England national wheelchair rugby league team

Last updated

England
Team information
Governing body Rugby Football League
Region Europe
IRL ranking 1 Steady2.svg (21 July 2025) [1]
Team results
World Cup
Appearances4 (first time in 2008 )
Best resultWinners (2008, 2021)

The England national wheelchair rugby league team represents England in wheelchair rugby league. The team have played in all four World Cup tournaments, winning both the inaugural competition in 2008 [2] and the 2021 edition on home soil, [3] and being runners up in both 2013 and 2017. [4] [5] They also won the 2015 European Rugby League Championship. [6]

Contents

Wheelchair rugby league was introduced to England in July 2005 when a team from France toured Yorkshire. On 4 May 2006, the Rugby League International Federation accepted a proposal by France to endorse wheelchair rugby league. Later that month a team representing Great Britain began a tour of France and played the first official test match on 3 June 2006 losing 20–6 to their hosts. [7] The England team was established in 2007 under the auspices of the British Wheelchair Tag Rugby League Association and played its first test match, against France the same year. [8] [9]

The team are sponsored by Betfred in a two-year deal signed in 2022 that included the wheelchair, men's and women's teams. [10] They train at facilities including Calderdale College in Halifax [11] and St George's Park National Football Centre. [12]

Current squad

Squad selected for the 2025 Wheelchair Ashes. [13]

PlayerClub
Seb Bechara Catalanscolours.svg Catalans Dragons
Mason Billington Londonroosterscolours.png London Roosters
Wayne Boardman Faxcolours.svg Halifax Panthers
Jack Brown (VC) Faxcolours.svg Halifax Panthers
Nathan Collins Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds Rhinos
Joe Coyd Londonroosterscolours.png London Roosters
Luis Domingos Castleford colours.svg Castleford Tigers
Rob Hawkins Faxcolours.svg Halifax Panthers
Lewis King (C) Londonroosterscolours.png London Roosters
Finlay O’Neill Faxcolours.svg Halifax Panthers

Competitive record

England wheelchair rugby league team celebrating at Old Trafford in 2022 England wheelchair rugby league team celebrating at Old Trafford.jpg
England wheelchair rugby league team celebrating at Old Trafford in 2022
World Cup Record
YearFinish
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 2008 Champions
Flag of England.svg 2013 Runners-up
Flag of France.svg 2017 Runners-up
Flag of England.svg 2021 Champions

