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The final round of Betfred League 1 in 2022 starts today (Saturday) with promotion hopefuls North Wales Crusaders hosting Swinton Lions.

The game is not taking place in Colwyn Bay owing to pitch maintenance at Stadium Eirias with Victoria Park in Warrington hosting the Crusaders.

Swinton currently occupy second place on points difference with North Wales in third. With both teams locked on 30 points, this winner-takes-all clash will decide who finishes as runners-up behind champions Keighley Cougars.

Last time out in round 21, Keighley lifted the league title in front of nearly 3,000 fans at Cougar Park with a 50-16 win over North Wales – Charlie Graham and Jack Miller both bagged braces for Rhys Lovegrove’s men.

For Swinton, they recovered from going 6-0 down early in the piece to overwhelm play-off chasing Oldham 35-6 at Heywood Road.

The Roughyeds are involved in a straight shoot out for the final play-off place with Hunslet at Whitebank tomorrow. 

Despite the loss to Swinton, Stuart Littler’s troops know victory over the Parksiders, who were beaten 32-20 at home by Doncaster under the South Leeds Stadium lights, will secure sixth.

If Oldham do sneak into the end of season lottery, then Hunslet will point to a dismal end to the campaign in which their form has imploded as the root cause of a failure to match their finish from 2021.

Doncaster welcome London Skolars to the Eco-Power Stadium knowing that a victory will secure fourth place ahead of Rochdale who occupy fifth.

The Hornets welcome Keighley to Spotland with a four-figure gate expected as the champions look to make it an unprecedented 20 wins from as many games in 2022. The only blot on an exemplary Keighley copybook this year came in the Betfred Challenge Cup when they lost to Hunslet.

Although Rochdale will be looking to do what no other side had done in the league so far this year, the Hornets will be buoyed by their record-breaking 102-4 win over basement dwellers West Wales Raiders six days ago.

The Hornets crossed the whitewash an incredible 19 times as Cian Tyrer ended with 38 points overall (thirteen goals and three tries). There was also trebles for Jy Hitchcox and Gree McNally as Rochdale ran riot against the shell-shocked visitors.

The final game of round 22 sees Cornwall travel to Portway to face Midlands Hurricanes. The Solihull based side were Cornwall’s first ever opponents at the Mem back in April and Richard Squires’ charges prevailed 60-14.

Thanks in no small part to a point a minute opening 40, Cornwall did improve after the turnaround and scored tries through Harry Aaronson, Adam Jones and Sam Snell.

Midlands know that victory coupled with a defeat for London at Doncaster will hoist them into eighth while for Cornwall, another two point return will double the Choughs’ tally for this, the club’s maiden professional campaign. 

Betfred League 1 round 22 fixtures – 3.00pm Sunday unless stated

Doncaster vs London Skolars

Midlands Hurricanes vs Cornwall

North Wales Crusaders vs Swinton Lions (at Victoria Park, Warrington) 2.30pm Saturday

Oldham vs Hunslet

Rochdale Hornets vs Keighley Cougars