Rugby League’s Widnes Wonders: Compiling an Ultimate 13 of Active Players Born or Raised in the Cheshire Town
As part of our summer-long tour of rugby league’s most renowned towns and cities, Love Rugby League now turns its attention to the Cheshire town of Widnes. Once known as a Lancashire town, Widnes and its local rugby league club, the Widnes Vikings, have produced a wealth of international talent over the years.
Kicking off our dream line-up of active players born or raised in Widnes is current Vikings captain, Jack Owens. The 29-year-old has spent the majority of his career with his hometown club, save for brief stints at St Helens and Leigh. Joining Owens in the backline are fellow Widnes products Ryan Ince and Ben Davies, the latter of whom now plies his trade with Super League champions St Helens.
The midfield sees the inclusion of England international Mark Percival, a one-club man at St Helens, and Jon Bennison, who hails from neighbouring Runcorn but spent time in the Widnes youth system before making the switch to the Saints.
In the halves, we have Wigan Warriors star Harry Smith, a proud Widnesian who came through the Halton Farnworth Hornets junior club, and Lewis Dodd, the former St Helens playmaker who will join the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL from 2025.
The pack is headlined by Widnes-born prop George Delaney, who has made a name for himself at St Helens, as well as Chris Atkin, the Salford utility back who came through the Vikings’ academy. Twins Jay and Ted Chapelhow, both former Widnes players, feature in the forwards, alongside Sam Walters, who made the move from the Vikings to Leeds and now Wigan, and Adam Lawton, a Widnes junior who has returned to the club in recent years.
Rounding out the 13 is Jarrod O’Connor, the son of former Great Britain international Terry, who like Walters, came through the Widnes system before joining Leeds.
“Widnes and its local rugby league club, the Widnes Vikings, have produced a wealth of international talent over the years.”
🔗 Source
