Rugby stars teamed up with loyal fans for a night of bowling fun.
Players from the North Wales Crusaders mingled with members of their supporters club and their families at Tenpin at Eagles Meadow shopping centre in Wrexham for their third annual bowling night.
Centre Christiaan Roets, 33, paid tribute to the club’s passionate following.
He said: “The fans give us great support and this is a great way to give something back. It just goes to show that the club goes beyond the norm, and there is a real community feel here.
“I do enjoy bowling, and the fans seem to be enjoying it and it looks to be a big success. Our form seems to be on the way up so hopefully we can take this for through to the end of the season.
“It’s been a great night, and it’s a great opportunity for the fans and the players to meet and to get to know each other.”
The South African born Welsh international added: “When I was a kid I looked up at players and they are your heroes, and an opportunity to interact with your hero is any kid’s dream, so it’s a great opportunity for them to get involved.”
One such fan was Casey Bathers, 11, from Fron, who said: “I’m a big Crusaders fan. It was amazing to meet the players, and they’re really nice. I love bowling and I’m having a really fun night.”
According to Chris Woodward the duty manager at Tenpin the night was a huge success.
He said: “All of the lanes are booked up, and we have a few deals on, so everybody is making the most of that. It’s a good busy night.
“Tenpin are very keen to get behind the Crusaders and the supporters club. They do a lot of work in and around the community, so we want to work together to help them. We do a lot of charity events.
Supporters Club Chairman Chris Jones was grateful to the team at Tenpin at Eagles Meadow for their support.
He said: “Tenpin have really got behind this. They’ve been really good with us, and it’s worked really well.
“Eagles Meadow is a very nice place to come. I’ve got friends who live in the Wirral, and they came down here last week for a day out and they thought it was marvellous. I was quite surprised that they had come from so far away. They came to Wrexham and they thought it was lovely.
“The players have really got behind the as well because I think they realise how good our support is away from home, so I think this is their way of paying back the fan’s loyalty. There’s a really strong bond between the players and the fans.
“The fans here are really passionate, and the majority of the fans here today travel to most of the away games as well, so we all know each other inside out and there’s a really good family atmosphere.
“It expensive to go away every weekend but as a supporters club we try and keep the prices down to a minimum. When the players play like they are with their away form it is value for money to be fair.
“For a home season ticket you’re talking £145. Away matches will cost around £40 a time, plus you drinks, and food, and the coach.
“My best memory as a crusaders fan was probably winning the league last year and winning the northern rail final at Halifax.”
Eagles Meadow Manager Kevin Critchley, a native of Warrington, is a big rugby league fan himself.
He said: “The North Wales Crusaders are a community based team and it’s great to see them socialising with their fans in this way.”
