that has been home to some really exciting matches over the last couple of years and long may that continue. We are delighted to have reached a fantastic agreement with the University and look forward to working with them long into the future.”

The university, located next to the stadium, bought the facility earlier this year and will remain as home to the new Crusaders club and Wrexham FC.

Pro Vice-Chancellor of Glyndŵr University, Doctor Allan Howells said: “This is excellent news for Wrexham. Rugby League has really taken off in the town.

“This Sunday’s Wales v Australia international will be another fantastic opportunity to showcase the stadium as a venue for Rugby League and strong ticket sales we’ve seen for the match show a real appetite for the sport locally. We’re delighted that fans of the sport in Wrexham and beyond will be able to continue coming to the stadium and following Crusaders here.”

Chairman of Crusaders Supporters Club Chris Jones said: “We’re absolutely over the moon. At one stage the future was looking really doubtful, and to have come from a massive low of dropping out of Super League to the high of saving professional rugby league in North Wales from extinction is brilliant news.”