Rivals to play for the Adam Watene Trophy

Sunday’s Engage Super League clash between neighbours and rivals Castleford Tigers and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats will also have something extra at stake, the Adam Watene Trophy.

The trophy, which is named after the late Wildcats’ prop forward, was donated for designated matches between the two clubs following the New Zealander’s untimely death in 2009 and it is put up for contest in one match between the Wildcats and Tigers each year.

Castleford are the current holders of the trophy from when they won the Adam Watene Memorial game in 2009

The trophy that was specially commissioned by Adam’s partner Moana, was sculpted in New Zealand and it was given a special Maori blessing before being flown to the UK.

The Trophy will be presented to the winner of Sunday’s game by Councillors Clive and Heather Hudson who hosted Adam when he first came to this country. Clive was also a member of the Adam Watene Memorial Committee.

Francis Stephenson, the Wildcats’ Director of Operations who chaired the Watene Committee, said: “The trophy is a fitting memorial to a fine player and respected man. It’ll add something extra to a fixture that is already a very special event for many people not only in the Wakefield and Castleford areas but around the whole of Rugby League.”