Former Super League stalwart Patrick Ah Van lands Championship deal for 2026
Patrick Ah Van in action for North Wales Crusaders in 2022
Former NRL and Super League stalwart Patrick Ah Van has sealed a return to Championship outfit North Wales Crusaders, penning a deal until the end of 2026.
Cult hero Ah Van first represented Crusaders on loan in 2018 during his time as a Widnes Vikings player.
The iconic winger has since enjoyed two permanent stints with the Welsh side, and only departed at the end of the 2025 campaign.
But now, with his 38th birthday coming up next month, he has agreed a deal which sees him return to the Eirias Stadium until the end of this year: going him the opportunity to add to his 83 appearances for the club.
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Former Super League stalwart Patrick Ah Van lands Championship deal for 2026
Auckland-born Ah Van began his career Down Under and featured 54 times in the NRL for New Zealand Warriors.
Having represented Samoa on the international front via his heritage in 2009, he arrived in Super League with Bradford Bulls in 2011 and also went on to represent Widnes in the British game’s top tier.
Racking up 125 games at Super League level and scoring 82 tries in the process as well as kicking 143 goals, Ah Van has also enjoyed stints at Oldham and in the French game with Villegailhenc-Aragon.
Between the British game and the NRL, 37-year-old Ah Van has already tallied over 300 appearances across all competitions and is fast approaching the 200-mark for tries scored.
Crusaders, who won the League 1 title last term with Ah Van forming part of their squad, announced his return via social media earlier this week and confirmed that he would go straight into contention for this weekend’s clash against Swinton Lions.
The veteran joins Dean Muir’s side, whose only victory so far this term came in the Challenge Cup Second Round against community club Bedford Tigers, who they beat 110-0.
Muir’s side went on to lose their Championship opener away against Widnes 28-14 and then last weekend were knocked out of the Challenge Cup at the Third Round stage by Super League side Leigh, with the Leopards 60-6 winners in Colwyn Bay.