Results

DateScore [a] OpponentCompetitionVenueAttendanceRef.
2007?–?Flag of France.svg  France FriendlyHarrow, London [9]
7 November 200834–26Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2008 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage [14] Sydney Academy of Sport, Narrabeen [15] [16]
10 November 200872–4Barbarians [b] Mount Druitt, Sydney [17]
12 November 200826–18Flag of France.svg  France Sydney Academy of Sport, Narrabeen [18] [19]
14 November 200866–0Barbarians [b] 2008 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final Whitlam Centre, Sydney [20]
17 November 200844–12Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2008 Rugby League World Cup FinalBetts Stadium, Sydney [21] [22]
28 August 200936–38Flag of France.svg  France Friendly Brunel University, London [18] [23]
16 October 201034–44Flag of France.svg  France FriendlyCahors1,060 [24]
8 October 201134–32 Flag of France.svg FranceFriendly Leigh Sports Village, Leigh [25]
7 July 201234–12Four Provinces Flag.svg  Ireland 2012 Four Nations [26] Hull [27]
8 July 201250–0Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland [28]
8 July 201234–0Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales [29] [30]
27 August 201222–43Flag of France.svg  France Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy Medway Park, Gillingham 700 [31] [32]
3 July 201320–28Flag of France.svg  France 2013 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage Medway Park, Gillingham [33] [34]
6 July 201386–8Four Provinces Flag.svg  Ireland [33] [35]
9 July 201350–6Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales [33] [36]
11 July 201381–10Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2013 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final [33] [37]
13 July 201340–42Flag of France.svg  France 2013 Rugby League World Cup Final [38]
9 May 201446–64 Flag of France.svg FranceFriendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy Kindarena, Rouen2,700 [39] [40]
13 September 2014104–14Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 2014 Four Nations [41] Medway Park, Gillingham [42]
September 201454–2Four Provinces Flag.svg  Ireland
14 September 201480–6Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales [43]
23 September 201556–26Flag of France.svg  France Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy Medway Park, Gillingham [44]
24 September 201524–26Flag of France.svg  France 2015 Rugby League European Championship Group Stage Medway Park, Gillingham [45]
25 September 201556–8Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales [46]
25 September 201566–16Four Provinces Flag.svg  Ireland [47]
25 September 2015102–0Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland [48]
26 September 201528–24Flag of France.svg  France 2015 Rugby League European Championship Final [6]
24 September 201690–10Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 2016 Four Nations [49] Mayfield Sports Centre, Rochdale [50]
24 September 201694–0Exiles [c] [50]
25 September 201656–14Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales [52]
25 September 201652–26Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales [53]
20 July 201731–71Flag of France.svg  France 2017 Rugby League World Cup Group StageHalle aux Sport, Carcassonne [33]
22 July 201778–32Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales Complexe La Rijole, Pamiers [33]
24 July 201780–26Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Gymnase du Lac, Saint-Jory [33]
26 July 201776–24Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2017 Rugby League World Cup Semi FinalGymnase Compans Cafferlli, Toulouse [33]
28 July 201734–38Flag of France.svg  France 2017 Rugby League World Cup FinalParc des Expositions, Perpignan [33]
21 June 201931–25Flag of France.svg  France Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy Gymnase M. Guigou, Apt [54] [55]
23 June 201946–50Flag of France.svg  France Palais des Sports de Toulon [56]
28 September 201948–24Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 2019 Tri-Nations [57] Plas Madoc Leisure Centre, Wrexham [58]
28 September 2019136–1Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland [59]
29 September 201954–40Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales [60]
October 201962–12 North Queensland State Flag Proposal (Variant).svg North Queensland2019 tour of Australia [61] [62]
October 2019104–12 Flag of Queensland.svg Queensland [61] [62]
21 October 201984–28Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Whitlam Leisure Centre, Sydney [63] [61]
23 October 201958–50Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia University of Wollongong, Wollongong [63] [61]
25 October 201986–20 Flag of New South Wales.svg New South Wales [62]
26 June 2021102–22Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales Friendly English Institute of Sport, Sheffield [64]
10 November 202124–49Flag of France.svg  France Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy [65] Medway Park, Gillingham [66]
13 November 202126–39Flag of France.svg  France [67]
19 June 202262–48Flag of France.svg  France Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy National Basketball Centre, Manchester [68]
3 November 202238–8Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2021 Rugby League World Cup Group Stage Copper Box, London 3,033 [69]
6 November 2022104–12Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 3,268 [70]
9 November 2022121–0Four Provinces Flag.svg  Ireland 3,847 [71]
13 November 2022125–22Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 2021 Rugby League World Cup Semi Final English Institute of Sport, Sheffield 1,318 [72]
18 November 202228–24Flag of France.svg  France 2021 Rugby League World Cup final Manchester Central, Manchester 4,526 [73]
5 November 202334–43Flag of France.svg  France Two match series friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy [74] Leeds Arena, Leeds 2,373 [75]
25 November 202334–18Flag of France.svg  France Palais des Sports, Marseille [76]
26 October 202466–33Flag of France.svg  France Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy Robin Park Arena, Wigan [77]
21 November 202458–28Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Friendly Nantes [78]
23 November 202428–32Flag of France.svg  France Friendly: Fassolette-Kielty Trophy Saint-Lô ~2,000 [79]

Upcoming fixtures

Records and statistics

Official rankings as of July 2025
RankChangeTeamPts %
1Steady2.svgFlag of England.svg  England 100
2Steady2.svgFlag of France.svg  France 96
3Steady2.svgFour Provinces Flag.svg  Ireland 60
4Steady2.svgFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 52
5Steady2.svgFlag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 49
6Steady2.svgFlag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 41
7Steady2.svgFlag of Spain.svg  Spain 27
8Steady2.svgFlag of the United States.svg  United States 25
9Increase2.svg 1Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 0
Complete rankings at
www.internationalrugbyleague.com
England historical IRL Wheelchair World Rankings
Jun
2020
Dec
2021
Jun
2022
Dec
2022
Jun
2023
Dec
2023
Jun
2024
Dec
2024
Jun
2025
Ranking2221 (Green Arrow Up Darker.svg1)11111
References [81] [82] [83] [84] [85] [86] [87] [88] [89] [90] [91] [92] [93] [94]

The team has only ever lost to France, the originators of the wheelchair game. England's biggest defeat was 31–71 on 20 July 2017.

England's biggest win was 136–1 over Scotland on 28 September 2019; their biggest win without conceding was 121–0 over Ireland on 9 November 2022.

Honours

See also

Notes

  1. England score given first
  2. 1 2 The Barbarians/Pacific Islands were a replacement team due to New Zealand withdrawing from the 2008 World Cup [15]
  3. The Exiles were a mix of Irish, Welsh and English players as Ireland were unable to travel with a full side to the 2016 Four Nations [51]

References

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